Editing Hunky Dory

{{short description|1971 studio album by David Bowie}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Featured article}}
{{EngvarB|date=January 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Infobox album
| name         = Hunky Dory
| type         = studio
| artist       = [[David Bowie]]
| cover        = David Bowie - Hunky Dory.jpg
| alt          = A close-up of David Bowie looking past the camera while he pulls back his gold hair, surrounded by a thick black border
| caption      = UK cover (the original US cover bears no title)
| released     = {{start date|1971|12|17|df=y}}{{efn|name=release date}}
| recorded     = 8 June – 6 August 1971
| studio       = [[Trident Studios|Trident]] (London)
| genre        = <!-- All unsourced genres will be reverted -->
*[[Art pop]]
*[[pop rock]]
| length       = {{duration|m=41|s=50}}
| label        = [[RCA Records|RCA]]
| producer     = {{hlist|[[Ken Scott]]|David Bowie}}
| prev_title   = [[The Man Who Sold the World (album)|The Man Who Sold the World]]
| prev_year    = 1970
| next_title   = [[The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars]]
| next_year    = 1972
| misc         = {{Singles
 | name        = Hunky Dory
 | type        = studio
 | single1     = [[Changes (David Bowie song)|Changes]]" / "[[Andy Warhol (song)|Andy Warhol]]
 | single1date = 7 January 1972
 | single2     = [[Life on Mars (song)|Life on Mars?]]
 | single2date = 22 June 1973
}}
}}

'''''Hunky Dory''''' is the fourth studio album by the English musician [[David Bowie]], released in the United Kingdom on 17{{nbsp}}December 1971 through [[RCA Records]]. Following a break from touring and recording, Bowie settled down to write new songs, composing on piano rather than guitar as in earlier works. Bowie assembled [[Mick Ronson]] (guitar), [[Trevor Bolder]] (bass) and [[Mick Woodmansey]] (drums), and recorded the album in mid-1971 at [[Trident Studios]] in London. [[Rick Wakeman]] contributed piano shortly before joining [[Yes (band)|Yes]]. Bowie co-produced the album with [[Ken Scott]], who had engineered Bowie's previous two records.

Compared to the guitar-driven [[hard rock]] sound of ''[[The Man Who Sold the World (album)|The Man Who Sold the World]]'', Bowie opted for a warmer, more melodic piano-based [[pop rock]] and [[art pop]] style on ''Hunky Dory''. His lyrical concerns on the record range from the compulsive nature of artistic reinvention on "[[Changes (David Bowie song)|Changes]]" to [[occultism]] and [[Friedrich Nietzsche|Nietzschean]] philosophy on "[[Oh! You Pretty Things]]" and "[[Quicksand (David Bowie song)|Quicksand]]"; several songs make cultural and literary references. He was also inspired by his United States tour to write songs dedicated to three American icons: [[Andy Warhol]], [[Bob Dylan]] and [[Lou Reed]]. The song "[[Kooks (song)|Kooks]]" was dedicated to Bowie's newborn son [[Duncan Jones|Duncan]]. The album's cover artwork, photographed in monochrome and subsequently recoloured, features Bowie in a pose inspired by actresses of the [[Hollywood Golden Age]].

RCA offered little promotion for ''Hunky Dory'' and its lead single "Changes", wary that Bowie would transform his image shortly. Thus, despite very positive reviews from the British and American music press, the album initially sold poorly and failed to chart. After the commercial breakthrough of Bowie's ''[[The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars|Ziggy Stardust]]'' album in 1972, ''Hunky Dory'' garnered renewed interest, with sales peaking at number three on the [[UK Albums Chart]]. Retrospectively, ''Hunky Dory'' has been critically acclaimed as one of Bowie's best works, and features on several lists of the greatest albums of all time. Within the context of his career, ''Hunky Dory'' is considered the album where "Bowie starts to become Bowie", definitively discovering his voice and style.<ref name="Gallucci UCR" />

== Background ==
After [[David Bowie]] completed his third studio album, ''[[The Man Who Sold the World (album)|The Man Who Sold the World]]'', in May 1970, he became less active in both the studio and on stage. His contract with the music publisher Essex had expired and his new manager [[Tony Defries]] was facing prior contractual challenges.{{sfn|Cann|2010|pp=195–197}}{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}} Bowie was also without a backing band, as the musicians on ''The Man Who Sold the World'' – including its producer and bassist [[Tony Visconti]], the guitarist [[Mick Ronson]] and the drummer [[Mick Woodmansey]] – departed in August 1970 due to personal conflicts with the artist.{{sfn|Cann|2010|pp=195–197}}{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}} After hearing a demo of Bowie's "[[Holy Holy (song)|Holy Holy]]", recorded in autumn 1970, Defries signed the singer to a contract with [[Chrysalis Records|Chrysalis]], but thereafter limited his work with Bowie to focus on other projects. Bowie, who was devoting himself to songwriting, turned to Chrysalis's partner Bob Grace, who loved the demo of "Holy Holy" and subsequently booked time at [[Radio Luxembourg]]'s studios in London for Bowie to record his demos.{{sfn|Cann|2010|pp=195–197}}{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=114, 344}} "Holy Holy", recorded in November 1970 and released as a single in January 1971, was a commercial flop.{{sfn|Cann|2010|p=199}}{{sfn|O'Leary|2015|loc=chap. 4}}

{{quote box|quote=The whole ''Hunky Dory'' album reflected my newfound enthusiasm for this new continent that had been opened up to me. That was the first time a real outside situation affected me so 100 percent that it changed my way of writing and the way I look at things.<ref name="Greene RS">{{cite magazine |last1=Greene |first1=Andy |title=David Bowie's 'Hunky Dory': How America Inspired 1971 Masterpiece |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/david-bowies-hunky-dory-how-america-inspired-1971-masterpiece-109948/ |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |access-date=28 April 2020 |date=16 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200310021806/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/david-bowies-hunky-dory-how-america-inspired-1971-masterpiece-109948/ |archive-date=10 March 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref>|source=—David Bowie discussing how America impacted the album, 1999|width=20%|align=left|style=padding:8px;}}
''The Man Who Sold the World'' was released in the United States through [[Mercury Records]] in November 1970.{{sfn|O'Leary|2015|loc=chap. 4}} The album sold poorly but fared better both critically and commercially in the US than in the UK.{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}} It was played on American radio stations frequently and its "heavy rock content" increased interest in Bowie.{{sfn|Cann|2010|p=211}} The critical success of the album prompted Mercury to send Bowie on a promotional radio tour of the US in February 1971.{{sfn|Sandford|1998|pp=72–74}} The trip inspired him to write tribute songs for three American icons: the artist [[Andy Warhol]], the singer-songwriter [[Bob Dylan]] and the rock band [[the Velvet Underground]], more specifically their singer [[Lou Reed]].<ref name="Greene RS" />{{sfn|Cann|2010|p=234}} After the tour, Bowie returned to his apartment in Haddon Hall, [[Beckenham]], where he recorded many of his early 1970s demos, and began writing.{{sfn|Pegg|2016|p=338}} According to his then-wife [[Angie Bowie|Angela]], Bowie had spent time composing songs on piano rather than acoustic guitar, which would "infuse the flavour of the new album".{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}} In total, he composed over three-dozen songs there, many of which would appear on ''Hunky Dory'' and its follow-up album ''[[The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars]]''.{{sfn|Spitz|2009|pp=156–161}} The first song Bowie wrote for ''Hunky Dory'' was "[[Oh! You Pretty Things]]" in January 1971. After recording its demo at Radio Luxembourg, Bowie gave the tape to Grace, who showed it to [[Peter Noone]] of [[Herman's Hermits]]. Noone decided to record his own version and release it as his debut single.{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}}{{sfn|Cann|2010|pp=202–203}}

Released in April 1971, Noone's version of "Oh! You Pretty Things" was a commercial success, reaching number 12 on the [[UK Singles Chart]]. It was the first time most listeners had heard of Bowie since "[[Space Oddity]]" (1969).{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=202–204}}{{sfn|Sandford|1998|pp=72–74}} Noone told ''[[NME]]'': "My view is that David Bowie is the best writer in Britain at the moment&nbsp;... certainly the best since [[Lennon–McCartney|Lennon and McCartney]]."{{sfn|Cann|2010|p=220}} Following the success of the single, Defries sought to extricate Bowie from his contract with Mercury,{{sfn|Cann|2010|pp=195–197}}{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}} which was set to expire in June 1971. Defries felt that Mercury had not done Bowie justice financially. Although Mercury had intended to renew it on improved terms, Defries forced the label to terminate the contract in May by threatening to deliver a low-quality album. Defries then paid off Bowie's debts to Mercury through Gem Productions, and the label surrendered its copyright on ''[[David Bowie (1969 album)|David Bowie]]'' (1969) and ''The Man Who Sold the World''.{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}}

== Writing and recording ==
After his short-lived band [[Arnold Corns]] folded in February, Bowie returned to the studio in May 1971 to record his next album.{{sfn|Cann|2010|pp=216–219}} He brought back Ronson and Woodmansey and hired [[Trevor Bolder]], a former hairdresser and piano tuner, as a bass player to replace Visconti.{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}}{{sfn|Cann|2010|pp=216–219}} After Bolder was hired, the trio grouped at Haddon to rehearse some of Bowie's new material, such as the song "[[Andy Warhol (song)|Andy Warhol]]".{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}} Bowie and his new backing trio, soon to be named [[the Spiders from Mars]], played for the first time on 3{{nbsp}}June on BBC DJ [[John Peel]]'s radio programme ''In Concert''. The set included debut performances of several songs Bowie had recently written such as "[[Queen Bitch]]", "[[Bombers (David Bowie song)|Bombers]]", "[[Song for Bob Dylan]]" and "Andy Warhol". The title ''Hunky Dory'' was also announced at this session.{{sfn|Cann|2010|pp=216–219}}{{sfn|Pegg|2016|p=631}}

