White Man, Black Man Single (1975)

Spiders From Mars Reboot

The Spiders From Mars’s “White Man, Black Man” was released as a 7-inch vinyl single in the UK on November 14, 1975, on PYE Records (catalogue: 7N 45549). Backed with “Nation Poll,” this post-Bowie glam-funk strut and moody B-side (both written by Black, McDonald, produced by Dennis McKay & the band), were issued in push-out centre, solid centre, and promo variants. No UK chart entry. Issued in paper labels, company sleeve, promo with large A and 14-11-74 date, plus Australian, Spanish, and Brazilian pressings, it’s a rare ‘75 glam reissue pair.

Single Overview

A-Side: “White Man, Black Man” (2:45)

Written-By – Black, McDonald. Producer – Dennis McKay, The Spiders From Mars.

B-Side: “Nation Poll” (4:00)

Written-By – Black, McDonald. Producer – Dennis McKay, The Spiders From Mars.

Release Details:

Label: PYE Records (UK pressing, 45 RPM).

Published By – Essex Music International.

Producer – Dennis McKay, The Spiders From Mars.

UK Formats:

Vinyl, 7" Single

Paper Labels, Push Out Center, Company Sleeve (7N 45549)

Commercial release.

Vinyl, 7" Single

Paper Labels, Solid Center, Company Sleeve (7N 45549)

Commercial release.

Vinyl, 7" Single, Promo

Paper Labels, Solid Center, Large A and release date 14-11-74 printed on labels (7N 45549)

UK (PYE Records 7N 45549)

Released November 14, 1975. 7-inch (push-out, solid, promo).

Review November 15, 1975

Country Variations:

The single was released in several countries:

Australia (Astor AP-1883)

7", 45 RPM, Single, Company Sleeve. 1975.

Spain (PYE Records P-1009)

7", 45 RPM, Single in Picture Sleeve. 1976.

Brazil (Pye Records 4-14-101-076)

7", Single, Stereo, Company Sleeve. 1976.

Production and Context

Written by Trevor Bolder (Black) & Pete McDonald. Produced by Dennis McKay and the band (Bolder, McDonald, Woody Woodmansey, Dave Black). Post-Bowie Spiders lineup debut. Funky glam with social commentary. Essex Music International publishing.

Chart Performance:

No UK chart entry.

Legacy and Collectibility

“White Man, Black Man” is a gritty glam-funk relic, “Nation Poll” a brooding closer. Original UK push-out vinyls fetch £15–£30 on eBay/Discogs, solid centre (£20–£40), promos (£50–£100). Verify large A and 14-11-74 on promo labels.

Streams check out the whole album.

This post-Ziggy gem is a must-have for Bowie sidemen and ‘75 glam collectors.

Have you tracked down this Spiders funk strut? Does “Nation Poll” still echo in your mind? Share in the comments!

Sources

Information is drawn from my personal knowledge and supplemented by web sources, including Discogs, 45cat, AllMusic, Rate Your Music, Wikipedia, BBC Official Charts Company, Billboard Chart History and YouTube.