10-21-2013, 09:39 PM
One of David Bowie's biggest songs of the 80s was "China Girl" and was a top ten hit in both the US and UK in 1983. However, Bowie only claimed half the songwriting on the song.
It was originally recorded by Iggy Pop in 1977. The reason David Bowie covered the song was for financial reasons. Bowie and Iggy Pop were very close friends, and Iggy had fallen into large amounts of debt. Bowie figured he could re-work the song and make it a large hit, and then Iggy Pop would make a killing on royalties. And it worked perfectly, pulling Pop out of debt.
Here's Iggy's original version.
It was originally recorded by Iggy Pop in 1977. The reason David Bowie covered the song was for financial reasons. Bowie and Iggy Pop were very close friends, and Iggy had fallen into large amounts of debt. Bowie figured he could re-work the song and make it a large hit, and then Iggy Pop would make a killing on royalties. And it worked perfectly, pulling Pop out of debt.
Here's Iggy's original version.