Young Americans

Young Americans is the ninth studio album by English musician David Bowie, released on 7 March 1975 through RCA Records. Marking a shift from the glam rock style of his previous work, the album explores soul and R&B influences. Bowie referred to the album’s sound as “plastic soul.”

Recording sessions commenced at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia in August 1974, following the first leg of Bowie’s Diamond Dogs Tour. Produced by Tony Visconti, the album featured musicians such as guitarist Carlos Alomar, who became a key collaborator, and backing vocalists Ava Cherry, Robin Clark, and the then-unknown Luther Vandross. The sessions continued at the Record Plant in New York City. Bowie also collaborated with John Lennon on a cover of Lennon’s Beatles song “Across the Universe” and the track “Fame” during January 1975 at Electric Lady Studios, with production by Harry Maslin. The album’s cover artwork is a backlit photograph of Bowie by Eric Stephen Jacobs.

David Bowie’s previous album, Diamond Dogs, released in May 1974, marked his final foray into glam rock. Elements of funk and soul in tracks such as “Rock ‘n’ Roll with Me” and “1984” hinted at the musical direction of his next project. Bowie’s long-standing interest in soul music, which began in the mid-1960s, was further developed through extensive listening and incorporation into his live sets. During the latter part of the Diamond Dogs Tour in July 1974, Bowie performed soul covers that would later influence Young Americans.

In early 1974, Bowie met funk guitarist Carlos Alomar, who had worked with notable artists such as James Brown. This meeting led to a lasting collaboration, with Alomar helping Bowie delve deeper into American soul music. During the tour, Bowie also worked at Sigma Sound Studios with Ava Cherry, a prominent studio for Philadelphia soul.

Recording for Young Americans started on 8 August 1974, with sessions being productive and completed in two weeks. Bowie adopted a new approach to production, allowing for a significant portion of the album to be recorded live. The album’s working title, “The Gouster,” reflected its intended tone. Bowie’s extensive cocaine use during this period impacted his voice, creating a distinctive raspy sound.

The sessions produced numerous outtakes, including “After Today,” “Who Can I Be Now?” and a re-recording of “John, I’m Only Dancing.” Following the sessions, Bowie continued to refine the album and perform the new material during the second leg of the Diamond Dogs Tour, which was characterised by a simpler set design and a focus on the new sound. On 2 November 1974, Bowie appeared on The Dick Cavett Show to perform songs from the album.

After the Soul Tour ended in December 1974, Bowie, Visconti, and Alomar reconvened at the Record Plant in New York City to record additional tracks, including “Fascination” and “Win.” John Lennon, who was working on his covers album Rock ‘n’ Roll at the Record Plant, collaborated with Bowie on “Across the Universe” and “Fame” in January 1975. These tracks replaced some of the earlier recordings on the album.

Mixing for Young Americans was completed on 12 January 1975, and the album was mastered by Greg Calbi. The album’s various working titles included Dancin’, Somebody Up There Likes Me, One Damned Song, Shilling the Rubes, and Fascination. It presents a new direction for Bowie, blending blue-eyed soul and R&B, and features lyrical themes of loneliness and alienation.

The album opens with “Young Americans,” which explores new lyrical directions for Bowie, and includes notable tracks such as “Win,” “Fascination,” and “Right.” The second side features “Somebody Up There Likes Me,” “Across the Universe,” “Can You Hear Me?”, and “Fame.” The latter, a funk rock song co-written with Lennon, reflects their shared sentiments about fame and its challenges.