David Bowie
Hunky Dory
Vinyl LP - RCA LSP-4813
First Pressing (1971)
with Changes and Life On Mars

Condition: Good + Vinyl and Very Good Cover. Vinyl has light surface scuffs, was cleaned and play-tested on both sides and plays through with noticeable background noise, but no skips. Cover has good color, tape repair on top seam, some wear on spine. Includes original inner sleeve with lyrics in very good condition.

Hunky Dory is the fourth studio album by David Bowie, released in 1971 through RCA Records. Following the release of his 1970 album, The Man Who Sold the World, Bowie took time off from recording and touring. He settled down to write new songs, composing on piano rather than guitar as on earlier tracks. Following a tour of the United States, Bowie assembled a new backing band consisting of guitarist Mick Ronson, bassist Trevor Bolder and drummer Mick Woodmansey, and began to record a new album. Future Yes member Rick Wakeman contributed on piano. Bowie co-produced the album with Ken Scott, who had engineered Bowie's previous two records.

Bowie opted for a warmer, more melodic piano-based pop rock and art pop style on Hunky Dory. His lyrical concerns on the record range from the compulsive nature of artistic reinvention on "Changes", to occultism and Nietzschean philosophy on "Oh! You Pretty Things" and "Quicksand". He was also inspired by his stateside tour to write songs dedicated to three American icons: Andy Warhol, Bob Dylan and Lou Reed. 

Upon release, Hunky Dory and its lead single "Changes" received little promotion from RCA who were wary that Bowie would transform his image shortly. Thus, despite very positive reviews from the British and American music press, the album initially sold poorly and failed to chart. It was only after the commercial breakthrough of Bowie's 1972 follow-up album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars that Hunky Dory itself became a commercial success. Retrospectively, Hunky Dory has been critically acclaimed as one of Bowie's best works, and features on several lists of the greatest albums of all time. Within the context of his career, it is considered to be the album where "Bowie starts to become Bowie", definitively discovering his voice and style.

Track listing

A1 Changes 2:32
A2 Oh! You Pretty Things / Eight Line Poem 6:04
A3 Life On Mars? 3:45
A4 Kooks 2:45
A5 Quicksand 5:03

B1 Fill Your Heart / Andy Warhol 7:02
B2 Song For Bob Dylan 4:10
B3 Queen Bitch 3:14
B4 The Bewlay Brothers 5:21

Personnel
David Bowie – vocals, guitar, alto and tenor saxophone, piano 
Mick Ronson – guitar, vocals, Mellotron, arrangements
Trevor Bolder – bass guitar, trumpet
Mick Woodmansey – drums
Rick Wakeman – piano
Ken Scott – ARP synthesiser ("Andy Warhol")
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Shipping: Calculated domestic shipping via Media Mail or Priority Mail. Will ship internationally at FLAT RATES.  Records mailed in a proper cardboard LP mailer. All records cleaned prior to shipment.

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Return Policy: I do accept returns for up to 30 days. Please let me know if you have questions about this item or any others I have for sale before you bid or purchase.  If you are unhappy with your purchase, please contact me immediately and I will do whatever I can to resolve. This may be a replacement, a credit, or a full or partial refund depending on the circumstances.

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I use the Goldmine Grading System, and play-test all records. I note any differences between vinyl and cover, and make note of any inserts, special sleeves, or potential defects.


MINT (M) - Absolutely perfect in every way. Most often this is a still sealed record, records that have been opened are rarely if ever marked as Mint.

NEAR MINT (NM) - A good description is that it looks like it just came from a retail store and it was opened for the first time. In other words, it?s nearly perfect, with no visible defects. 

VERY GOOD PLUS (VG+) - Except for a couple minor things, this could be Near Mint. Most collectors will be happy with a VG+ record, especially if on the high end (VG++). VG+ records may show slight signs of wear, including light scuffs or very light scratches that do not affect the listening experience. Covers should have only minor wear. 

VERY GOOD (VG) - VG records are among the biggest bargains, and for many, will be worth the money. They can lack the original gloss, may have surface noise, and some scratches may be audible, especially in soft passages. But the noise will not overpower the music. VG covers will have signs of handling, and may have minor splits. 

GOOD PLUS (G+) - Good+ does not mean bad! The record still plays through without skipping, but it has significant surface noise and groove wear. Cover may have significant ring wear, noticeable writing, or obvious damage.

GOOD (G) - Record may have some skipping, but is otherwise listenable. I generally avoid selling Good (G) rated records unless they are highly collectible or desirable, in order to enjoy until something better comes along. Cover has major wear or seam splits that need repair, or heavy writing like radio station call letters to prevent theft.

Feel free to contact me with any specific questions.