[[File:Ken Scott - 2014-11-14 - Andy Mabbett.JPG|thumb|upright=0.65|alt=Ken Scott in 2014|Co-producer [[Ken Scott]] in 2014]]
Bowie and the future Spiders officially started work on the new album at [[Trident Studios]] in London on 8{{nbsp}}June 1971.{{sfn|Cann|2010|pp=216–219}} [[Ken Scott]], who had engineered Bowie's two previous records, was hired to co-produce alongside him.<ref name="Gallucci UCR">{{cite web |last=Gallucci |first=Michael |title=Revisiting David Bowie's First Masterpiece 'Hunky Dory' |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/david-bowie-hunky-dory/ |url-status=live |website=Ultimate Classic Rock |date=17 December 2016 |access-date=23 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190920175729/https://ultimateclassicrock.com/david-bowie-hunky-dory/ |archive-date=20 September 2019}}</ref> Scott accepted the position as a way to gain experience, although at the time he didn't believe Bowie would become a huge star.{{sfn|Trynka|2011|pp=168–171}} His debut as a producer, Scott borrowed some of the acoustic sounds of [[George Harrison]]'s ''[[All Things Must Pass]]'' (1970), an album he engineered.{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}}{{sfn|Buckley|2005|pp=93–99}} Scott retained the role of co-producer for Bowie's next three records: ''Ziggy Stardust'', ''[[Aladdin Sane]]'' and ''[[Pin Ups]]''.{{sfn|Cann|2010|p=234}} Bowie played demos for Scott and the two picked which ones would be recorded for the album.{{sfn|Buckley|2005|pp=93–99}} On 8{{nbsp}}June, the band recorded "Song for Bob Dylan",{{sfn|Cann|2010|pp=216–219}} although according to [[Nicholas Pegg]] this version was scrapped and the released version was not recorded until 23{{nbsp}}June.{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}} Scott later recalled that recording went very quickly: "Almost everything was done in one take."{{sfn|Cann|2010|pp=216–219}} Discussing Bowie's vocals, Scott stated: "He was unique. [He is] the only singer I ever worked with where virtually every take was a master."{{sfn|Trynka|2011|pp=168–171}} Bolder described recording with Bowie for the first time as a "nerve-wracking experience": "When that red light came on in the studio it was, God, in at the deep end of what!"{{sfn|Cann|2010|pp=216–219}} As a co-producer Bowie took an active interest in the album's sound and arrangements, an about-face from his generally hands-off attitude during the ''Man Who Sold the World'' sessions.{{sfn|Cann|2010|pp=195–197}}{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}}

[[File:Rickwakemanmoog.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.8|alt=Rick Wakeman performing in 2012|[[Rick Wakeman]] ''(pictured in 2012)'', whose piano playing greatly influenced the songs]]
[[Rick Wakeman]], noted [[session musician]] and member of the [[Strawbs]],{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}} plays piano on the album;{{efn|The piano Wakeman played was the same 1898 [[C. Bechstein|Bechstein]] used by [[Paul McCartney]] for the Beatles' "[[Hey Jude]]" (1968) and later by [[Queen (band)|Queen]] for "[[Bohemian Rhapsody]]" (1975).{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}}}}{{sfn|Buckley|2005|pp=93–99}} he previously played [[Mellotron]] on ''David Bowie'' (1969).{{sfn|Cann|2010|p=155}} In 1995 he recalled that he met with Bowie in late June 1971 at Haddon Hall, where he heard demos of "Changes" and "[[Life on Mars?]]" in "their raw brilliance&nbsp;... the finest selection of songs I have ever heard in one sitting in my entire life&nbsp;... I couldn't wait to get into the studio and record them."{{sfn|Cann|2010|pp=219–225}} According to Wakeman, the first few sessions started poorly as the band had not learned the songs. He recalled that Bowie had to halt the sessions, telling the musicians off and to come back when they knew the music. When they returned after a week, Wakeman thought "the band were hot! They were so good, and the tracks just flowed through."{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}} This story has been contested by other band members, including Bolder, who told the biographer Kevin Cann: "[That's] rubbish. David would never have told the band off in the studio. Especially as Mick and Woody had already left him once, and everyone was now getting on. The band would not have survived that – it definitely didn't happen." Scott contended: "I definitely don't remember that, and it's not something I would forget. I would definitely dispute that one."{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}}{{sfn|Cann|2010|pp=219–225}}

On 9{{nbsp}}July, with Wakeman in the line-up, Bowie and the band recorded two takes of "Bombers" and "It Ain't Easy", the latter featuring backing vocals by [[Dana Gillespie]]. Five days later, the group recorded four takes of "[[Quicksand (David Bowie song)|Quicksand]]", the last of which appears on the finished album.{{sfn|Cann|2010|pp=219–225}} On 18{{nbsp}}July, the group spent the day rehearsing and mixing. Further mixing sessions were carried out between 21 and 26{{nbsp}}July to compile a promotional album for Gem Productions. By this point, the songs "Oh! You Pretty Things", "Eight Line Poem", "Kooks", "Queen Bitch" and "Andy Warhol" had been recorded; the mixes of "Eight Line Poem" and "Kooks" on the promotional album differed from the final versions on ''Hunky Dory''.{{sfn|Cann|2010|pp=219–225}} "[[The Bewlay Brothers]]" and "Changes" were recorded on 30{{nbsp}}July.{{sfn|Cann|2010|pp=219–225}}<ref>{{Cite AV media notes |title=Divine Symmetry: The Journey to Hunky Dory |author=David Bowie |year=2022 |publisher=[[Parlophone]] |location=Worldwide |type=Album liner notes |id=DBDS 71|p=90}}</ref> On 6{{nbsp}}August, the band recorded "Life on Mars?" and "Song for Bob Dylan", after which the recording process was considered finished. Before the sessions ended, Bowie asked Wakeman if he wanted to be a part of the Spiders from Mars. Wakeman declined and joined the [[progressive rock]] band [[Yes (band)|Yes]] instead.{{sfn|Cann|2010|pp=219–225}}

== Songs ==
After the [[hard rock]] sound of ''The Man Who Sold the World'', ''Hunky Dory'' features a stylistic shift towards [[art pop]] and melodic [[pop rock]].<ref>{{harvnb|Sullivan|2017|p=494}}; {{harvnb|Doggett|2012|p=11}}.</ref> The songs are mostly piano-led rather than guitar-led.{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}} The biographer [[Marc Spitz]] believes the piano incites a warmer feel on this record compared to its two predecessors.{{sfn|Spitz|2009|pp=156–161}} [[Christopher Sandford (biographer)|Christopher Sandford]] states that "the songs [are] characterised by the lush ambience established by Bowie's vocal and the piano" and, along with [[Elton John]] and [[Phil Collins]], helped create music on the "easy-listening continuum".{{sfn|Sandford|1998|p=86}} Lior Phillips of ''[[Consequence of Sound]]'' wrote that the songs are accessible, both musically and lyrically, allowing the listener to dissect them again and again.<ref name="CoS greatest">{{cite web |last1=Phillips |first1=Lior |title=Ranking: Every David Bowie Album from Worst to Best |url=https://consequence.net/2018/01/ranking-dissected-david-bowie/full-post/ |website=[[Consequence of Sound]] |access-date=24 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191110180834/https://consequence.net/2018/01/ranking-dissected-david-bowie/full-post/ |archive-date=10 November 2019 |date=January 2016}}</ref> The music journalist [[Peter Doggett]] concurs, regarding ''Hunky Dory'' as "a collective of attractively accessible pop songs, through which Bowie tested out his feelings about the nature of stardom and power".{{sfn|Doggett|2012|p=11}} Rick Quinn described the songs in ''[[PopMatters]]'' as a fusion of "British pop, orchestral works, [[Art rock|art-rock]], folk and ballads" that emerge to form [[glam rock]].<ref name="PM">{{cite web |last1=Quinn |first1=Rick |title=David Bowie's Glam Masterpiece 'Hunky Dory' Turns 50 |url=https://www.popmatters.com/david-bowie-hunky-dory-50th |website=[[PopMatters]] |access-date=18 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220112033950/https://www.popmatters.com/david-bowie-hunky-dory-50th/ |archive-date=12 January 2022 |date=11 January 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Robert Dimery, in his book ''[[1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die]]'', calls it "a toybox of acoustic oddities, tributes to heroes and surrealism".{{sfn|Dimery|2005|p=254}} [[Stephen Thomas Erlewine]] of [[AllMusic]] describes it as "a kaleidoscopic array of pop styles, tied together only by Bowie's sense of vision: a sweeping, cinematic mélange of high and low art, ambiguous sexuality, kitsch, and class".<ref name="Erlewine AllMusic" /> Michael Gallucci of ''Ultimate Classic Rock'' notes that it is Bowie's first record to include "a mix of pop, glam, art and folk wrapped in an ambisexual pose that would come to define the artist".<ref name="Gallucci UCR" /> James Perone similarly describes the album as "a unique blend of folk, pop, glam, and progressive rock" that distinguished Bowie from other musicians at the time.{{sfn|Perone|2007|p=19}} Peter Ormerod of ''[[The Guardian]]'' writes that the music of ''Hunky Dory'' celebrates "uncertainty, rootlessness, inner chaos, difference, otherness, doubt and impermanence" and did it with "beauty, style and charisma".<ref name="Ormerod The Guardian">{{cite web |last=Ormerod |first=Peter |title=A moment that changed me – listening to David Bowie's ''Hunky Dory'' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jan/07/moment-that-changed-me-david-bowie-hunky-dory |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=30 April 2020 |date=7 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170622081345/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jan/07/moment-that-changed-me-david-bowie-hunky-dory |archive-date=22 June 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Side one===
{{Listen
|filename=David_Bowie_-_Changes.ogg
|title=The chorus of "Changes"
|description=The chorus of "Changes" features Bowie stuttering the 'ch' at the beginning of the word 'changes'.{{sfn|Buckley|2005|pp=93–99}} The piano-led track widely differs from the music found in Bowie's previous works.{{sfn|Doggett|2012|pp=140–150}}
|pos=right}}
The opening track, "[[Changes (David Bowie song)|Changes]]", is built around a distinctive piano riff.{{sfn|Doggett|2012|pp=140–150}} The lyrics focus on the compulsive nature of artistic reinvention and distancing oneself from the rock mainstream.{{sfn|Buckley|2005|pp=93–99}} The biographer David Buckley writes that "strange fascination" is a phrase that "embodies a continued quest for the new and the bizarre".{{sfn|Buckley|2005|pp=93–99}} Pegg summarises the lyrics as Bowie "holding a mirror to his face" just as he is about to achieve stardom.{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=58–59}} Doggett notes that "Changes" is a "statement of purpose": as the opening track, the song provided a stark contrast to the hard rock sound found on its predecessor. The song was also unlike "Space Oddity" and its 1969 parent album, but rather "pure, unashamedly melodic, gleefully commercial, gorgeously mellifluous pop".{{sfn|Doggett|2012|pp=140–150}}

