Let's Dance cover art

  Studio Album · No. 15

Let's Dance Songwriting Credits by David Bowie

1983 EMI / Parlophone 8 tracks 40 min

Produced by Nile Rodgers  ·  Engineered by Bob Clearmountain, Dave Greenberg

EMI / Parlophone Post-DiscoDance-RockNew WaveDance-Pop
88%
Authorship
Artist

Holds writing credit on 7 of 8 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 7 / 8 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 8 tracks with documented writers, by whether David Bowie carries a lyricist or composer credit.

88%
7 trackswritten by David Bowie 1 trackoutside writers
David Bowie's roles on this album

Share of the 8 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist88%
Composer88%
Producer0%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

8
Tracks
6
Lyricists
1
Producers
2
No.1 Singles
10.7 million
Worldwide Copies Sold
1983
Released

Awards & Recognition 1

Album of the Year (1984, Nominated)
Data Insight

David Bowie co-produced Let's Dance with Nile Rodgers of Chic, a shift toward a polished dance-pop sound. Bowie wrote most of the songs, but the album includes notable outside material: "China Girl" was co-written with Iggy Pop, "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" came from Giorgio Moroder, and "Criminal World" was originally written by Peter Godwin, Duncan Browne, and Sean Lyons. The record became Bowie's commercial peak and showcased guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Let's Dance is the fifteenth studio album by David Bowie, released in April 1983 on EMI / Parlophone and produced by Nile Rodgers. The album was the biggest commercial success of Bowie's career, debuting at number one in both the UK and the United States and spawning three hit singles: 'Let's Dance,' 'China Girl,' and 'Modern Love,' all of which reached the top five on both sides of the Atlantic. Nile Rodgers's crisp, funk-influenced production and Stevie Ray Vaughan's searing blues guitar transformed Bowie's sound into something more accessible and commercially potent than anything he had previously attempted. The album sold over eight million copies worldwide and introduced Bowie to an entirely new generation of listeners who had missed his 1970s work. While some fans lamented the abandonment of his avant-garde experimentation, Let's Dance remains an expertly crafted pop record that demonstrated Bowie's extraordinary versatility.

Track Listing & Credits 8 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Modern Love #2
David Bowie David Bowie Nile Rodgers David Bowie (Lead Vocals)
2
China Girl #2
David BowieIggy Pop David BowieIggy Pop Nile Rodgers David Bowie (Lead Vocals)
3
Let's Dance #1
David Bowie David Bowie Nile Rodgers David Bowie (Lead Vocals)
4
Without You
David Bowie David Bowie Nile Rodgers David Bowie (Lead Vocals)
5
Ricochet
David Bowie David Bowie Nile Rodgers David Bowie (Lead Vocals)
6
Criminal World
Peter GodwinDuncan BrowneSean Lyons Peter GodwinDuncan BrowneSean Lyons Nile Rodgers David Bowie (Lead Vocals)
7
Cat People (Putting Out Fire)
David BowieGiorgio Moroder David BowieGiorgio Moroder Nile Rodgers David Bowie (Lead Vocals)
8
Shake It
David Bowie David Bowie Nile Rodgers David Bowie (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 7 contributors

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Frequently Asked Questions Let's Dance

Did David Bowie write Let's Dance himself?
David Bowie wrote most of Let's Dance but included several outside songs. "China Girl" was co-written with Iggy Pop, "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" was written by Giorgio Moroder, and "Criminal World" came from Peter Godwin, Duncan Browne, and Sean Lyons. Bowie co-produced the album with Nile Rodgers.
Who wrote "Let's Dance" by David Bowie?
David Bowie wrote the title track "Let's Dance" himself. It became a number 1 single on both the UK Singles Chart and the US Billboard Hot 100.
Who wrote "China Girl" by David Bowie?
"China Girl" was written by David Bowie and Iggy Pop. The two first recorded it for Iggy Pop's 1977 album The Idiot, and Bowie's version reached number 2 in the UK and number 10 in the US.
Who produced Let's Dance by David Bowie?
Let's Dance was co-produced by David Bowie and Nile Rodgers of Chic. The sessions featured guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan.
How many copies has Let's Dance by David Bowie sold?
Let's Dance has sold approximately 10.7 million copies worldwide, making it Bowie's best-selling album. It is certified Platinum in both the United States and the United Kingdom.
Did Let's Dance win a Grammy Award?
Let's Dance was nominated for Album of the Year at the 1984 Grammy Awards but did not win. The award went to Michael Jackson's Thriller.
What genre is Let's Dance by David Bowie?
Let's Dance is described as post-disco, dance-rock, and new wave with dance-pop elements. It marked a deliberate move toward a more commercial, dance-oriented sound.

Sources