Listen to The Cure cover David Bowie’s ‘Young Americans’
There are few musicians as influential as David Bowie. The glam rock star enjoyed an incredibly successful career lasting over five decades and inspired countless musicians during that time. One such musician whom Bowie had a hold over was The Cure’s Robert Smith, who once paid tribute to Brixton’s finest by covering ‘Young Americans’.
More than simply influencing Smith, Bowie provided The Cure frontman with his gateway into the world of music. “Ziggy Stardust was the first vinyl album I ever bought,” he once revealed. “I always loved how he did things as much as what he did. I love that idea of being an outsider and creating characters.”
Much like Bowie, The Cure have grown a reputation for constantly changing and reinventing their sound. The goth godfathers have explored everything from psychedelia to nu-metal over the course of their career, occasionally paying tribute to their influences through cover versions and collaborations. Some of The Cure’s most beloved covers include a version of Joy Division’s ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ and ‘Foxy Lady’ by Jimi Hendrix. One of their lesser-known tributes, however, comes in the form of a cover of Bowie’s ‘Young Americans’.
Taken from the studio album of the same name, ‘Young Americans’ saw Bowie embrace the sound of R&B and soul music. Released in 1975, the single proved to be a huge hit, helping Bowie break through into the American market. A departure from his earlier work, ‘Young Americans’ is characterised by improvisation and experimentation. This clearly struck a chord with The Cure, who covered the track in the mid-1990s.
Featured on a variety of Cure compilations, including the sought-after bootleg A Thousand Virgins, the cover version stays fairly true to the original. The Cure’s version feels a little darker or moodier than the optimistic pseudo-soul of Bowie’s original, but the funky guitar tones and sax remain. Although the cover certainly does not eclipse the original, it provides a fitting tribute from Smith to the musician who first influenced him.
Robert Smith has made no effort to hide his love of Bowie, often talking in interviews about the impact that the man’s music had on him. Shortly after The Cure released their cover of ‘Young Americans’, Robert Smith and David Bowie got the opportunity to work together. Performing ‘Quicksand’ and ‘The Last Thing You Should Do’ at Bowie’s 50th birthday celebration at Madison Square Gardens, the pair made an unlikely yet fantastic partnership.
With The Cure still very active, with a long-awaited new album on the way, Bowie’s influence over Robert Smith and his band is clearly still present. Throughout their 13 studio albums of varying styles and genres, Bowie can certainly be heard within their signature sound. Smith’s love of the Brixton-born songwriter seemingly knows no bounds, and his 1990s cover of ‘Young Americans’ is a perfect example of this.
Stream the audio below.
