David Bowie - Silly Boy Blue

About "Silly Boy Blue"

"Silly Boy Blue" is a song written and recorded by the English singer-songwriter David Bowie. Originally demoed in 1965 as a mod-influenced track about a teenage runaway, it was revised in 1966 with new lyrics and released on Bowie's self-titled debut album in June 1967. This version reflects Bowie's fascination with Tibetan Buddhism, featuring various spiritual and geographic references in the lyrics and varied instrumentation such as a trumpet, cello and Chinese gong. Bowie remade the song twice during his stint with the Riot Squad in April 1967: as an instrumental for live performances and acoustically, which has appeared on compilations.

Bowie performed "Silly Boy Blue" during his mime productions in 1968 and during his respective BBC radio sessions in December 1967 and May 1968. The first version was similar to the album version and appeared on David Bowie: Deluxe Edition (2010), while the second boasted a new string arrangement from Tony Visconti and was included on his compilation Bowie at the Beeb (2000). Billy Fury covered the song in 1968, whereas Bowie revisited Tibetan themes in later recordings. He re-recorded the song during the sessions for the Toy project in mid-2000 and performed this version at New York's Carnegie Hall in 2001. Initially shelved, the remake saw an official release in 2021 with the entire Toy album as part of the Brilliant Adventure (1992–2001) box set.