Last song of digital EP of David Bowie rarities released today; physical version due out in March

m_davidbowieisitanywondercdlp630_021320

Parlophone RecordsThe final installment of a six-song digital David Bowie rarities EP called Is It Any Wonder? gets its release today via streaming services. Plans for a limited-edition physical version of the collection also have been unveiled.

The sixth track is a 1995 live drum-and-bass version of Bowie’s 1970 tune “The Man Who Sold the World” that was mixed by Brian Eno, who added studio elements to the recording. The “Live Eno Mix” of the song originally was released as part of a single that also featured “Strangers When We Meet,” a track from David’s 1995 concept album Outside.

Is It Any Wonder? also will be released on CD and as a 12-inch vinyl LP on March 20, but with one change to the track list: The ChangesNowBowie version of “The Man Who Sold the World” — the first track made available from the digital EP — will be replaced by a song called “Fun” (Clownboy Mix).

The latter track started as a new version of “Fame” that David and his backing group started recording in early 1997 during rehearsals for his Earthling tour. Later in 1997, a live version of “Fame” was incorporated into the track, but as the recording developed, all elements of “Fame” were removed and it morphed into the song “Fun.” In 1998, studio whiz Danny Saber created the “Clownboy Mix” of the track, which only appeared on a CD-ROM available exclusively to subscribers of the BowieNet website.

As previously reported, the ChangesNowBowie album will be released as a limited-edition CD and vinyl LP on April 18 in conjunction with the 2020 Record Store Day sale.

The nine-song collection was recorded in November ’96 during rehearsals for Bowie’s 50th birthday concert,  which was held at Madison Square Garden in January 1997.

Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.