Who originally sang David Bowie’s ‘Sorrow’?
David Bowie was very much a visionary in his own mind. But really, he was a covers man at heart.
In many ways, this was all part of the appeal of what kept Bowie so fresh and effervescent over the years: that he wasn’t holed up alone, squirrelling away to find his next shot at greatness in solitude. Instead, he was blazing and very much out in the world, with an eye for spotting the next rising talent as much as he would take notes from them.
All of this is to say that as much as the musician was undeniably a true original, he also ultimately wasn’t afraid of learning from other artists and taking a leaf out of their books. Whether this was in persona, looks, clothing, or even musical techniques, nothing was off-limits, and it was often in this spirit of sharing that he would also give back.
In this sense, the art of the cover was the perfect medium for Bowie to not only show his appreciation for the artists and songs he loved the most, but also to provide him with a much-needed sonic shake-up whenever he needed it. When he spent a life and career building up so many eclectic characters and personae, assuming the mantra of another song was like a snake shedding its skin.
That was exactly the thought process that went into Bowie’s 1973 bespoke covers album Pin Ups, revering the acts he had grown up on and been sonically nurtured by, while also giving him the chance to refresh himself and move on from the Ziggy Stardust era without too many tears. Within this, the song ‘Sorrow’ became the standout hit – but having originally been sung by the Indiana band The McCoys, it had a lot more history than met the eye.
What was the story of ‘Sorrow’ before it reached David Bowie?
The first iteration of ‘Sorrow’, as the name suggests, was a far more mournful affair than the sound it later became known by. Recorded by the American folk band The McCoys in 1965, it came out as a B-side, ironically with a cover of ‘Fever’ by Little Willie John as its lead. Despite this being its origin story, however, this is not where the song truly took flight.
It was a year when The Merseys, otherwise known as The Merseybeats, decided to put a more upbeat swing on ‘Sorrow’ and transformed it into a hit, where it shot to number four in the charts. That put it truly on the radar to the masses – and to a fledgling Bowie, it was the ultimate inspiration for what was to come.
With his own twist and flair, the Starman once again took on the onus of reinventing the track, and this time turned it into a worldwide hit, a standout as the only single released from the Pin Ups era. As he later recalled of the album generally: “Pin Ups was really my way of shaking off Ziggy completely, while retaining some excitement in the music. It really was treading water, but it happens to be one of my favourite albums. I think there is some terrific stuff on it.”
‘Sorrow’ might have been the most high-profile example, but it was a case to prove that during that heady era, everything that Bowie touched could be turned to gold. It might have taken the McCoys, then The Merseybeats, to pass it down the line towards him, but when that track finally landed in his hands, he knew for certain that it was the sign of something great.