"Oh! You Pretty Things" was the first track written for the album.{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=202–204}} The piano style has been compared to the Beatles' "[[Martha My Dear]]".{{sfn|Buckley|2005|pp=93–99}}{{sfn|Carr|Murray|1981|pp=40–41}} The lyrics reference the teachings of the occultist [[Aleister Crowley]] and his [[Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn|Golden Dawn]] and the philosopher [[Friedrich Nietzsche]], particularly with the lines "the homo superior", "the golden ones" and "homo sapiens have outgrown their use".{{sfn|Buckley|2005|pp=93–99}} "Homo Superior" refers to Nietzsche's theory of ''[[Übermensch]]'', or "Superman".{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=202–204}} The music itself provides a contrast to the darker themes. Doggett describes Bowie's vocal performance as "quite unadorned, presented so starkly&nbsp;... that it [is] almost unsettling".{{sfn|Doggett|2012|pp=114–115}}

Designed to sound like a "continuation" of the previous track,{{sfn|Doggett|2012|pp=140–150}} "Eight Line Poem" is described by Pegg as the album's most "overlooked" song.{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=81–82}} It features Bowie on a gentle, sporadic piano while he sings and a [[Country music|country]]-influenced guitar line from Ronson.{{sfn|O'Leary|2015|loc=chap. 5}}{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=81–82}} Exactly eight lines long,{{sfn|Doggett|2012|pp=140–150}} the lyrics describe a room where a cat just knocked over a spinning mobile and a cactus sits in a window.{{sfn|Pegg|2016|p=143}} Doggett believes there is a metaphor between the cactus and a prairie.{{sfn|Doggett|2012|pp=140–150}} At the time of the album's release, Bowie described the song as the city that is "a kind of high-life wart on the backside of the prairie".{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=81–82}}

"[[Life on Mars (song)|Life on Mars?]]" is described by Buckley as a "soaring, cinematic ballad".{{sfn|Buckley|2005|pp=93–99}} Although Bowie was fixated on becoming [[Ziggy Stardust (character)|Ziggy Stardust]] at the time of its recording, the song has no connection to [[Mars]] itself; the title was a reference to the recent media frenzy of the US and [[Soviet Union]] racing to get to the red planet.{{sfn|Doggett|2012|pp=140–150}} The song is a parody of singer [[Frank Sinatra]]'s "[[My Way]]"{{sfn|Buckley|2005|pp=93–99}} and uses the same chord sequence for its opening bars. The handwritten notes on the back cover say "Inspired by Frankie".{{sfn|Doggett|2012|pp=140–150}}{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=162–164}} Like most songs on the album, "Life on Mars?" is mostly piano-led, but features a string arrangement from Ronson – his first{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=162–164}} – that is described by Doggett as "gargantuan".{{sfn|Doggett|2012|pp=140–150}} Bowie's vocals – recorded in one take – are delivered passionately during the chorus and almost nasally in the verses.{{sfn|Buckley|2005|pp=93–99}}{{sfn|Doggett|2012|pp=140–150}} He mentions "the girl with the mousy hair", whose identity commentators have debated,{{efn|Many journalists and commentators have suggested "the girl with the mousy hair" to be [[Hermione Farthingale]], a former girlfriend of Bowie. However, Pegg disagrees, writing that there's no evidence to support this claim and Farthingale herself has rejected this theory.{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=162–164}}}}{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=162–164}} and who according to Greene "goes to the movies as an escape from life".<ref name="Greene RS" />

[[File:Duncan Jones by Gage Skidmore 3.jpg|thumb|upright=0.65|alt=Duncan Jones in 2015|"Kooks" is a tribute to Bowie's son [[Duncan Jones]] ''(pictured in 2015)''.]]
A few days after his son [[Duncan Jones|Duncan Zowie Haywood Jones]] was born on 30 May 1971, Bowie completed "[[Kooks (song)|Kooks]]" and dedicated it to him. Performed by Bowie as early as 3 June, the ''Hunky Dory'' version features a string arrangement from Ronson and trumpet played by Bolder.{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=147–148}} "Kooks" is noticeably lighter than the two tracks it is sequenced between but, according to Pegg, ultimately "carries a hint of [the album's] preoccupation with the compulsion to fictionalise life, as Bowie invites his son to 'stay in our lovers' story'".{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=147–148}} Doggett writes that its inclusion on ''Hunky Dory'' "ensured its enduring appeal among those who were less entranced by his explorations of politics, psychology and occult elsewhere on the album".{{sfn|Doggett|2012|p=129}} In the handwritten liner notes on the LP sleeve, Bowie wrote "For Small Z".{{sfn|O'Leary|2015|loc=chap. 5}}

According to Pegg, "Quicksand" was inspired by Bowie's trip to America in February 1971.{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=218–219}} Doggett states that the song "was written ''about'' a lack of inspiration and as a means of ''accessing'' it". Writer [[Colin Wilson]] wrote in ''[[The Occult: A History|The Occult]]'' (1971) that thought was a form of [[quicksand]] that allowed consciousness to keep the unconscious beyond reach, from which Doggett concluded that {{" '}}Quicksand' was Bowie's plea to search within himself to be shown the way".{{sfn|Doggett|2012|pp=140–150}} In the mid-1970s, Bowie described the song as "a mixture of narrative and surrealism" and a "precursor" to the music of his 1977 album ''[[Low (David Bowie album)|Low]]''. Throughout the track, Bowie makes numerous references to Crowley and his Golden Dawn, [[Winston Churchill]], [[Heinrich Himmler]] and the "supermen" of Friedrich Nietzsche.{{sfn|Doggett|2012|pp=140–150}}{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=218–219}} "Quicksand" also evokes spiritualism through the mention of [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] teachings such as [[bardo]].{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=218–219}} The instrumental track features multiple layers of acoustic guitars atop one another,{{sfn|Buckley|2005|pp=93–99}} which was done at Scott's insistence.{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=218–219}}

===Side two===
"Fill Your Heart", written by [[Biff Rose]] and [[Paul Williams (songwriter)|Paul Williams]], is the only track on ''Hunky Dory'' not written by Bowie;{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=91–92}} it was his first recorded cover song in six years.{{sfn|O'Leary|2015|loc=chap. 1 & 5}} It replaced "Bombers" as the side two opener late in the album's development. "Fill Your Heart" is one of the more up-tempo tracks on the album,{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=91–92}} and according to Doggett is "practically identical" to Rose's original version, albeit more "bouncy" and less "swung".{{sfn|Doggett|2012|p=136}} The piano-driven arrangement differs from Bowie's live performances of the song in 1970 when acoustic guitar dominated. Pegg writes that the track provides a "cogent counterpoint" to the "angst" of "Quicksand" and the "cautionary warnings" of "Changes" and is best remembered for Bowie's saxophone break, Ronson's string arrangement, and Wakeman's piano solo.{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=91–92}}

[[File:Andy Warhol by Jack Mitchell.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|alt=A black and white photo of Andy Warhol with a dog|[[Andy Warhol]] in 1973]]
The song "Andy Warhol" is a tribute to the American artist, producer, and director Andy Warhol,{{sfn|Buckley|2005|pp=93–99}} who had inspired Bowie since the mid-1960s and was described by him as "one of the leaders" of "the media of the streets, street messages".{{sfn|Doggett|2012|p=139}} Originally written for Bowie's friend Dana Gillespie,{{sfn|Pegg|2016|p=42}} the song is based around a riff played on two acoustic guitars that heavily resembles the intro of [[Ron Davies (songwriter)|Ron Davies]]' "Silent Song Across the Land".{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=24–25}} The lyrics emphasise Warhol's belief that life and art blur together.{{sfn|Doggett|2012|p=139}} The song's opening features Ken Scott saying "This is 'Andy Warhol', and it's take one", only for Bowie to correct his pronunciation of "Warhol".{{sfn|Spitz|2009|pp=156–161}}{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=24–25}} When Bowie met Warhol in September 1971 and played the song for him, Warhol hated it and left the room; Bowie recalled in 1997 that he found the meeting "fascinating" because Warhol had "nothing to say at all, absolutely nothing".{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=24–25}}

"Song for Bob Dylan" is a tribute song to the singer-songwriter Bob Dylan.{{sfn|Buckley|2005|pp=93–99}} It was described by Bowie at the time as "how some see BD", and its title is a parody of Dylan's 1962 tribute to folk singer [[Woody Guthrie]], "[[Song to Woody]]".{{sfn|Pegg|2016|p=251}} Throughout the song, Bowie addresses Dylan by his real name "Robert Zimmerman".{{sfn|Doggett|2012|pp=130–131}} Pegg and Doggett believe the song highlights Bowie's struggle with identity, from his real name David Jones, to his stage name David Bowie and, very shortly, to Ziggy Stardust.{{sfn|Pegg|2016|p=251}}{{sfn|Doggett|2012|pp=130–131}} The lyrics specifically present Dylan as no longer being a hero figure for rock music, and demand that he return to his roots and come to the rescue for the unfaithful.{{sfn|Buckley|2005|pp=93–99}}{{sfn|Pegg|2016|p=251}} According to Doggett, Bowie initially wrote it for his friend George Underwood.{{sfn|Doggett|2012|pp=130–131}} The music contains Dylanesque chord changes and the chorus is derived from the titles of two Velvet Underground songs, "Here She Comes Now" and "There She Goes Again". Buckley writes that the song is "probably the weakest" on the album and Pegg considers it "little-regarded".{{sfn|Buckley|2005|pp=93–99}}{{sfn|Pegg|2016|p=251}}

