Friday, July 28, 1972

Mott the Hoople “All the Young Dudes” released

All the Young Dudes

Mott the Hoople

Writer(s): David Bowie (see lyrics here)


Released: July 28, 1972


First Charted: August 12, 1972


Peak: 37 US, 34 CB, 32 HR, 2 CL, 3 UK, 31 CN, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.)


Sales (in millions): --


Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 4.2 video, 81.12 streaming

Awards:

Click on award for more details.

About the Song:

In 1972, Mott the Hoople had released four albums over three years but failed to gain any commercial success. David Bowie, who was well established as a solo artist, was interested in writing for other artists. He was a fan of the band and sent them a demo of “Suffragette City,” in hopes of keeping the band together SF but they rejected it. Bassist Pete Watts told Bowie in March that they band had broken up. Two hours later, Bowie contacted him, saying, “I’ve written a song for you since we spoke, which could be great.” WK

Bowie and Watts met a few days later and Watts said, “He hadn’t got all the words but the song just blew me away.” WK Singer Ian Hunter said, “He just played it on an acoustic guitar. I knew straight away it was a hit.” WK Drummer Dale Griffin said, “He wants to give us that? He must be crazy!” WK

Mott the Hoople agreed not to break up. Bowie’s manager, Tony Defries, also signed on the manage the band. Bowie produced the song, singing backup and playing guitar on it as well. SF They recorded “All the Young Dudes” on May 14, 1972. It became what has been called an “anthem of glam rock” WK which was to that genre what the Beatles’ “All You Need Is Love” was to the hippie era. WK Author Dave Thompson called it “the ultimate glam rock rallying cry.” DT

Bowie has said it wasn’t meant as an anthem for glam, but had a darker message about apocalypse. He envisioned Mott the Hoople as a Clockwork Orange-style street gang. SF “With its dirge-like music, youth suicide references and calls to an imaginary audience, the song bore similarities to Bowie’s own ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide,’ the final track from [Bowie’s classic] Ziggy Stardust” album. WK It has also been called a gay anthem, which fit the androgynous and gender-bending styles of glam rock. Lou Reed said it was, “a rallying call to the young dudes to come out in the streets and show that they were beautiful and gay and proud of it.” WK

Whatever the intent of the song, Mott the Hoople parlayed it into their only top-40 hit in the U.S. and their biggest hit in the UK. Bowie performed the song on his Ziggy Stardust tour and it was recorded for the live album which resulted from that tour. It was also featured on his David Live album released in 1974.


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First posted 7/23/2022; last updated 4/1/2023.

Saturday, July 8, 1972

Harry Von Tilzer: Top 30 Songs

First posted 12/8/2019.

Songwriter and vaudevillian performer Harry Von Tilzer was born Aaron Gumbinsky one hundred years ago today on 7/8/1872 in Detroit, Michigan. Also known as Harry Gumm. Died on 1/10/1946. For a complete list of this act’s DMDB honors, check out the DMDB Music Maker Encyclopedia entry.


Top 30 Songs

Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists as well as chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards. Many of these songs have been recorded multiple times. Only the highest-ranked version in Dave’s Music Database is included in this list. The recording artist is noted in parentheses. Songs which hit #1 on Billboard’s pop charts are noted.

DMDB Top 1%:

1. Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie (Byron G. Harlan, 1906) #1
2. On a Sunday Afternoon (J.W. Myers, 1902) #1
3. A Bird in a Gilded Cage (Steve Porter, 1900) #1
4. Down Where the Wurzburger Flows (Arthur Collins & Byron Harlan, 1902) #1
5. I Want a Girl Just Like the Girl Who Married Dear Old Dad (Peerless Quartet, 1911)

DMDB Top 5%:

6. The Mansion of Aching Hearts (Harry MacDonough, 1902) #1
7. My Old New Hampsire Home (George J. Gaskin, 1898) #1
8. Alexander (Don’t You Love Your Baby No More?) (Billy Murray, 1904) #1
9. Under the Anheuser Busch (Billy Murray, 1904)
10. Coax Me (Arthur Collins & Byron Harlan, 1905)

11. All Alone (Ada Jones & Billy Murray, 1911)
12. You’ll Always Be the Same Sweet Girl (James Harrison & James Reed, 1915)
13. And the Green Grass Grew All Around (Walter Van Brunt, 1913)
14. I Love My Wife, But Oh You Kid! (Arthur Collins, 1909)
15. All Aboard for Dreamland (Byron G. Harlan, 1904) #1
16. The Cubanola Glide (Arthur Collins & Byron Harlan, 1910)
17. All Aboard for Blanket Bay (Ada Jones, 1911)

DMDB Top 10%:

18. I Remember You (Ada Jones, 1909)
19. They Always Pick on Me (Ada Jones, 1911)
20. Knock Wood (Ada Jones & Walter Van Brunt, 1911)
21. All She'd Say Was "Umh-Hum" (Van & Schenck, 1921)
22. On the Old Fall River Line (Arthur Collins & Byron Harlan, 1914)
23. Down Where the Cotton Blossoms Grow (Frank Stanley, 1902)

DMDB Top 20%:

24. When the Flowers Bloom in the Springtime, Molly Dear (Haydn Quartet, 1907)

Beyond the DMDB Top 20%:

25. Keep the Trench Fires Going for the Boys Out There (1918)
26. IDA-HO (1906)
27. Top O’ the Mornin’ (1907)
28. Summertime (1908)
29. Taffy (1908)
30. You Can Tango, You Can Fox-Trot, But Be Sure and Hesitate (1914)


Awards: