The Iconic David Bowie Song That Didn’t Become a Hit Until Another Artist Covered It

Mick Ronson’s twisting phrase in “The Man Who Sold The World” is one of the most recognizable guitar riffs in rock history. But it didn’t reach its current level of ubiquity until Nirvana covered David Bowie’s psychedelic tune on their 1994 MTV Unplugged performance.

Rather than play his biggest hit, “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, Kurt Cobain chose what was then a rather obscure Bowie song from 1970, alongside covering songs by Meat Puppets, The Vaselines, and Lead Belly.

However, Nirvana’s cover of “The Man Who Sold The World” wasn’t the first time another artist made the song popular.

Panic at the Disco

The title track of Bowie’s 1970 album marked a shift in style for the singer. He had transitioned from folk music to hard rock. And Ronson’s guitar riff helped give “The Man Who Sold The World” both its edge and its musical identity.

During the chorus, Ronson plays a climbing riff that echoes Bowie’s searching lyrics.

Oh no, not me,
I never lost control.
You’re face to face,
With the man who sold the world.

Meanwhile, Bowie narrates a supernatural tale about examining one’s identity as he roams for form and a sense of grounding.

I laughed and shook his hand,
And made my way back home.
I searched for form and land,
For years and years I roamed.

Lulu

Still, it didn’t become a hit until the Scottish singer Lulu recorded a version in 1974. Co-produced by Bowie and Ronson, Lulu’s cover reached No. 3 in the U.K. Her pop-soul rendition doesn’t feature Ronson’s famous riff. Instead, the guitarist strums along as Bowie’s sax playing takes center stage.

During the chorus, you hear Ronson hinting at his cycling notes. It’s subtle, leaving the tune feeling less anxious and more determined.

Life and Death

Recalling Nirvana’s version, Bowie said, “It’s a very sad rendition, of course, because it’s so tied up in life and death. So it takes on all these different shades for me.”

Bowie also described experiencing a kind of mystical state that inspired the song. And with the haunting performance by—the fittingly named—Nirvana, “The Man Who Sold The World” turned out to be one of Bowie’s most transcendent works.

Photo by © Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images