Fame

Fame

David Bowie and John Lennon cowrote this funky hit tune. The groove imitates an original R and B groove maybe from Otis Redding or James Brown. But it has a luster all its own. Lots of angst too. The posturing to avoid fame and glory is appreciated. They are some of the first rock stars to lament what is lost when the song tops the charts. The long slog of paying the manager and lawyer bills with exorbitant concert ticket pricing takes over where there was once simple joy. Years after the huzzah’s have died down the accountants tally up and deliver the bad news that the rock star owes more than they have made minus what the lawyers have stolen is a sobering realization. But the player has no choice but to continue playing, the band goes down with the Titanic. But hey what else can we do but dance? Enjoying the mysterious miracle of music and what it does to our soul is the payback. The guitar lick imitates a Memphis horn line. My JukeBox Brain is hung up on it. Can’t leave it alone. Repeating the phrase like it was foreplay underscoring the original impetus of groove as dance. You don’t have to know anything about moving. I watched Bowie lip synch this on Don Cornelius’ Soul Train and he made it work. What a pro. Would have been nice to witness it with John onboard. Fame, I’ll reject you first…indeed.