Before Ziggy Stardust, David Bowie tried sounding like another star. The playback had everyone laughing

David Bowie wrote ‘Black Country Rock’ for his bandmates, drummer Woody Woodmansey and guitarist Mick Ronson, whose blues-influenced tastes differed from his gentler material. The song also paid tribute to his friend and rival Marc Bolan, whose growing fame had put Bowie in his shadow.

Producer Tony Visconti recalled that the band developed the track through repeated jams, with lyrics added later. Bowie first sang the whole song in an imitation of Bolan; when the band played it back, everyone laughed, so he re-recorded it in his own voice, keeping the imitation for the final chorus.