David Bowie – ‘Let’s Dance’

9 April 1983

I was a bit too young to be aware of ‘Let’s Dance’ at the time, but if the wind is right I can almost hear the groans of Bowie die-hards echoing down the years. It borrows the distinctive soaring “ah-ah-ah-AH!” of ‘Twist And Shout’ for its intro and the famous drum beat of ‘Be My Baby’ for its middle section; bits worth borrowing, says you. But in 1983 the likes of Elton John, Billy Joel and Phil Collins were also having huge success with ’60s pop throwbacks; not august company for someone who was still making weird and wonderful hits like ‘Ashes To Ashes’ (itself a ’60s throwback of sorts) only three years earlier.

Still, though, on its own terms ‘Let’s Dance’ is hugely enjoyable. A lot of that is due to another iconic ’70s innovator who was adjusting to the 1980s: Nile Rodgers, now a producer for hire. The shards of glossy hooks, the rather stiff funk-rock bassline, and the eyes-on-the-prize radio-friendly sheen would all become ’80s staples and still hold up well on this record. It helps that there’s an actual song holding up these baubles, as well as a fine Bowie vocal performance; his half-command, half-croon to “sway through the crowd to an empty space” is particularly satisfying.

Okay, it doesn’t match his ’70s masterpieces, but what does? And let’s put this in perspective; my first awareness of David Bowie was two years later on ‘Dancing In The Street’ with Mick Jagger, a track which makes ‘Let’s Dance’ sound like ‘Life On Mars?’ by comparison. The rest of the ’80s would be a cold house for the Bowie die-hards.