This is my favorite track off Bowie's "Young Americans" (1975). It might be one of his most impassioned vocal performances, certainly among his earlier discography.
The song begins with a mellow and blissed-out guitar montage featuring very soulful chords that introduce the verse groove. The horn parts, drenched in reverb and delay, drift across the sonic spectrum, creating a washed-out, "end of the night" feel. Then the backing vocals enter with an easy and dreamlike warmth. The atmosphere conjures images of the early morning remnants of city nightlife, after the decadence and destruction that follows.
Bowie's vocal calmly and conversationally enters with "Me, I hope that I'm crazy." Sounding either double-tracked or with a sharp slapback delay, it feels very intimate. What follows is a lyric seemingly from the perspective of someone with mixed feelings about what appears to be the antagonist. The conversational lyrics explore the idea of winning versus trying not to lose. The antagonist seems to represent something significant to him. The lines are like thoughts and impressions on a feeling, perhaps not too literal at all.
Aside from the literal themes, I believe the song is about the complex internal turmoil accompanying success. As success arrives, things change, and so does the person, including their view on others and how they perceive others' efforts. You could delve deeper and consider Bowie's state of mind at the time—a man on the rise, likely indulging in the excesses of stardom, reflecting on his life and relationships, and possibly lacking perspective as things keep growing.
Despite the drive to "win," there might be a level of regret as incredible success brings a sense of life becoming totally uncontrollable, which it inevitably did (Thin White Duke era). There is a sense of being completely emotionally unavailable and losing something integral as success grows. It's like the protagonist is desperately trying to convince himself of his drive to succeed, being an all encompassing and worthy goal, whilst he loses perspective of himself and those that love him.
The chorus jumps in at an almost jarring timing but is cleverly executed with the guitar arpeggiating and all the musical elements coming together in a cacophony of noise and emotion.
This song is a textbook representation of the "Young Americans" album—a foray into soul music while retaining Bowie's unique style and delivery. It's a strange blend, with the chorus feeling like something out of a more classic rock anthem, but far more complex and cleverly executed. Bowie was obviously burning through his creative flow, and what followed ("Station to Station") was a further development in this direction. Bowie assimilated this soul approach and created something completely unique and fresh.
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