[[File:Velvet Underground WLWH publicity photo.jpg|thumb|upright=0.95|alt=A black and white photo of the Velvet Underground in 1968|[[The Velvet Underground]] in 1968]]
The final tribute song on the album, "Queen Bitch" is largely inspired by the rock band the Velvet Underground, specifically their lead singer Lou Reed.{{sfn|Buckley|2005|pp=93–99}} The handwritten sleeve notes on the back cover read: "some V.U. White Light returned with thanks".{{sfn|Pegg|2016|p=217}} Unlike the majority of the album's tracks, "Queen Bitch" is primarily driven by guitar rather than piano,{{sfn|Pegg|2016|p=217}} and characterized as [[glam rock]] and [[proto-punk]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Jon|last=Savage|author-link=Jon Savage|title=The 20 best glam-rock songs of all time|newspaper=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/feb/01/20-best-glam-rock-songs-all-time|date=1 February 2013|access-date=15 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826005937/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/feb/01/20-best-glam-rock-songs-all-time|archive-date=26 August 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Billboard Genres">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6843061/david-bowie-influence-genres-rock-star|title=David Bowie Influenced More Musical Genres Than Any Other Rock Star|last=Lynch|first=Joe|date=14 January 2016|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=25 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809132804/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6843061/david-bowie-influence-genres-rock-star|archive-date=9 August 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>  The chorus sings about Bowie mincing his "satin and tat" as a reference to the dancer [[Lindsay Kemp]]. Pegg states: "Part of the genius of 'Queen Bitch' is that it filters the archness of [[Marc Bolan]] and Kemp through the streetwise attitude of Reed: this is a song that succeeds in making the phrase 'bipperty-bopperty hat' sound raunchy and cool."{{sfn|Pegg|2016|p=217}} Daryl Easlea of [[BBC Music]] writes that the song's glam rock sound foreshadowed the direction Bowie took on ''Ziggy Stardust''.<ref name="Easlea BBC" />

{{quote box|quote=[It's] another vaguely anecdotal piece about my feelings about myself and my brother, or my other doppelgänger. I was never quite sure what real position Terry had in my life, whether Terry was a real person or whether I was actually referring to another part of me, and I think 'Bewlay Brothers' was really about that.{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=36–38}}|source=—David Bowie describing "The Bewlay Brothers", in the BBC documentary ''Golden Years''|width=30%|align=left|style=padding:8px;}}
The album closer, "The Bewlay Brothers", was a late addition and the only track that was not demoed.{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=36–38}} The instrumentation echoes the music of ''The Man Who Sold the World'', featuring "sinister" sound effects and Bowie's vocal accompanied by Ronson's acoustic guitar.{{sfn|Buckley|2005|pp=93–99}}{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=36–38}} The song's obscure lyrics have caused confusion among Bowie biographers and fans.{{sfn|Doggett|2012|pp=140–150}} Pegg describes it as "probably the most cryptic, mysterious, unfathomable and downright frightening Bowie recording in existence",{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=36–38}} and Buckley considers it "one of Bowie's most disquieting moments on tape, an encapsulation of some distant, indefinable quality of expressionistic terror".{{sfn|Buckley|2005|pp=93–99}} Many reviewers have perceived the track to have homoerotic undertones; others believed it to be about Bowie's relationship with his [[schizophrenic]] half-brother Terry Burns, which Bowie confirmed in 1977.{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=36–38}} Buckley is unsure whether this account is fictionalised or real. Some of the lyrics refer to other tracks on ''Hunky Dory'', including "Song for Bob Dylan", "Oh! You Pretty Things" and "Changes". Bowie also uses the word "chameleon" in the song, which became an oft-used term to describe him.{{sfn|Buckley|2005|pp=93–99}}{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=36–38}}

== Title and artwork ==
The cover photograph was taken by Brian Ward, who was introduced to Bowie by Bob Grace at Ward's studio in [[Heddon Street]]. An early idea was for Bowie to dress as a [[pharaoh]], partly inspired by the media's infatuation with the [[British Museum]]'s new [[Tutankhamun]] exhibit.{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}} According to Pegg, photos of Bowie posing "as a sphinx and in a lotus position" were taken – one was released as part of the 1990 ''Space Oddity'' reissue – but the idea was ultimately abandoned. Bowie recalled: "We didn't run with it, as they say. Probably a good idea."{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}} Bowie opted for a more minimalist image reflecting the album's "preoccupation with the silver screen". He later said: "I was into Oxford bags, and there are a pair, indeed, on the back of the album. [I was attempting] what I presumed was kind of an [[Evelyn Waugh]] Oxbridge look."{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}} The final image is a close-up of Bowie looking past the camera while he pulls back his hair. Pegg writes that his pose was influenced by the actresses [[Lauren Bacall]] and [[Greta Garbo]].{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}} Originally shot in monochrome, the image was recoloured by illustrator Terry Pastor, a partner at [[Covent Garden]]'s recently initiated Main Artery design studio with George Underwood; Pastor later designed the cover and sleeve for ''Ziggy Stardust''. Pegg writes: "Bowie's decision to use a re-coloured photo suggests a hand-tinted lobby-card from the days of the silent cinema and, simultaneously, Warhol's famous ''[[Marilyn Diptych]]'' screen-prints."{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}} Dimery writes that Bowie took a photo book that contained multiple [[Marlene Dietrich]] prints with him to the photoshoot.{{sfn|Dimery|2005|p=254}}<ref>{{cite web|last1=Barker|first1=Emily|date=22 May 2015|title=David Bowie: The Revealing Stories Behind His Incredible Album Artwork|url=https://www.nme.com/photos/david-bowie-the-revealing-stories-behind-his-incredible-album-artwork-1428455|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190510165133/https://www.nme.com/photos/david-bowie-the-revealing-stories-behind-his-incredible-album-artwork-1428455|archive-date=10 May 2019|access-date=12 May 2020|website=[[NME]]}}</ref>

Although Bowie normally waited to name his albums until the last possible moment, the title "Hunky Dory" was announced at the John Peel session. Grace got the idea from an [[Esher]] pub landlord. He told Peter and Leni Gillman, the authors of ''Alias David Bowie'', that the landlord had an unusual vocabulary that was infused with "upper-crust jargon" such as "prang" and "whizzo" and "everything's hunky-dory". Grace told Bowie, who loved it. Pegg notes that there was a song from 1957 by American [[doo-wop]] band the Guytones also titled "Hunky Dory" that may also have played a part.{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}} Spitz states that "hunky-dory" is an English slang term that means everything is right in the world.{{sfn|Spitz|2009|pp=156–161}} The original UK cover featured Bowie's name and the album title; in the US the title was instead printed on a sticker and placed onto the translucent wrapping. According to Cann, initial UK pressings were laminated, which enhanced the colour to create a "superior finish"; these pressings are now collector's items. The back cover featured Bowie's handwritten notes about each song from the album.{{sfn|Cann|2010|p=234}} It also bore the credit "Produced by Ken Scott (assisted by the actor)" – the "actor" being Bowie himself, whose "pet conceit", in the words of the ''NME'' critics [[Roy Carr]] and [[Charles Shaar Murray]], was "to think of himself as an actor".{{sfn|Carr|Murray|1981|pp=7–11}}

== Release ==
[[File:TonyDanaBowie_1971_LoRes.jpg|thumb|Left to right: [[Dana Gillespie]], [[Tony Defries]] and David Bowie at ''[[Andy Warhol's Pork]]'' at London's Roundhouse in 1971.]]
A few months after he had terminated Bowie's contract with Mercury, Defries showcased the newly recorded ''Hunky Dory'' to multiple labels in the US, including New York City's [[RCA Records]]. Defries told RCA that they "had nothing since the fifties" but they could "own the seventies" if they hired Bowie. "Because David Bowie is going to remake the decade, just like the Beatles did in the sixties."{{sfn|Trynka|2011|p=174}} Its head Dennis Katz had never heard of Bowie but recognised the potential of the piano-based songs that Defries played for him and signed the artist to a three-record deal on 9{{nbsp}}September 1971; RCA would be Bowie's label for the rest of the decade.{{sfn|Cann|2010|pp=195, 227}}{{sfn|Sandford|1998|p=81}}

''Hunky Dory'' was released in the UK on 17{{nbsp}}December 1971 through RCA.{{efn|name=release date|Some sources give the release date as 17{{nbsp}}November 1971 in the UK and 4{{nbsp}}December in the US.{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}}{{sfn|Cann|2010|pp=230–234}}{{sfn|Clerc|2021|p=117: US date}} According to Chris O'Leary, the US date was before the UK one, although he questions ''Billboard''{{'s}} reported date of Saturday, 4{{nbsp}}December. He does, however, clarify the UK date as 17{{nbsp}}December.{{sfn|O'Leary|2015|loc=Notes on chap. 5}}}}<ref name="Gallucci UCR" />{{sfn|Cann|2010|pp=230–234}}<ref name="Louder">{{cite web |last=DeMain |first=Bill |title=David Bowie: The Making of ''Hunky Dory'' |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/david-bowie-if-i-m-mediocre-then-i-ll-get-out-of-this-business |website=Louder |access-date=12 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200512221153/https://www.loudersound.com/features/david-bowie-if-i-m-mediocre-then-i-ll-get-out-of-this-business |archive-date=12 May 2020 |date=2 March 2011}}</ref> By this time, the sessions for ''Ziggy Stardust'' were underway.{{sfn|Cann|2010|pp=230–234}} The album release was supported by the single "Changes" on 7{{nbsp}}January 1972.{{sfn|O'Leary|2015|loc=chap. 5}} The album received little promotion from RCA due to its unusual cover image and a warning that Bowie would be changing his image for his next album. Pegg writes that there were disagreements over how much money was put into the album and whether Bowie was an "unproven one-hit-wonder".{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}} Marketing manager Geoff Hannington recalled in 1986: "We soon knew we were in a situation where the artist was going to change like a chameleon from time to time."{{sfn|Cann|2010|pp=230–234}} Because of this, the album initially sold poorly and failed to break the [[UK Albums Chart]].{{sfn|Buckley|2005|p=104}} According to Sandford, the album barely sold 5,000 copies in the first quarter.{{sfn|Sandford|1998|p=83}}

