Thursday's Child (David Bowie song)

"Thursday's Child"
Single by David Bowie
from the album Hours
Released	20 September 1999
Format	CD single
Recorded	Seaview, Bermuda
Genre	Pop rock
Length	5:24 (album version) 4:25 (single edit)
Label	EMI/Parlophone 7423 8 96265 2 9 0
Producer(s)	David Bowie, Reeves Gabrels
David Bowie singles chronology
"I Can't Read" (1997) "Thursday's Child" (1999) "The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell" (1999) CD2 sleeve

"Thursday's Child" is a song written by David Bowie and Reeves Gabrels for the album Hours in 1999. As with some of the other songs from Hours it was originally written for the computer game Omikron - The Nomad Soul from 1999.

This was the first single lifted from Hours and preceded the album by two weeks. An error from EMI UK led to a moderate number of mispressed UK CD version 2 being released; most of which made it to the US retail and online CD market. These CDs were indistinguishable from the correct CD version 2, but had the audio tracks from CD version 1 instead of CD version 2. They did however have the correct "Thursday's Child" video on the enhanced CD portion. The mispressed CDs quickly became a collector's item.

In a performance for VH1 Storytellers, Bowie revealed that the title of the song was prompted by the memory of the autobiography of actress Eartha Kitt. The book, also called Thursday's Child, used to be a favourite of his when he was 14 years old.

A clip from the song was featured in the fourth season premiere of the MTV cartoon Daria.

A "Rock mix" of the song was also released on the single with heavier sounding drums and more guitar.

Track listing

UK CD version 1

1. "Thursday's Child (edit)" - 4:25
2. "We All Go Through" - 4:09
3. "No One Calls" - 3:51

UK CD version 2

1. "Thursday's Child (Rock mix)" - 4:27
2. "We Shall Go to Town" - 3:56
3. "1917" - 3:27

This version also includes the full length "Thursday's Child" video in QuickTime format.

International CD version 1

1. "Thursday's Child (Radio edit)" - 4:25
2. "Thursday's Child (Rock mix)" - 4:27
3. "We Shall Go to Town" - 3:56
4. "1917" - 3:27

International CD version 2

1. "Thursday's Child (Radio edit)" - 4:25
2. "Thursday's Child (Rock mix)" - 4:27

Promo version

1. "Thursday's Child (Radio edit)" - 4:25
2. "Thursday's Child (Rock mix)" - 4:27
3. "Thursday's Child (Album version)" - 5:24

CD: Virgin / DPRO-14338 (US)

1. "The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell (edit)" - 3:59
2. "The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell (Call out hook #1)" - 0:11
3. "The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell (Call out hook #2)" - 0:11
4. "Thursday's Child (Radio edit)" - 4:25
5. "Thursday's Child (Call out hook #1)" - 0:12
6. "Thursday's Child (Call out hook #2)" - 0:12

A cassette version was also released with the three tracks from the UK CD version 1 on both sides of the tape.

Music video

The music video was directed by Walter Stern, and shows Bowie in a motel room, looking in a mirror and reminiscing on his life and what could have been.

Personnel

• David Bowie: Lead Vocals
• Holly Palmer: Backing Vocals
• Reeves Gabrels: Guitar
• Mark Plati: Synthesizers, Bass Guitar
• Sterling Campbell: Drum Machine

Charts

Chart	Peak position
UK Singles Chart	16

Live versions

• A live version recorded in Paris in October 1999 was released on the single "Survive" in January 2000.
• The single version is included on some editions of Best of Bowie, the 2002 compilation album.
• On Oct. 3, 1999, David Bowie was the musical guest on the television program Saturday Night Live and performed Thursday's Child as well as Rebel Rebel.

Other releases

• It was released as on a promo release of the single "The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell"
• Both the "Rock mix" and a slower version from the Omikron - The Nomad Soul video game was released on the bonus disc that followed the 2004 reissue of Hours.
• It later appeared on the 2014 compilation Nothing Has Changed.

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics