Young Americans - David Bowie (1975) 9/27/21

In the mid '70s, David Bowie fell in love with American soul music--especially the "Philadelphia sound."

He decided to record what he called a "plastic soul" album in Philadelphia, and the title cut from "Young Americans" not only became David's first Top 40 hit in the US--it became a "Great Song of 1975!"

Unfortunately, it stalled at #28 on Billboard's Hot 100, but it was obviously WAY ahead of its time. The proof is in how it ranks today on some pretty impressive lists.

In 2016, Pitchfork Magazine placed "Young Americans" at #44 on their list of the" Top 200 Songs of the '70s, and just recently, the song moved from #486 to #204 on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the "Top 500 Songs of All Time!"

What makes "Young Americans" so "Great?" Well, first of all, it's David Bowie. :-) But he also surrounded himself with some great musicians, including a young Luther Vandross singing backup and David Sanborn cutting loose on the saxophone.

(Note: John Lennon worked on the album with David, and although he was not directly involved with the single, David drops a lyric that acknowledges John's help and influence. (Clue: It's near the end.) "Young Americans" by David Bowie: A "Great Song of 1975!"