"The Prettiest Star" is a song by English musician David Bowie, originally released on 6 March 1970 through Mercury Records as the follow-up single to "Space Oddity". A love song for his soon-to-be wife Angie, it was recorded in January 1970 at Trident Studios in London and featured Marc Bolan on guitar, who was brought on by producer Tony Visconti. Despite praise from music journalists, the single flopped and failed to chart. Years later, Bowie rerecorded the track for his 1973 album Aladdin Sane. A more glam rock influenced take with lyrics matching themes on the album, Mick Ronson recreated Bolan's guitar part almost note-for-note. The remake was more well-received.
Original version
David Bowie wrote "The Prettiest Star" as a love song for Angie Barnett, reputedly playing it down the telephone as part of his proposal to her on Christmas 1969. Following the release of his second studio album David Bowie (Space Oddity), it was the only new song he wrote over the winter of 1969. Discussing the lyrics, commentators noted the line "you and I will rise up all the way" anticipated the couple's fame during the next decade. Set in the key of F major, the song is in the style of the Greek hasapiko dance as a tribute to Angie's Cypriot ethnic origin. Similar to Bowie's other compositions of the time, it was musically influenced by songwriter Biff Rose's The Thorn in Mrs. Rose's Side (1968), particularly the track "Angel Tension", which contains a similar tempo, phrasing, chord changes and lyrics to "The Prettiest Star" (Bowie's "staying back in your memory" compared to Rose's "going back in memory"). Author Paul Trynka describes the track as "languid, uncharacteristically simple" and "an almost unique [addition] to Bowie's canon". Biographer Chris O'Leary finds the song "hummable, warm and sweet", although felt "its dragging tempo made its sentimentality leaden".
Recording for the song began at Trident Studios in London, in tandem with a new version of Bowie's Deram-era track "London Bye Ta-Ta", on 8 January 1970—Bowie's 23rd birthday—and completed on 13 and 15 January. It was produced by Tony Visconti, who hired drummer Godfrey McLean and bassist Delisle Harper of Gass, a funk Santana-like band, for the session; he had produced Gass's recent single, although he found Harper's playing inadequate and overdubbed a bass part himself. Visconti also brought Marc Bolan to guest on guitar, having produced Bolan's works with T. Rex; Bowie and Bolan would spend the next few years as rivals during the glam rock era. Bolan rehearsed his part extensively beforehand, as he wanted to showcase his newfound electric guitar skills. The recording atmosphere was reportedly fraught, Bolan being jealous at the success of "Space Oddity". Bowie recalled of the session: "I don't think we were talking to each other that day. I can't remember why, but I remember a strange atmosphere in the studio. We were never in the same room at the same time. You could cut the atmosphere with a knife." The guitarist was accompanied by his wife June, who voiced her disapproval, saying "the only good thing about this record is Marc's guitar". The couple left the studio shortly after.
After its recording, Bowie premiered "The Prettiest Star" live at a BBC radio session on 5 February 1970. To the displeasure of his manager Kenneth Pitt, Bowie chose the song as his next single, Pitt favouring "London Bye Ta-Ta"; it ultimately marked the end of Pitt's influence on the artist. Bowie's label, Mercury Records, hoped the song would demonstrate Bowie's range as a songwriter. Issued as the follow-up single to "Space Oddity" in the United Kingdom only on 6 March 1970, with "Conversation Piece" as the B-side, its release coincided with The World of David Bowie compilation, which collected several songs and unreleased material from Bowie's time with Deram. The single received praise from music journalists. The NME hailed it as "a thoroughly charming and wholly fascinating little song... the self-penned lyric is enchanting, if somewhat enigmatic – and the melody is haunting and hummable... I like it immensely". Music Business Weekly described it as "an immediately infectious number and a very strong follow-up", Record Mirror commended "a melodic and interesting production", and Disc & Music Echo found it "a lovely, gentle, gossamer piece... the most compact, catchy melody I've ever heard. A hit indeed."