4. ‘Monolith‘ vs ‘Life on Mars‘
There’s really no contest here. ‘Life on Mars’ is, in my opinion, one of the best songs ever, never mind Bowie’s personal best. ‘Monolith’ suffers from sounding like a bridge between other better songs, and is completely forgettable. Bowie’s always gonna win here.
Bolan 1-3 Bowie
5. ‘Lean Woman Blues‘ vs ‘Kooks‘
‘Lean Woman Blues’ is a great classic rock song, with the guitar sprawling over the song like it’s a lingerie model. ‘Kooks’ tries to equal the dirtiness with a comparatively sweet, innocent, music-hall song that’s every bit as charming, as ‘Lean Woman Blues’ is thrilling. The one factor which tips it is the lyrics, with ‘LWB’ being slightly stronger in this respect. Bolan wins here.
Bolan 2-3 Bowie
6. ‘Get It On‘ vs ‘Quicksand‘
You would think the winner is obviously T. Rex by a clear margin here, but ‘Quicksand’ puts up a great fight. The lyrics are amazing (“I’m the twisted name in Goebbels’ eyes / Living proof of Churchill’s lies”) and the music is good too. But ‘Get it On’ is one of the best rock songs of the 70’s, and in the end there could only be one winner here
Bolan 3-3 Bowie