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
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Modern Love | David Bowie | David Bowie | Nile Rodgers |
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| 2 | China Girl | David Bowie, Iggy Pop | David Bowie, Iggy Pop | Nile Rodgers |
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| 3 | Let's Dance | David Bowie | David Bowie | Nile Rodgers |
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| 4 | Without You | David Bowie | David Bowie | Nile Rodgers |
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| 5 | Ricochet | David Bowie | David Bowie | Nile Rodgers |
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| 6 | Criminal World | Peter Godwin, Duncan Browne, Sean Lyons | Peter Godwin, Duncan Browne, Sean Lyons | Nile Rodgers |
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| 7 | Cat People (Putting Out Fire) | David Bowie, Giorgio Moroder | David Bowie, Giorgio Moroder | Nile Rodgers |
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| 8 | Shake It | David Bowie | David Bowie | Nile Rodgers |
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Data note: Bowie's commercial breakthrough, produced by Nile Rodgers. 'China Girl' was originally written by Bowie and Iggy Pop for Iggy's 1977 album The Idiot. 'Criminal World' is a cover written by Peter Godwin, Duncan Browne, and Sean Lyons. 'Cat People (Putting Out Fire)' was co-written with Giorgio Moroder and originally recorded for the 1982 Cat People film soundtrack. Credits compiled from Wikipedia and liner notes.