This week was when David Jones officially changed his name to David Bowie, with the release of his first solo effort, after abandoning his previous group The Mannish Boys. This name change was of course to avoid confusion with Davy Jones from the Monkees.
“Can’t Help Thinking About Me” was released on 14th January, 1966 on the PYE record label, backed with the song “And I say to Myself”
If you own this original single, you probably already know that the UK vinyl release averages £600 and the UK & the US Promo copies value around £1000.
As the previous material he’d done with Mannish boys, this song didn’t chart but “got great critical acclaim” …in other words it was a flop. Bowie would not have any chart success until “Space Oddity” would peak at #5 on the British Singles charts in 1969.
The song was produced by Tony Hatch, who had also produced Petula Clark’s hit “Downtown.” Hatch also performs on the track.
Here’s David and his band dusting off “Can’t Help Thinking About Me”. This was from a long-awaited appearance on VH1’s “Storytellers.”
I was at this show, and the energy was great, although honestly some of the storytelling felt a bit forced and he seemed to be “reaching” at parts of it. Regardless the performance was incredible.
Check out the exchange with the ever quick witted Reeves Gabrels regarding the lyrics from the Tin Machine era…
Dig That Crate 