David Bowie was never one to “set out” to do anything within the rigid confines of musical labels. With that element of his creative personality, he also rarely put out what one would call unabashed love songs or ballads. That being said, he did release an arresting tune or two about being in love. And we have to say, some of them are quite wonderful. Let’s take a deep dive into a few David Bowie love songs!
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1. “Be My Wife”
Nothing gets more romantic in Bowie’s discography than “Be My Wife” from 1977. This song can be interpreted so many different ways, and some believe that it’s fully sarcastic. And if that’s the case, Bowie somewhat failed at that. “Be My Wife” truly feels like a pure love song, complete with a lovely little ragtime piano melody.
2. “Letter To Hermione”
“Letter To Hermione” was written about and for Hermione Farthingale, a dancer whom Bowie met in 1968 while performing in the play The Pistol Shot. Farthingale inspired quite a bit of Bowie’s music, though their love affair didn’t last forever. “Letter To Hermione” was based on a letter Bowie had written to her but never sent, and allegedly says things that Bowie wished he’d said before the end of their relationship.
“I wrote this song really as a way of trying to communicate with her again,” said Bowie of “Letter To Hermione”.
3. “Lady Grinning Soul”
This tune from Aladdin Sane is definitely one of Bowie’s purest, deepest love songs from his career. Bowie said “Lady Grinning Soul” was written about a woman that he had not seen for the better part of three decades. He also described this nostalgic, almost heartbreaking song as “the sound of ghosts again,” which we think is a pretty accurate descriptor.
4. “An Occasional Dream”
Another one of David Bowie’s love songs about Farthingale, “An Occasional Dream” is a standout track on Bowie’s self-titled record from 1969. Bowie composed the song as a tribute to the dancer, and it’s considered one of Bowie’s most outwardly obvious songs about pining for her. It’s quite romantic, actually.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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