It was only after the breakthrough of ''Ziggy Stardust'' in mid-1972 that ''Hunky Dory'' became a commercial success. It climbed to number three in the UK (two places higher than ''Ziggy Stardust''),{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}}<ref name="mojo0702">{{cite journal |last=Sheppard |first=David |date=February 2007 |title=60 Years of Bowie |journal=[[Mojo (magazine)|MOJO Classic]] |page=24}}</ref> and remained on the chart for 69 weeks.{{sfn|Roberts|1996|p=71}} ''Hunky Dory'' also peaked at number 39 on the [[Kent Music Report]] in Australia.{{sfn|Kent|1993|pp=43–44}} Gallucci writes that although the album did not make Bowie a star, it "got him noticed", and the success of ''Ziggy Stardust'' helped ''Hunky Dory'' garner a larger audience.<ref name="Gallucci UCR" /> RCA released "Life on Mars?" as a single on 22{{nbsp}}June 1973,{{sfn|O'Leary|2015|loc=chap. 5}} which also made number three in Britain.{{sfn|Buckley|2005|p=163}} A reissue returned the album to the UK chart in January 1981, where it remained for 51 weeks.{{sfn|Roberts|1996|p=71}}

== Critical reception ==
=== Initial reviews ===
''Hunky Dory'' was met with very positive reviews from several British and American publications.{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}}{{sfn|Carr|Murray|1981|pp=7–11}} ''Melody Maker'' called it "the most inventive piece of song-writing to have appeared on record in a considerable time",{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}} while Danny Holloway of the ''NME'' described it as Bowie "at his brilliant best".<ref name="NME" /> Holloway added that "[''Hunky Dory'' is] a breath of fresh air compared to the usual mainstream rock LP of [1972]. It's very possible that this will be the most important album from an emerging artist in 1972, because he's not following trends – he's setting them".<ref name="NME">{{cite magazine |last=Holloway |first=Danny |title=David Bowie: ''Hunky Dory'' (RCA Victor) |url=https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/david-bowie-hunky-dory-rca-victor |magazine=New Musical Express |date=29 January 1972 |via=[[Rock's Backpages]] |url-access=subscription |access-date=6 September 2020 |archive-date=11 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201011220639/https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/david-bowie-hunky-dory-rca-victor |url-status=live }}</ref> In the US, John Mendelsohn of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' called the album Bowie's "most engaging album musically" up to that point and praised his songwriting, particularly his ability to convey ideas without employing "a barrage of seemingly impregnable verbiage".<ref name="Mendelsohn RS">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/hunky-dory-19720106 |title=Hunky Dory |last=Mendelsohn |first=John |access-date=27 October 2014 |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=6 January 1972 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141110180003/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/hunky-dory-19720106 |archive-date=10 November 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Billboard'' gave the album a positive review, praising it as "a heavy debut for RCA, loaded with the kind of Top 40 and FM appeal that should break him through big on the charts. Strong material, his own, for programming includes 'Changes', 'Oh! You Pretty Things', and 'Life on Mars?'".<ref>{{cite news |title=Top Album Picks |magazine=Billboard |date=4 December 1971 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/70s/1971/Billboard%201971-12-04.pdf |page=44 |via=worldradiohistory.com |access-date=22 August 2020 |archive-date=29 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210329181046/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1971/Billboard%201971-12-04.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

Several reviewers praised Bowie as an artist. ''[[The New York Times]]'' wrote that with ''Hunky Dory'', Bowie became "the most intellectually brilliant man yet to choose the long-playing album as his medium of expression", while ''Rock'' magazine called him "the most singularly gifted artist making music today. He has the genius to be to the '70s what Lennon, McCartney, Jagger and Dylan were to the '60s."<ref name="WebsiteReviews">{{cite web |title=Hunky Dory, Thirty Today! |url=https://www.davidbowie.com/2001/2001/12/17/hunky-dory-thirty-today |website=David Bowie Official Website |access-date=27 November 2022 |date=16 December 2001}}</ref> In ''[[The Village Voice]]'', [[Robert Christgau]] hailed Bowie as "a singer-composer with brains, imagination, and a good idea of how to use a recording console", and the album "a quick change tour de force that is both catchy and deeply felt".<ref>{{cite news|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|title=Consumer Guide (22)|url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cg22.php|newspaper=[[The Village Voice]]|date=30 December 1971|access-date=28 April 2013|via=robertchristgau.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130815194640/http://robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cg22.php|archive-date=15 August 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Retrospective reviews ===
{{Music ratings
|title = Retrospective professional ratings
|rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
|rev1score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="Erlewine AllMusic">{{cite web|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|title=''Hunky Dory'' – David Bowie|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/hunky-dory-mw0000189509|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=13 March 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120615072909/http://www.allmusic.com/album/hunky-dory-mw0000189509|archive-date=15 June 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>
|rev2 = ''[[Blender (magazine)|Blender]]''
|rev2score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="blender">{{cite magazine|title=David Bowie: ''Hunky Dory''|url=http://www.blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?ID=3887|magazine=[[Blender (magazine)|Blender]]|issue=48|date=June 2006|access-date=14 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070823012137/http://www.blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?ID=3887|archive-date=23 August 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|rev3 = ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''
|rev3score = {{Rating|3.5|4}}<ref name="Kot Chicago Tribune">{{cite news|last=Kot|first=Greg|author-link=Greg Kot|title=Bowie's Many Faces Are Profiled On Compact Disc|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1990-06-10-9002170173-story.html|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=10 June 1990|access-date=11 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160416150839/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1990-06-10/entertainment/9002170173_1_space-oddity-scary-monsters-ziggy-stardust|archive-date=16 April 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>
|rev4 = ''[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies|Christgau's Record Guide]]''
|rev4score = A−{{sfn|Christgau|1981}}
|rev5 = ''[[Classic Rock (magazine)|Classic Rock]]''
|rev5score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref name="CR mag">{{cite web |title=David Bowie: ''Hunky Dory'' – Album Of The Week Club review |url=https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/david-bowie-hunky-dory-album-of-the-week-club-review |website=[[Classic Rock (magazine)|Classic Rock]] |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220105204443/https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/david-bowie-hunky-dory-album-of-the-week-club-review |archive-date=5 January 2022 |date=4 January 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>
|rev6 = ''[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]''
|rev6score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{sfn|Larkin|2011|p=2,795}}
|rev7 = ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]''
|rev7score = 10/10<ref name="Wolk Pitchfork">{{cite web|last=Wolk|first=Douglas|author-link=Douglas Wolk|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/21066-five-years-1969-1973/|title=David Bowie: ''Five Years 1969–1973''|website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|date=1 October 2015|access-date=21 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160206231305/http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/21066-five-years-1969-1973/|archive-date=6 February 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>
|rev8 = ''[[Rolling Stone]]''
|rev8score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="Sheffield RS">{{cite magazine|last=Sheffield|first=Rob|author-link=Rob Sheffield|title=David Bowie: ''Hunky Dory'' (reissue)|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/cd/review.asp?aid=50071&cf=331|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=18 March 1999|access-date=14 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031003202846/http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/cd/review.asp?aid=50071&cf=331|archive-date=3 October 2003|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|rev9 = ''[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide]]''
|rev9score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{sfn|Sheffield|2004|pp=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/97 97–99]}}
|rev10 = ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]''
|rev10score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Dolan|first=Jon|title=How to Buy: David Bowie|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s5jfV6kXmTEC&pg=PA84|magazine=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]|volume=22|issue=7|date=July 2006|access-date=14 July 2016|page=84|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171002175230/https://books.google.com/books?id=s5jfV6kXmTEC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA84|archive-date=2 October 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
|rev11 = ''[[Spin Alternative Record Guide]]''
|rev11score = 9/10{{sfn|Sheffield|1995|pp=55–57}}
}}
''Hunky Dory'' has continued to receive critical acclaim and is regarded as one of Bowie's best works. Many reviewers have praised the songwriting, with a writer for ''[[Blender (magazine)|Blender]]'' calling the songs some of the best Bowie has ever written.<ref name="blender" /> Others, including Bryan Wawzenek of ''Ultimate Classic Rock'', have commended the wide array of genres present in the songs and their ability to blend together throughout.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wawzenek |first1=Bryan |title=David Bowie Albums Ranked Worst to Best |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/david-bowie-albums-ranked/ |website=Ultimate Classic Rock |access-date=18 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910233238/https://ultimateclassicrock.com/david-bowie-albums-ranked/ |archive-date=10 September 2020 |date=11 January 2016}}</ref> Erlewine wrote: "On the surface, [having] such a wide range of styles and sounds would make an album incoherent, but Bowie's improved songwriting and determined sense of style instead made ''Hunky Dory'' a touchstone for reinterpreting pop's traditions into fresh, postmodern pop music".<ref name="Erlewine AllMusic" /> Similarly, [[Greg Kot]] of the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' described the album as "the first taste of Bowie's multifaceted genius".<ref name="Kot Chicago Tribune" />

