David Bowie: Rock 'n Roll with Me (1974)

Rock 'n' Roll With Me
B-side: Panic in Detroit (live)
Artist: David Bowie
Album: Diamond Dogs
Released: May 1974
Recorded: January 1974
Songwriters: David Bowie, Warren Peace

"Rock 'n' Roll With Me" is a pop-power ballad written by David Bowie and Warren Peace. A power ballad is a slow love song prevalent in nearly all popular music genres. There are rock, soul, country, and even heavy metal ballads. Dolly Parton's song, "I Will Always Love You" (popularized by Whitney Houston), is an example of a pop power ballad. Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" from the movie Titanic is another.

Song

"Rock 'n' Roll With Me" addresses the artist's complex relationship with his fans. It has been described as "one of Bowie's least self-conscious love songs," foreshadowing the R&B balladry on Young Americans. Although rock music critics generally don't like it, the chorus makes "Rock 'n Roll with Me" my favorite song on Bowie's Diamond Dogs LP. It was also the tune David liked best.

When you rock-n-roll with me

No one else I'd rather be

Nobody down here can do it for me

I'm in tears again

When you rock n roll with me

Donovan

Donovan

Donovan released a cover of the song in September 1974. It could have been better.

Plastic Soul

"Rock 'n Roll with Me" was part of the tour that resulted in the album "David Live." Bowie had retired from the Ziggy Stardust glam rock personae in this period. His next phase would be, what he called, a plastic soul. We blogged about this in our post on his "Young Americans" album. 

David Bowie

This ballad shows a definite leaning in that new direction. The piano intro blatantly evokes Bill Withers' 1972 hit, Lean on Me. Bowie's record company responded the same month as Donavan's single by issuing a version of "David Live."

Rock 'n Roll Me  

David Bowie