David Bowie (July 19 1975) "Fame" Single Review – UK Press

SOURCE DETAILS  

Publication: Unspecified UK  press

(single review column)

Date: July 19 1975 Country: United Kingdom Section / Pages: Single Review Title: David Bowie – “Fame” (RCA)

This mid‑1975 review hails David Bowie’s “Fame” as a return to form and one of the standout tracks from his Young Americans album.

The critic calls Bowie “the king of excess,” praising his audacious mix of funk, brass, and soul influences while noting the song’s “steady clatter” of percussion and “raunchy brass‑flavoured rhythm” that drives it with “considerable impact and guts.”

The piece highlights Bowie’s transformation into a black soul singer persona, describing his performance as filled with “conviction and sheer hostility.”

The review concludes that “Fame” is vastly better than his previous single and “the best from him for some time.” The verdict: Hit.

CONTEXT AND NOTES  

Released in summer 1975, “Fame” marked Bowie’s full embrace of American soul and funk, co‑written with John Lennon and Carlos Alomar.

The single became his first US No. 1, cementing his crossover success and closing the Young Americans era with swagger and irony.

The review captures the tension between Bowie’s theatrical excess and his newfound rhythmic discipline — a defining moment in his evolution.

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