One of the most powerful moments in BBC Radio 2s history. I was driving in my car, had just arrived home and simply sat in my car until it finished. A perfect tribute and a very personal private moment and yet shared by millions.

me and this taxi driver that drove me home last night was listening to this song on the radio almost fucking balled my eyes out, never had a moment like that with a stranger. we were both in a state lol

Well that was f*cking beautiful.

2023 now, and all these years later I still can't watch this without crying. The world needs more David Bowie.

I've got to limit myself a bit as I keep on crying and I'm getting fed up with it. Here I am again in tears. Bloody hell.

He didn't lose his battle with cancer. It's never a fair fight. RIP DAVID BOWIE.

Beautiful tribute. David Bowie knew who to go to for talent on his recordings. You can tell how much respect Rick has for the song!

One of the greatest piano accompaniments of all time.

Wakeman = keyboard god

Stunning performance Mr. Wakeman. Jaw dropping. There's an interesting consistency in the thousands of fan comments I've been reading, which is the absolute willingness of men to admit that they've been crying over Bowie's passing. Men cry of course but we usually don't bring up the fact that we did. I'm a grown man of 63, a fan since I first saw David at the Boston Music Hall in 1972, and I've cried more than a few times over the past couple of days... inĉluding just now after having made the beautiful mIstake of watching this video. There are men, likely millions of men, around the world... straight men, gay men, young, middle aged and old, white, black, asian, hispanic... who will in future years, as I will, say they cried when Bowie died. The width and breadth and depth of the grief being felt around the world for this man's death is truly, truly remarkable, both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time.

Gosh, David Bowie was an amazing talent but Rick has demonstrated on so many occasions that he is simply the master of the piano

Every time someone talks about an artist, I compare them to Bowie. That guy was a great genius, artist and performer. One of the greatest. May you rest in peace.

Beautiful stuff. *RIP Bowie you legend!!*

Rick Wakeman's contribution to early Bowie classics like Hunky Dory was an important element to Bowie's music. Rick is one of the best keyboard players rock music has seen. His playing on Hunky Dory in particular, the sound of that upright piano he played, Bowie's outstanding writing, melody, taste in music.. This helped produce what I consider my fav Bowie album (not by a long shot mind you since he did so many phenom records), and one of the best pop rock albums of all time. I liked early Rick Wakeman interviews where he would be quite comical then blow you away with his masterful keyboard playing.Rick also had an interesting solo career. Six Wives was on my table quite often back in the day. Spot on Rick!

Rick Wakeman was once asked if he woke up each morning celebrating the fact that he played the piano on Life on Mars. He replied, "Sort of - but I played on a lot of Des O'Connor LPs as well..."

The greatest singer being paid tribute by the greatest keyboard player (in my opinion) playing one of the greatest songs ever written

Prog God Rick Wakeman playing David Bowie's greatest song. Genius, both of them. Real musicians that learnt their craft in small venues and honed it over many years.

I would expect nothing less than such a wonderful tribute by Wakeman. A true musician and a stand-up man in his own right.

This puts me in tears, it just shows you the magic and craftsmanship of David Bowie’s songwriting and music!

I just stopped crying yesterday after 3 straight days crying. Now I start to cry again. Man oh man.

Well done, Rick. The best tribute imaginable... RIP Bowie...

I've loved YES and Rick Wakeman, but this performance is the most beautiful solo that I ever heard Wakeman ever do.GOD!

Seven years on and I still find this to be such a beautiful tribute from a man who was there. Fly well, David.

A simple, but fabulous tribute to Davis Bowie.Thank you, Rick

Five years on and it's still one of most emotional performances I've ever listened to.

Thank you David, thank you Rick. I feel everything that matters when I hear this. Love to everyone, especially those finding life hard at the moment - you are not alone.

We are all sad and for many of us it feels like part of our very essence has been snatched away. I grew up on Bowie and three of the earliest albums I bought were Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust and Alladin Sane. With a start like that music was always going to play a major part in my life and that continues today and fortunately Glasgow has a great music scene. Thank you David RIP

That is the most perfect rendition and feeling in a piano piece I have ever heard. Thanks Rick, and thanks David. RIP.

I have a new appreciation for Wakeman. A beautiful and inspired rendition.

This has got to be the most heartfelt Bowie tribute I've ever listened to. Dripping with emotion. Hats off, Mr. Wakeman. You did it.

Rick Wakeman is a legend to The Legend Bowie! What a Tribute to one of the greatest songs ever! *goosebumps* I could listen to that piano roll in the chorus forever.... 🎹🎶

What a touching tribute.

Thanks Rick, still remember life on mars when i heard it the first time on the radio after i joined the Army as a boy soldier in 1972, which i think was around the time i first heard six wives of henry VIII, my favourite track on that was Catherine Howard but they were all works of Art. by the way i am 59 now. RIP David Bowie. still remember Starman, i was still in school then when i heard it for the first time.RIP David Bowie, a legacy.

