Artists
Musicians featured in this piece are:
David Bowie – lead vocals, guitar, keyboards
Carlos Alomar – electric guitar
Mike Garson – piano
David Sanborn – alto saxophone
Willie Weeks – bass guitar
Andy Newmark – drums
Larry Washington – congas
Luther Vandross, Ava Cherry, Robin Clark – backing vocals
Written by David Bowie. Produced and mixed by Tony Visconti, recorded 11–18 August 1974 at Sigma Sound Studios, Philadelphia.
The title track announced David Bowie‘s turn from glam rock into what he called “plastic soul.” He assembled a band of top New York session players — Carlos Alomar, Willie Weeks, Andy Newmark, and David Sanborn — alongside conga player Larry Washington, who’d been meant to bring his whole group but ended up the only one available. The backing vocal arrangement was largely shaped by then-unknown singer Luther Vandross, who was brought in as a backing vocalist and suggested the song’s call-and-response refrain; he went on to co-write the album’s later track “Fascination” with Bowie, built from one of his own unfinished songs, “Funky Music.” The track was recorded live with the full band, with only Sanborn’s saxophone overdubbed afterward.
David Bowie – Young Americans Lyrics
They pulled in just behind the bridge
He lays her down, he frowns
“Gee, my life’s a funny thing
Am I still too young?”
He kissed her then and there
She took his ring, took his babies
It took him minutes, took her nowhere
Heaven knows, she’d have taken anything, but
(All night)
She wants the young American
(Young American, young American)
(She wants the young American)
(All right)
She wants the young American
Scanning life through the picture window
She finds the slinky vagabond
He coughs as he passes her Ford Mustang
But Heaven forbid, she’ll take anything
But the freak, and his type, all for nothing
He misses a step and cuts his hand, but
Showing nothing, he swoops like a song
She cries, “Where have all Papa’s heroes gone?”
(All night)
She wants the young American
(Young American, young American)
(She wants the young American)
(All right)
But she wants the young American
All the way from Washington
Her bread-winner begs off the bathroom floor
“We live for just these twenty years
Do we have to die for the fifty more?”
All night
He wants the young American
(Young American, young American)
(He wants the young American)
(All right) All right
He wants the young American
Do you remember, your President Nixon?
Do you remember, the bills you have to pay?
Or even yesterday?
Have you been the un-American?
Just you and your idol sing falsetto
‘Bout Leather, leather everywhere
And not a myth left from the ghetto
Well, well, well, would you carry a razor
In case, just in case of depression?
Sit on your hands on a bus of survivors
Blushing at all the Afro-Sheeners
Ain’t that close to love?
Well, ain’t that poster love?
Well, it ain’t that Barbie doll
Her heart’s been broken just like you and
(All night)
All night, you want the young American
(Young American) young American
(You want the young American) All right
All right
You want the young American
You ain’t a pimp and you ain’t a hustler
A pimp’s got a Cadi and a lady got a Chrysler
Black’s got respect, and white’s got his soul train
Mama’s got cramps, and look at your hands ache
(I heard the news today, oh boy)
I got a suite and you got defeat
Ain’t there a man who can say no more?
And ain’t there a woman I can sock on the jaw?
And, ain’t there a child I can hold without judging?
Ain’t there a pen that will write before they die?
Ain’t you proud that you’ve still got faces?
Ain’t there one damn song that can make me break down and cry?
All night
I want the young American
(Young American) young American
(I want the young American)
All right
I want the young American, young American
(Young American, young American)
(I want the young American)
(All night)
You want I, I want you
(Young American, young American)
(I want the young American)
(All right)
All I want is the young American
(Young American, young American)
(I want the young American)
(All night)
To listen to other songs from the Teleskop 18 program and the full program, click here.