In a 2013 readers' poll for ''Rolling Stone'', ''Hunky Dory'' was voted Bowie's second greatest album, behind ''Ziggy Stardust''.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Readers' Poll: The Best David Bowie Albums |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/readers-poll-the-best-david-bowie-albums-11994/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=5 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210529120705/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/readers-poll-the-best-david-bowie-albums-11994/ |archive-date=29 May 2021 |date=16 January 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Douglas Wolk]] of ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]'' reviewed the album's remaster for the 2015 box set ''Five Years 1969–1973'' and gave it a 10-out-of-10 rating, believing the songs to be "scattered but splendid" and finding Bowie's songwriting a "huge leap" from his previous works.<ref name="Wolk Pitchfork" /> Another ''Pitchfork'' writer, Ryan Schrieber, stated: "The album is by no means his most cohesive release, but it remains one of his most charming, and unquestionably, one of his best."<ref name="Schrieber Pitchfork" /> Following [[Death of David Bowie|Bowie's death in 2016]], Rob Sheffield of ''Rolling Stone'' listed it as one of Bowie's essential albums, writing, "''Hunky Dory'' was the album where he staked his claim as the most altered ego in rock & roll."<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Sheffield |first1=Rob |title=David Bowie's Essential Albums |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/david-bowies-essential-albums-251055/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=15 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627215611/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/david-bowies-essential-albums-251055/ |archive-date=27 June 2019 |date=18 August 2016}}</ref>

==Influence and legacy==
{{quote box|quote=''Hunky Dory'' gave me a fabulous groundswell. I guess it provided me, for the first time in my life, with an actual audience – I mean, people actually coming up to me and saying, 'Good album, good songs.' That hadn't happened to me {{no wrap|before.<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Chris|last=Roberts |title=Interview with David Bowie|magazine=Uncut|date=October 1999|issue=29|pages=13–31}}</ref>}}|source=—David Bowie, 1999|width=20%|align=left|style=padding:8px;}}
Many biographers and reviewers have agreed that ''Hunky Dory'' marked the beginning of Bowie's artistic success. Pegg writes: "''Hunky Dory'' stands at the first great crossroads in Bowie's career. It was his last album until ''Low'' to be presented purely as a sonic artefact rather than a vehicle for the dramatic visual element with which he was soon to make his name as a performer".{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}} Buckley notes that 1971 was a pivotal year for Bowie, the year in which he became "something of a [[pop-art]] agent provocateur".{{sfn|Buckley|2005|pp=93–99}} In a time when rock musicians looked to traditions and established standards, Bowie looked to be radically different and challenge tradition, reinventing himself again and again, thereby creating new standards and conventions.{{sfn|Buckley|2005|pp=93–99}} Buckley further said: "Its almost easy-listening status and conventional musical sensibility has detracted from the fact that, lyrically, this record lays down the blueprint for Bowie's future career".{{sfn|Buckley|2000|p=112}} Spitz writes that many artists have their "it all came together on this one" record. "For David Bowie, it's ''Hunky Dory''".{{sfn|Spitz|2009|pp=156–161}} The biographer [[Paul Trynka]] states that the record marked a "new beginning" for the artist and that has a "freshness" to it that all of Bowie's previous studio albums lacked, primarily because when making his previous albums, Bowie was working to satisfy record executives. When making ''Hunky Dory'', Bowie was working to satisfy himself, which is reflected in the record.{{sfn|Trynka|2011|pp=168–171}}

BBC Music's Daryl Easlea wrote that the album saw Bowie finding his own voice after "scrabbling around stylistically" for almost a decade and "finally demonstrated [his] enormous potential to the listening public".<ref name="Easlea BBC">{{cite web |last=Easlea |first=Daryl |title=Review of David Bowie – ''Hunky Dory'' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/5jqv/ |website=[[BBC Music]] |publisher=BBC |access-date=30 April 2020 |date=2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180928214947/http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/5jqv/ |archive-date=28 September 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> Schrieber stated: "''Hunky Dory'' marked the true start of what would be one of the most successful careers in rock music, spawning millions of scarily obsessive fans."<ref name="Schrieber Pitchfork" /> Similarly, Michael Gallucci of ''Ultimate Classic Rock'' contended that ''Hunky Dory'' is "where Bowie starts to become Bowie", featuring lyrical and stylistic themes he would replicate on future releases. He concludes that all Bowie's future guises begin to find their voices with ''Hunky Dory''.<ref name="Gallucci UCR" /> ''NME''{{'}}s Emily Barker called it Bowie's "most time-tested album" and wrote, "it was [his] incredible song-writing gifts on [the record] that convinced us he was beamed from the stars."<ref name="Barker NME" /> The writer [[Colin Larkin]] called it his most "eclectic" album and served as the preparation for Bowie's subsequent changes in musical direction.{{sfn|Larkin|1998|p=21}} In 2016, ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''{{'}}s Joe Lynch argued that ''Hunky Dory'' provided the "blueprint" for [[Lo-fi music|lo-fi]] [[indie pop]] records for the next 25 years, citing [[Ariel Pink]] as an artist influenced by the album.<ref name="Billboard Genres" />

Many musicians have acknowledged the album's influence. In 1999, [[Dave Stewart (Eurythmics)|Dave Stewart]] of [[Eurythmics]] said: "''Hunky Dory'' – I love the sound of it. I still kind of use it as a sort of reference-point."{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}} In 2002, [[Culture Club]]'s [[Boy George]] cited ''Hunky Dory'' as the record that changed his life, saying: "The album as a whole is so unusual, so far removed from anything you heard on the radio. It's so complete, it all fits together."{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}} In an interview with ''[[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]]'' in 2007, [[KT Tunstall]] declared ''Hunky Dory'' her favorite album, saying: "It's the only record where I've experienced total jaw-dropping awe for the whole of it because that feeling of being lost and being taken somewhere else is so strong."{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}} In an interview with ''NME'' the following year, [[Guy Garvey]] of [[Elbow (band)|Elbow]] recognised ''Hunky Dory'' as the album that had influenced him the most.{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}}