Thank you, Rick Wakeman. The ultimate tribute.

How lovely. Rick has a true lasting connection with David and his legacy by playing on that song.

Not a dry eye in the house

A man who leaves behind his art leaves the world a better place.

Beautiful... Rest in peace David Bowie :(( the tears keep going

This music should travel the universe to show other worlds what human beings are capable of…

Maybe I'm going to get insulted, but this tribute is WAY BETTER than Elton John's one

Rick Wakeman is the grand wizard of keyboards. I've been a musician all my life and I'm insanely jealous of his mastery. Respect. 😉

That's so incredibly beautiful. Thank you Rick. Thank you very much.

There's a great documentary on Showtime called "Five Years" which reviews five crucial years or periods in the musical evolution of David Bowie. In the first segment, which covers Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust, Rick Wakeman describes how Bowie asked Wakeman to play on Hunky Dory and how much Wakeman loved "Life On Mars" because of Bowie's clever and creative chord structures. Wakeman gives an example, saying before he begins to play, "I haven't played this in 40 years". Wakeman then plays a piano vignette of why he believes the song to be "genius". At the end, after he has finished playing Wakeman says, "I really must go home and learn to play this." It was quite a charming moment in the documentar. The above rendition of "Life On Mars" by Rick Wakeman is absolutely beautiful and sublime.

What an incredible tribute to David Bowie. I love this!

A great tribute from the man who played the mellotron on Space Oddity. Thank you Rick. R.I.P. David.

Wow--Wakeman still plays flawlessly and still with so much heart. I never knew he was original keyboardist for LOM.

RIP David Robert Jones. You gave us classics since the '60's, such as "Space Oddity", "Life on Mars?" and "Let's Dance!". (Plus his stint in the movie "Labyrinth" :))

Amazing Bowie,Amazing Wakeman ❤

Absolutely brilliant. I had forgotten just how good Rick Wakeman is on the piano.

Omg!! Could I sit and listen all day and do nothing else???? Bowie's music is mind blowingly out of this world, Beautiful!

So beautiful song and so well played, wow, nice piano hands. Very beautiful

Heard this on the radio last night and it was a great tribute by another wonderful artist. He spoke so warmly about his times with Bowie too.

Rick Wakeman still magic....playing a tune from a genius

Oh my God so tearful listening to Rick,my son died 5 months ago,he was brought up on bowie, so so very moving 💝

Nice job by Rick Wakeman....paying tribute to David Bowie...Two Amazing musicians. Love you Bowie...and Rick. A beautiful song.

Taken me a week just to be able to listen anything related to David. Thank you Rick that was very nice. Missing you David Thank you for the memories

A fabulous tribute by one genius to another.

Now THAT's a guy who's got the right to give tribute to Bowie by playing one of his songs.

I never even realized Rick Wakeman played on this. I wasn't a fan of his music - my older brother drove me nuts with YES and similar prog stuff in the 70s. But obviously a brilliant pianist, and this was very touching. The Brit Awards should have him on stage by himself playing this exact piece along to a Bowie slideshow instead of the gawdawful Bono & cast "tribute" they have planned.

This has actually filled my eyes with water, and Im a bIokey bloke. Grew up listening to David Bowie and Life on Mars was the first of his songs I knew as a kid. He originally lived a few streets from me in Brixton and can remember plain as day listening to this when it came out on Top Of the Pops in our dingy little basement slum we lived in. Its only now he's gone that its hit me hard how much I and everyone will miss him. People - never forget or under appreciate him. Its a bit of a cliche to say there will never be another like him but more than anyone else I can think of with there really will NEVER be another.

Huge Yes fan saying thanks for this tribute to David. He is watching and smiling from above Mr. Wakeman!!!!

When I woke up that Monday and learnt David Bowie had passed, I was utterly shocked. I was so shocked that I didn't cry... Until I saw this tribute. Only then I begun to understand and accept the truth. Bowie was more than my favourite artist, he is part of who I am! I hope he is well wherever he is. I am more than grateful for all his contribution to our world...

Rick Wakeman is so talented! Touching tribute.

Thank you Rick Wakeman. And for the most astute recognition of Bowie's compositional talent that I've ever heard and seen demonstrated. Thanks also for expressing your surprise at hearing something new when familiar chords are played at unexpected times with interesting, and perhaps even, unfamiliar melodies. Flashback: I remember a new, funky Bowie who was warmly embraced by hippies (Salt Spring Island, BC, Canada) in the golden years. I tried to be one (a hippy, not a Bowie fan) but I failed my astrology exam. I'm just starting out with Bowie's music (one artist I want to showcase in my own show) as a performer, but it strikes me that tunes like Space Oddity, The Man Who Sold The World, Wild Is The Wind, All The Young Dudes, Golden Years and This Is Not America might be good tunes for any Bowie fan, to begin their performance studies, with.

