In 1971, David Bowie became a father. Three days later, Neil Young inspired him to write a song

David Bowie wrote ‘Kooks’ for his newborn son, Zowie, after hearing that his wife Angie had given birth in May 1971. He performed it at a BBC session just three days later, explaining that he had been listening to Neil Young; the song later appeared on his album Hunky Dory and offers a joyful, if idealised, portrait of parenthood.

The song’s upbeat arrangement and lyrics promise affection, unusual parenting and a “kooky” family life, while acknowledging that children grow up. The article links its sound and some lyrical themes to Young’s 1970 album After the Gold Rush. Bowie later described his son as independent, and Duncan Jones joked in 2018 that the song’s promise about homework was “fantastical”.