=== Reissues ===
The album has been reissued multiple times. Following its release on compact disc in the mid-1980s,{{sfn|Griffin|2016|loc=chap. 2}} ''Hunky Dory'' was rereleased by [[Rykodisc]]/[[EMI]] in 1990 with bonus tracks, including the outtake "Bombers".<ref name="rykodisc">{{Cite AV media notes|title=Hunky Dory (reissue)|author=David Bowie|year=1990|publisher=[[EMI]]/Rykodisc|location=UK|type=liner notes|id=EMC 3572}}</ref> In 1999, the original album was rereleased on CD through [[Virgin Records|Virgin]]/EMI with 24-bit digitally remastered sound.<ref name="EMI reissue">{{Cite AV media notes|title=Hunky Dory|author=David Bowie (reissue)|year=1999|publisher=[[Virgin Records]]/EMI|location=US|type=liner notes|id=7243 521899 0 8}}</ref> This edition was reissued in 2014 by [[Parlophone]], having acquired the Virgin-owned Bowie catalogue.<ref>{{Cite AV media notes|title=Hunky Dory|author=David Bowie|year=2014|publisher=[[Parlophone]]|location=UK & Europe|type=liner notes|id=7243 521899 0 8}}</ref> In 2015, the album was remastered for the ''[[Five Years (1969–1973)]]'' [[box set]].<ref name="five years box set">{{Cite AV media notes|title=Five Years (1969–1973)|author=David Bowie|year=2015|publisher=Parlophone|location=UK, Europe & US|type=Box set liner notes|id=DBXL 1}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.davidbowie.com/news/five-years-1969-1973-box-set-due-september-54571 |title=Five Years 1969 – 1973 box set due September|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160218235114/http://www.davidbowie.com/news/five-years-1969-1973-box-set-due-september-54571 |archive-date=18 February 2016 |website=David Bowie Official Website |access-date=16 February 2016}}</ref> It was released in CD, vinyl, and digital formats, both as part of this compilation and separately.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Spanos |first1=Brittany |title=David Bowie to Release Massive Box Set 'Five Years 1969–1973' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/david-bowie-to-release-massive-box-set-five-years-1969-1973-63033/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=16 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200816041141/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/david-bowie-to-release-massive-box-set-five-years-1969-1973-63033/ |archive-date=16 August 2020 |date=23 June 2015}}</ref> In 2021, to celebrate the record's 50th anniversary, Parlophone announced a vinyl picture disc reissue of the album (2015 remaster), which was released on 7{{nbsp}}January 2022. The announcement coincided with the digital release of a new mix of "Changes" by Scott.<ref>{{cite web |last=Skinner |first=Tom |title=David Bowie's 'Hunky Dory' is getting a special 50th anniversary reissue |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/david-bowie-hunky-dory-new-vinyl-reissue-changes-version-listen-3121107 |website=NME |access-date=17 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211217135208/https://www.nme.com/news/music/david-bowie-hunky-dory-new-vinyl-reissue-changes-version-listen-3121107 |archive-date=17 December 2021 |date=17 December 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> In November 2022, a multi-disc box set focusing on ''Hunky Dory'' was released with the title ''Divine Symmetry: The Journey to Hunky Dory''. The collection comprises home demos, BBC radio sessions, alternate mixes, and other live and studio recordings from 1971.  It also includes the 2015 remaster, as well as an "alternative" version of ''Hunky Dory'', made up of alternate mixes; the latter was released separately on vinyl in February 2023.<ref>{{cite web |last=Sinclair |first=Paul |title=David Bowie/Divine Symmetry: The Journey to Hunky Dory |url=https://superdeluxeedition.com/news/david-bowie-a-divine-symmetry-the-journey-to-hunky-dory |website=Super Deluxe Edition |access-date=8 January 2023 |date=28 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221104043820/https://superdeluxeedition.com/news/david-bowie-a-divine-symmetry-the-journey-to-hunky-dory/ |archive-date=4 November 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Rankings ===
''Hunky Dory'' has frequently appeared on several lists of the greatest albums of all time by multiple publications. In 1998, ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]'' magazine readers voted it the 43rd greatest album of all time;<ref>{{cite magazine|title=The 100 Greatest Albums Ever|magazine=Q|date=February 1998|issue=137|pages=37–79}}</ref> in 2000 the same magazine placed it at number 16 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=The 100 Greatest British Albums Ever|magazine=Q|date=June 2000|issue=165|pages=59–91}}</ref> The album ranked number 16 and number 23 in the 1998 and 2000 editions of Colin Larkin's book ''[[All Time Top 1000 Albums]]'', respectively.{{sfn|Larkin|1998|p=21}}{{sfn|Larkin|2000|p=45}} In their list of [[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time]], ''Rolling Stone'' ranked it number 107 in 2003,<ref>{{cite magazine| url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-19691231/hunky-dory-david-bowie-19691231| year=2003| title=500 Greatest Albums: ''Hunky Dory'' – David Bowie| magazine=Rolling Stone| access-date=23 May 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110820215051/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-19691231/hunky-dory-david-bowie-19691231| archive-date=20 August 2011| url-status=dead}}</ref> number 108 in the 2012 revised list,<ref name="RS 500">{{cite magazine| url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-156826/david-bowie-hunky-dory-172127/| year=2012| title=500 Greatest Albums: ''Hunky Dory'' – David Bowie| magazine=Rolling Stone| access-date=19 September 2019| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191023215941/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-156826/david-bowie-hunky-dory-172127/| archive-date=23 October 2019| url-status=live}}</ref> and number 88 in the 2020 revised list.<ref name="RS 500 2020">{{cite magazine| url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/david-bowie-hunky-dory-2-1063145/| year=2020| title=500 Greatest Albums: ''Hunky Dory'' – David Bowie| magazine=Rolling Stone| access-date=23 September 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923223600/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/david-bowie-hunky-dory-2-1063145/| archive-date=23 September 2020| url-status=live}}</ref> In 2004, ''Pitchfork'' ranked the album 80th on their list of the 100 Best Albums of the 1970s, one place above ''Ziggy Stardust''.<ref name="Schrieber Pitchfork">{{cite web |last=Schrieber |first=Ryan |title=The 100 Best Albums of the 1970s |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/5932-top-100-albums-of-the-1970s/?page=3 |website=Pitchfork |access-date=30 April 2020 |date=23 June 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200321114835/https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/5932-top-100-albums-of-the-1970s/?page=3 |archive-date=21 March 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> In the same year, [[VH1]] placed it 47th in their list of the 100 greatest albums.<ref>"100 Greatest Albums", [[VH1]], 2004</ref> In 2010, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine chose it as one of the 100 best albums of all time, with journalist [[Josh Tyrangiel]] praising Bowie's "earthbound ambition to be a [[Bohemianism|boho]] poet with prodigal style".<ref name="time">{{cite magazine|last1=Tyrangiel|first1=Josh|author-link1=Josh Tyrangiel|last2=Light|first2=Alan|author-link2=Alan Light|title=The All-Time 100 Albums|access-date=7 July 2014|date=26 January 2010|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|url=https://www.time.com/time/2006/100albums/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071109195005/http://www.time.com/time/2006/100albums/index.html|archive-date=9 November 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> The same year, ''[[Consequence of Sound]]'' ranked the album number 18 on their list of the 100 greatest albums of all time.<ref>{{cite web |title=The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time |url=https://consequence.net/2010/09/consequence-of-sounds-top-100-albums-ever/10/ |website=Consequence of Sound |access-date=23 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200428161057/https://consequence.net/2010/09/consequence-of-sounds-top-100-albums-ever/10/ |archive-date=28 April 2020 |date=15 September 2010}}</ref> In 2013, ''NME'' ranked the album third in their list of [[NME's The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time]], behind the Beatles' ''[[Revolver (Beatles album)|Revolver]]'' and [[the Smiths]]' ''[[The Queen Is Dead]]''.<ref name="Barker NME">{{cite web |last1=Barker |first1=Emily |title=The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time: 100–1 |url=https://www.nme.com/photos/the-500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-100-1-1426116 |website=NME |access-date=30 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200428085516/https://www.nme.com/photos/the-500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-100-1-1426116 |archive-date=28 April 2020 |date=25 October 2013}}</ref> In 2015, ''Ultimate Classic Rock'' included it in their list of the 100 best rock albums from the 1970s.<ref>{{cite web |title=Top 100 '70s Rock Albums |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/70s-rock-albums/ |website=Ultimate Classic Rock |access-date=10 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827184708/https://ultimateclassicrock.com/70s-rock-albums/ |archive-date=27 August 2021 |date=5 March 2015}}</ref> In 2021, ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'' ranked it the sixth best album of 1971.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The 50 Best Albums of 1971 |url=https://www.spin.com/2021/01/50-best-albums-of-1971/3/ |magazine=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]] |access-date=18 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240420173126/https://www.spin.com/2021/01/50-best-albums-of-1971/3/ |archive-date=20 April 2024 |page=3 |date=26 January 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> Robert Dimery included the album in his 2005 book ''1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die''.{{sfn|Dimery|2005|p=254}}

== Track listing ==
All tracks are written by David Bowie, except "Fill Your Heart", written by [[Biff Rose]] and [[Paul Williams (songwriter)|Paul Williams]].<ref name="liner notes">{{Cite AV media notes|title=Hunky Dory|author=David Bowie|year=1971|publisher=RCA Records|location=UK|type=liner notes|id=SF 8244}}</ref>

'''Side one'''
# "[[Changes (David Bowie song)|Changes]]"&nbsp;– 3:37
# "[[Oh! You Pretty Things]]"&nbsp;– 3:12
# "Eight Line Poem"&nbsp;– 2:55
# "[[Life on Mars (song)|Life on Mars?]]"&nbsp;– 3:43
# "[[Kooks (song)|Kooks]]"&nbsp;– 2:53
# "[[Quicksand (David Bowie song)|Quicksand]]"&nbsp;– 5:08

'''Side two'''
# "Fill Your Heart"&nbsp;– 3:07
# "[[Andy Warhol (song)|Andy Warhol]]"&nbsp;– 3:56
# "[[Song for Bob Dylan]]"&nbsp;– 4:12
# "[[Queen Bitch]]"&nbsp;– 3:18
# "[[The Bewlay Brothers]]"&nbsp;– 5:22

== Personnel ==
Album credits per the ''Hunky Dory'' liner notes and biographer Nicholas Pegg,{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=343–350}}<ref name="liner notes" /> except where noted.
*[[David Bowie]]&nbsp;– vocals, guitar, [[alto saxophone|alto]] and [[tenor saxophone]], piano <small>("Oh! You Pretty Things",<ref name="Uncut piano">{{cite web|last=Pinnock|first=Tim|url=http://www.uncut.co.uk/news/rick-wakeman-reveals-played-piano-david-bowies-oh-pretty-things-98931|title=Rick Wakeman reveals he played piano on David Bowie's "Oh! You Pretty Things"|date=17 January 2017|website=[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]|access-date=17 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118144242/http://www.uncut.co.uk/news/rick-wakeman-reveals-played-piano-david-bowies-oh-pretty-things-98931|archive-date=18 January 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="BBC piano">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/entertainment-arts-38627868/david-bowie-song-question-answered-by-rick-wakeman|title=Bowie or Wakeman piano mystery|date=17 May 2018|publisher=[[BBC News]]|access-date=21 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180721193608/https://www.bbc.com/news/av/entertainment-arts-38627868/david-bowie-song-question-answered-by-rick-wakeman|archive-date=21 July 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> "Eight Line Poem"{{sfn|O'Leary|2015|loc=chap. 5}})</small>
*[[Mick Ronson]]&nbsp;– guitar, vocals, [[Mellotron]], arrangements, recorder <small>("Life on Mars?"{{sfn|O'Leary|2015|loc=chap. 5}})</small>
*[[Trevor Bolder]]&nbsp;– bass guitar, trumpet
*[[Mick Woodmansey]]&nbsp;– drums
*[[Rick Wakeman]]&nbsp;– piano
*[[Ken Scott]]&nbsp;– [[ARP Instruments|ARP]] synthesiser <small>("Andy Warhol")</small>{{sfn|O'Leary|2015|loc=chap. 5}}

'''Production'''
*Ken Scott&nbsp;– producer, [[recording engineer]], [[audio mixing (recorded music)|mixing engineer]]
*David Bowie&nbsp;– producer
*Brian Ward&nbsp;– photography
*Terry Pastor&nbsp;– cover design

