Rebel Rebel | |
single by David Bowie | |
---|---|
Released | 15 February 1974 |
Format | 7" single |
Recorded | Ludolf Studios, Hilversum, Netherlands, January 1974 |
Label | RCA Records |
Writers | David Bowie |
Producer | David Bowie |
Duran Duran cover song |
"Rebel Rebel" is a song by David Bowie, released in 1974 as a single from the album Diamond Dogs and covered by Duran Duran.
About the song[]
Originally written for a mooted Ziggy Stardust musical in late 1973, "Rebel Rebel" was Bowie's last single in the glam rock style that had been his trademark. It was also his first hit since 1969 not to feature lead guitarist Mick Ronson; Bowie himself played guitar on this and almost all other tracks from Diamond Dogs, producing what NME critics Roy Carr and Charles Shaar Murray called "a rocking dirty noise that owed as much to Keith Richards as it did to the departed Ronno".
The song is notable for its gender-bending lyrics ("You got your mother in a whirl / She's not sure if you're a boy or a girl") as well as its distinctive riff, which rock journalist Kris Needs has described as "a classic stick-in-the-head like the Stones' 'Satisfaction'". Bowie himself later said, "It's a fabulous riff! Just fabulous! When I stumbled onto it, it was 'Oh, thank you!'"
Duran Duran covered the song in concert during The Radio Station Festival Tour in 1995.
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Albums:[]
- Boyz On The Side
- Live Aid: The Global Jukebox Vol. 1
- Thank You 2: Originals
- Thank You, Philly....
- Rare Collection of Wild Boys
- Starman
- Boston 6-3-95
- Thank You Demos
- Live Era: 1981-2000
- Rebel Rebel - Rarities Live
Lyrics[]
Doo doo doo-doo doo doo doo doo Doo doo doo-doo doo doo doo doo Doo doo doo-doo doo doo doo doo You've got your mother in a whirl She's not sure if you're a boy or a girl Hey babe, your hair's alright Hey babe, let's go out tonight You like me, and I like it all We like dancing and we look divine You love bands when they're playing hard You want more and you want it fast They put you down, they say I'm wrong You tacky thing, you put them on Rebel Rebel, you've torn your dress Rebel Rebel, your face is a mess Rebel Rebel, how could they know? Hot tramp, I love you so! Don't ya? Doo doo doo-doo doo doo doo doo You've got your mother in a whirl 'cause she's Not sure if you're a boy or a girl Hey babe, your hair's alright Hey babe, let's stay out tonight You like me, and I like it all We like dancing and we look divine You love bands when they're playing hard You want more and you want it fast They put you down, they say I'm wrong You tacky thing, you put them on Rebel Rebel, you've torn your dress Rebel Rebel, your face is a mess Rebel Rebel, how could they know? Hot tramp, I love you so! Don't ya? Oh? Doo doo doo-doo doo doo doo doo Doo doo doo-doo doo doo doo doo Rebel Rebel, you've torn your dress Rebel Rebel, your face is a mess Rebel Rebel, how could they know? Hot tramp, I love you so! You've torn your dress, your face is a mess You can't get enough, but enough ain't the test You've got your transmission and your live wire You got your cue line and a handful of ludes You wanna be there when they count up the dudes And I love your dress You're a juvenile success Because your face is a mess So how could they know? I said, how could they know? So what you wanna know Calamity's child, chi-chile, chi-chile Where'd you wanna go? What can I do for you? Looks like you've been there too 'Cause you've torn your dress And your face is a mess Oh, your face is a mess Oh, oh, so how could they know? Eh, eh, how could they know? Eh, eh