40 years ago, David Bowie starred in the sci-fi cult classic The Man Who Fell to Earth, which birthed one of his greatest personas: The Thin White Duke. In commemoration of its upcoming anniversary, the film will return to UK theaters on September 9th. That same day, the film’s soundtrack will be released commercially for the very first time.
Bowie originally intended to handle the soundtrack himself, but director Nic Roeg ultimately decided to go in a different direction. Instead, the music was coordinated by The Mamas & the Papas’ John Phillips, with contributions from Japanese percussionist-composer Stomu Yamash’ta and former Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor. Several of the songs Bowie wrote for The Man Who Fell to Earth — including “Subterraneans” — ended up on his 1977 album, Low.
(Read: David Bowie’s The Man Who Fell to Earth Turns 40)
“Due to the recent discovery of lost master tapes,” Universal will finally issue The Man Who Fell to Earth soundtrack as a two-disc CD/LP set on September 9th. A deluxe box set, out November 18th, adds on a 48-page hardcover book that tells the story of why the soundtrack never came out, in addition to a new essay about the film by Paolo Hewitt, and notes from the film’s editor Graeme Clifford.
The Man Who Fell to Earth Soundtrack Tracklist:
LP 1
01. Stomu Yamashta – Poker Dice
02. Louis Armstrong – Blueberry Hill
03. John Phillips – Jazz II
04. Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra – Venus: The Bringer Of Peace
05. John Phillips – Boys From The South
06. Stomu Yamashta – 33 1/3
07. John Phillips – Rhumba Boogie
08. The Kingston Trio – Try To Remember
09. Stomu Yamashta – Mandala
10. John Phillips – America
11. Stomu Yamashta – Wind Words
12. John Phillips – Jazz
LP 2
01. Stomu Yamashta – One Way
02. John Phillips – Space Capsule
03. John Phillips – Bluegrass Breakdown
04. John Phillips – Desert Shack
05. Stomu Yamashta – Memory Of Hiroshima
06. John Phillips – Window
07. John Phillips – Alberto
08. Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra – Mars: The Bringer Of War (Excerpt)
09. John Phillips – Liar, Liar
10. John Phillips – Hello Mary Lou
11. Robert Farnon – Silent Night
12. Genevieve Waite – Love Is Coming Back
13. John Phillips – The Man Who Fell To Earth (Demo)
