The Legendary Stardust Cowboy’s original “I Too A Trip (On A Gemini Spaceship)” (1968)

I mentioned Ziggy’s namesake Thursday, the Legendary Stardust Cowboy, and while I have very limited familiarity with his music, I thought I’d post this song, which Bowie covered in 2002 on Heathen. The Cowboy’s original version is a year older than “Spaces Oddity,” which he would later cover. I’m sure I’m forgetting someone, but I think that makes the Cowboy the only artist who both covered and was covered by Bowie.*

Coming from the Cowboy, this is a bizarre song. Bowie made it far more conventional, and to my ears more innocent. I’m pretty sure the Cowboy is singing about getting high and masturbating to the thought of whoever he singing to. I didn’t really get that from Bowie’s more melodic version. The Cowboy made “Space Oddity” less melodic and more trippy. While we’re on the topic, I might post that version tomorrow and just hope that the (new) cover of the week doesn’t turn out to be “Space Oddity.”
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* Bowie covered Iggy Pop and also co-wrote several of Iggy’s songs, but I’m not aware that Iggy made a studio recording of any songs first recorded by Bowie, so I’m not counting Iggy Pop. That said, it’s worth noting that the other half of Ziggy Stardust’s name was inspired by Iggy Pop.