== Charts ==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

=== Weekly charts ===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" border="1"
|+1972 chart performance for ''Hunky Dory''
!scope="col"|Chart (1972)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
!scope="row"|Australian Albums ([[Kent Music Report]]){{sfn|Kent|1993|pp=43–44}}
|align="center"|39
|-
! scope="row" | Finnish Albums ([[Official Finnish Charts|Suomen virallinen lista]])<ref>{{cite book|url=https://musiikkiarkisto.fi/oa/_tiedostot/julkaisut/sisaltaa-hitin.pdf#page=36|first=Timo|last=Pennanen|year=2021|title=Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021|section=David Bowie|pages=36–37|publisher=Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava|location=Helsinki|language=fi}}</ref>
| align="center" | 15
|-
{{album chart|UK|3|artist=David Bowie|album=Hunky Dory|rowheader=true|access-date=12 December 2020}}
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" border="1"
|+2016 chart performance for ''Hunky Dory''
!scope="col"|Chart (2016)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
{{album chart|Australia|45|artist=David Bowie|album=Hunky Dory|access-date=24 July 2020|rowheader=true}}
|-
{{album chart|Austria|52|artist=David Bowie|album=Hunky Dory|access-date=24 July 2020|rowheader=true}}
|-
{{album chart|BillboardCanada|43|artist=David Bowie|album=Hunky Dory|access-date=21 July 2020|rowheader=true}}
|-
{{album chart|Denmark|26|artist=David Bowie|album=Hunky Dory|access-date=24 July 2020|rowheader=true}}
|-
{{album chart|France|62|artist=David Bowie|album=Hunky Dory|access-date=24 July 2020|rowheader=true}}
|-
{{album chart|Italy|56|artist=David Bowie|album=Hunky Dory|access-date=24 July 2020|rowheader=true}}
|-
!scope="row"|[[Official New Zealand Music Chart|New Zealand Albums]] ([[Recorded Music NZ|RIANZ]])<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/albums/2016-01-15|title=The Official New Zealand Music Chart|publisher=[[Recorded Music NZ]]|access-date=2 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170122121614/http://nztop40.co.nz/chart/albums?chart=4190|archive-date=22 January 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
|align="center"|30
|-
!scope="row"|Norwegian Albums ([[VG-lista]])<ref name="norwegian charts">{{cite web |url=https://norwegiancharts.com/weekchart.asp?cat=a&year=2016&date=201602 |title=VG Lista – Album Top 40 02/2016 |website=Norwegiancharts.com |access-date=24 July 2020 |archive-date=3 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803213305/http://www.norwegiancharts.com/weekchart.asp?year=2016&date=201602&cat=a |url-status=live }}</ref>
|align="center"|23
|-
{{album chart|Sweden|16|artist=David Bowie|album=Hunky Dory|access-date=24 July 2020|rowheader=true}}
|-
{{album chart|Switzerland|32|artist=David Bowie|album=Hunky Dory|access-date=24 July 2020|rowheader=true}}
|-
{{album chart|Billboard200|57|artist=David Bowie|rowheader=true|access-date=12 December 2020}}
|-
{{album chart|BillboardCatalog|4|artist=David Bowie|access-date=30 January 2016|rowheader=true}}
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" border="1"
|+2022 chart performance for ''Hunky Dory''
!scope="col"|Chart (2022)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
{{album chart|Germany4|53|id=13016|artist=David Bowie|album=Hunky Dory|rowheader=true|access-date=22 January 2022}}
|-
{{album chart|Hungary|31|year=2022|week=4|access-date=3 February 2022|rowheader=true}}
|-
|}
{{col-2}}

=== Year-end charts ===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" 
|+2016 year-end chart performance for ''Hunky Dory''
!scope="col"|Chart (2016)
!scope="col"|Position
|-
!scope="row"|UK Albums (OCC)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/end-of-year-artist-albums-chart/20160108/37502/|title=End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2016|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=25 March 2021|archive-date=10 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180110055059/http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/end-of-year-artist-albums-chart/20160108/37502/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|align="center"|83
|}
{{col-end}}

== Certifications ==
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for ''Hunky Dory''}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|artist=David Bowie|title=Hunky Dory|award=Gold|type=album|relyear=1971|certyear=2025|id=14945|accessdate=3 February 2025}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|artist=David Bowie|title=Hunky Dory|award=Gold|type=album|note=sales since 2009|relyear=1971|certyear=2023|id=10530|accessdate=7 February 2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=David Bowie|title=Hunky Dory|award=Gold|type=album|relyear=1971|certyear=2024|source=radioscope|accessdate=18 January 2025}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=David Bowie|title=Hunky Dory|award=Platinum|type=album|date=25 January 1982|refname=bpi certs|id=3048-2561-2}}
{{Certification Table Summary}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Worldwide|nocert=true|salesamount=3,600,000|salesref=<ref name="wwsales">{{cite web |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/les-decodeurs/article/2016/01/11/david-bowie-en-chiffres-un-artiste-culte-mais-pas-si-vendeur_4845289_4355770.html |title=David Bowie en chiffres : un artiste culte, mais pas si vendeur |access-date=11 January 2016 |website=Le Monde |last=Breteau |first=Pierre |date=11 January 2016 }}</ref>}}{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true|streaming=true}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

=== Sources ===
{{refbegin|30em}}
*{{cite book |last=Buckley |first=David |title=Strange Fascination – David Bowie: The Definitive Story |publisher=[[Virgin Books]] |location=London |year=2000 |orig-year=1999 |isbn=978-0-7535-0457-4}}
*{{cite book |last=Buckley |first=David |title=Strange Fascination – David Bowie: The Definitive Story |publisher=Virgin Books |location=London |year=2005 |orig-year=1999 |isbn=978-0-75351-002-5}}
*{{cite book |last=Cann |first=Kevin |title=Any Day Now – David Bowie: The London Years: 1947–1974 |publisher=Adelita |location=Croydon, Surrey |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-95520-177-6}}
*{{cite book |last1=Carr |first1=Roy |author-link1=Roy Carr |last2=Murray |first2=Charles Shaar |author-link2=Charles Shaar Murray |title=Bowie: An Illustrated Record |publisher=[[Eel Pie Publishing]] |location=London |year=1981 |isbn=978-0-38077-966-6}}
*{{cite book |last=Christgau |first=Robert |chapter=B |chapter-url=https://robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=B&bk=70 |title=Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies |title-link=Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies |publisher=[[Ticknor and Fields]] |location=Boston |year=1981 |access-date=20 August 2020 |isbn=978-0-89919-026-6 |via=robertchristgau.com |archive-date=14 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200914184747/https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=B&bk=70 |url-status=live }}
*{{cite book |last=Clerc |first=Benoît |year=2021 |title=David Bowie All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track |location=New York City |publisher=[[Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers|Black Dog & Leventhal]] |isbn=978-0-7624-7471-4}}
*{{cite book |last=Dimery |first=Robert |title=1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die |url=https://archive.org/details/1001albumsyoumus0000unse_l0q0/page/254 |publisher=Quintet Publishing |location=London |year=2005 |isbn=978-1-84403-392-8 }}
*{{cite book |last=Doggett |first=Peter |author-link=Peter Doggett |year=2012 |title=The Man Who Sold the World: David Bowie and the 1970s |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e27t-ag4NakC |location=New York |publisher=[[HarperCollins]] |isbn=978-0-06-202466-4}}
*{{cite book|last=Griffin|first=Roger|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EKE2DQAAQBAJ&pg=PT388|title=David Bowie: The Golden Years|publisher=[[Omnibus Press]]|location=London|date=2016|isbn=978-0-85712-875-1}}
*{{cite book |last=Kent |first=David |author-link=David Kent (historian) |title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 |publisher=Australian Chart Book |location=St Ives, N.S.W. |edition=illustrated |year=1993 |isbn=978-0-646-11917-5}}
*{{cite book |last=Larkin |first=Colin |author-link=Colin Larkin |title=[[All Time Top 1000 Albums]] |publisher=Virgin Books |location=London |edition=2nd |year=1998 |isbn=978-0-7535-0258-7}}
*{{cite book |last=Larkin |first=Colin |title=All Time Top 1000 Albums |publisher=Virgin Books |location=London |edition=3rd |date=2000 |isbn=978-0-7535-0493-2}}
*{{cite book |last=Larkin |first=Colin |chapter=Bowie, David |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |title-link=Encyclopedia of Popular Music |publisher=[[Omnibus Press]] |location=London |edition=5th concise |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-85712-595-8}}
*{{cite book |last=O'Leary |first=Chris |title=Rebel Rebel: All the Songs of David Bowie from '64 to '76 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ggTmBwAAQBAJ |publisher=[[John Hunt Publishing|Zero Books]] |location=Winchester |year=2015 |isbn=978-1-78099-244-0 }}
*{{cite book |last=Pegg |first=Nicholas |author-link=Nicholas Pegg |title=The Complete David Bowie |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LqFkDQAAQBAJ |publisher=[[Titan Books]] |location=London |edition=revised and updated |year=2016 |isbn=978-1-78565-365-0 }}
*{{cite book|last=Perone|first=James E.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C6bz2BFdPawC&pg=PA57|title=The Words and Music of David Bowie|location=[[Westport, Connecticut]]|publisher=[[Greenwood Publishing Group]]|date=2007|isbn=978-0-27599-245-3}}
*{{cite book |editor-last=Roberts |editor-first=David |title=[[British Hit Singles & Albums|The Guinness Book of British Hit Albums]] |publisher=[[Guinness World Records|Guinness Publishing Ltd.]] |location=London |edition=7th |year=1996 |isbn=978-0-85112-619-7}}
*{{cite book |last=Sandford |first=Christopher |author-link=Christopher Sandford (biographer) |title=Bowie: Loving the Alien |url=https://archive.org/details/bowielovingalien00sand |publisher=[[Da Capo Press]] |location=New York |year=1998 |orig-year=1997 |isbn=978-0-306-80854-8 }}
*{{cite book |last=Sheffield |first=Rob |editor1-last=Weisbard |editor1-first=Eric |editor1-link=Eric Weisbard |editor2-last=Marks |editor2-first=Craig |chapter=David Bowie |title=Spin Alternative Record Guide |title-link=Spin Alternative Record Guide |publisher=[[Vintage Books]] |location=New York |year=1995 |isbn=978-0-679-75574-6}}
*{{cite book |last=Sheffield |first=Rob |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor1-link=Nathan Brackett |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |editor2-link=Christian Hoard |chapter=David Bowie |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]] |location=New York |edition=4th |year=2004 |isbn=978-0-7432-0169-8}}
*{{cite book |last=Spitz |first=Marc |author-link1=Marc Spitz |title=[[Bowie: A Biography]] |publisher=[[Crown Publishing Group]] |location=New York |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-307-71699-6}}
*{{cite book |last=Sullivan |first=Steve |title=Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings |location=Lanham, Maryland |publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]] |year=2017 |isbn=978-1-44225-449-7}}
*{{cite book |last=Trynka |first=Paul |author-link=Paul Trynka |title=David Bowie – Starman: The Definitive Biography |publisher=[[Little, Brown and Company]] |location=New York City |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-31603-225-4}}
{{refend|30em}}

==External links==
* {{Discogs master|type=album|1718|name=Hunky Dory}}

{{David Bowie}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:David Bowie albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by David Bowie]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Ken Scott]]
[[Category:Albums recorded at Trident Studios]]
[[Category:EMI Records albums]]
[[Category:RCA Records albums]]
[[Category:1971 albums]]
[[Category:Rykodisc albums]]
[[Category:Virgin Records albums]]
[[Category:Parlophone albums]]