UK single release: Can’t Help Thinking About Me

David Bowie’s second single with the Lower Third, ‘Can’t Help Thinking About Me’, was released in the United Kingdom on Friday 14 January 1966.

The b-side was another Bowie composition, ‘And I Say To Myself’. As with its predecessor, ‘You’ve Got A Habit Of Leaving’, the single failed to chart.

I think the first song I ever wrote – there might be others but this is the only one that sticks out – was called ‘Can’t Help Thinking About Me’. (breaks up laughing) That’s an illuminating little piece, isn’t it? It was about leaving home and moving up to London. ‘The London Boys’ was another one about being a mod. It was an anti-pill song; I wasn’t particularly pro the thing – after a bit.

‘Can’t Help Thinking About Me’ was recorded in December 1965, at Pye Studios in ATV House, 40 Bryanston Street, London. It was produced by Tony Hatch, who also played piano on the recording.

It was a huge disappointment that it wasn’t a hit. The first one didn’t do much and this one we hoped would do better – though it did get into the lower reaches of one of the charts.

David was fronting the band and leading it, but Ralph wanted to separate him so the Lower Third would be his backing band. But we saw ourselves as a four-piece band who were all going to get on in the business.