Well done Rick. I know Bowie was a great friend of yours and he meant a lot to you. A fitting beautiful tribute.

I can´t believe just now I find out the keyboards on Hunky Dory belong to the great Rick Wakeman. I fill kind of ashamed.

Beautiful rendition of one of the prettiest Davie Bowie songs ever. .Thank you from the USA. Rest in Peace, Mr. Bowie.

It's heartbreaking. Just too much - but thank you Mr Wakeman. A fitting tribute to one legend from another.

Lovely tribute to a lovely man .. David leaves us with beautiful music .. and in style .. on a Full Moon .. xo's

Rick is brilliant as well...what feeling.

I still can't watch this without crying. I miss you, David. We all do.

Two of the all time great musicians. Rick and Bowie. Fabulous tribute 8-)

Lovely tribute to a very special and totally unique man

Thank you Rick Wakeman for a beautiful tribute.

Absolutely brilliant. No one can play it like Rick. My first musical memory was seeing Life On Mars on Top Of The Pops in 1973 when I was 11, before the famous blue suit video - the BBC put together some backstage footage, which I've not seen since. I was hooked from then on.

Thank you Rick Wakeman. Let's not forget who was with him in the beginning- you! Thanks for the great music you've given us also.

That was amazing Rick. Just amazing. What a great tribute.

Key to Bowie's style: surprising non-diatonic chord changes, and fantastic grooves. Add sublime surrealistic lyrics, press record and voila! Sheer pop brilliance.

From one mega talented musician to another and a lovely tribute.

This beautiful song brought me to tears. Rest in peace, Mr. David Bowie.

Thanks Rick, David certainly left his mark

BRILLIANT RICK!!! BOWIE WAS A TRUE GENIUS AND SO IS MR. RICK WAKEMAN MAN!!! HE HAVE VERY FAST FINGERS!! AH SO!!!

A very touching tribute, by a maestro who retains the complete command of the instrument he has always had..

So love this and feeling sad again. I had the honour to have worked on the same film with David in the mid 1980's. He was a kind and beautiful man. Rest in the Stars David.

Absolute fuckin' genius, on both Bowie;s and Rick's part....Thanks to both of you, that was the greatest song of my childhood!

This is beautiful and grateful to Rick giving us this gem. I've heard a radio interview from years back where Rick talks about David inviting him over and using his twelve string to play all the songs that would become Hunky Dory and being that they were recorded so close together I'd bet some of Ziggy Stardust songs were among them as well. Rick mentioned realizing immediately how special these songs were. Being asked to put them to piano turned out to be more than just a little session time to a young musician looking to make rent. He became a part of music history. I was twelve years old when this was released and at the time couldn't quite get what all the songs meant but the sound was so different it made you just stop and listen. With Ziggy Stardust released so soon after Bowie was getting tons of Am radio air time almost all at once. The line in Changes, "look out you rock-n-rollers" was for certain! There was no way for me to know at that age just how important this David Bowie was or would become. Somehow the man tapped into a vein of pure genius and we are all the better for it. I'm still shaking my head now at 21 days of time without the man living among us and had no idea how much I would miss him. My grandchildren are already getting a good introduction you can be sure!

Beautiful Tribute From a Keyboard Legend !

I feel so honoured to live so near to Rick, he lives about 10 minutes dowm the road from me and I make sure to look at his house every time I pass it. what a Man, what a tribute

Wakeman is a down to earth man ,very phylosofical and great taste of humour. Saw him a few times with Yes. His playing is always perfect or near perfect - that is if the soundcrew don't screw up which happened more than often at the start of Yes concerts. He contributed also on a Black Sabbath album. Don't think he'll ever return to Yes unless Jon is involved. Will try to see him with the ARW concerts. Very nice tribute here.

An unequalled score, and once again excellently executed, nice one Rick

Beautiful and sad and wonderful and wow. How lucky are we all to have known such talent and generosity. Hats off Rick, head bowed Bowie.

I want to see Rick playing all the way through.

Didn't even need to take his jacket & scarf off to play..brilliant.

Very nice. In the 1970's Rick Wakeman was one of my favorite musicians and this seems to be very appropriate

Two of my favorites, Rick Wakeman and David Bowie. I have to return every month or so to spend an hour or two just listening and watching.

It sounds almost classical, played like that. A beautiful and sensitive performance. Thank you Rick.

Este es el mejor homenaje a David Bowie gracias maestro Wakeman's.

Como siempre, Rick Wakemans un tremendo artista rindiendole tributo a otro grande....hermoso...

One of the best ballads ever written.

Merveilleux hommage à un grand artiste !! Bravo Rick que j'ai découvert dans les années 70 en allant en Angleterre.