Lady Grinning Soul

"Lady Grinning Soul"
Song by David Bowie
from the album Aladdin Sane
Released19 April 1973 (1973-04-19)[a]
RecordedJanuary 1973
StudioTrident, London
GenreArt rock, glam rock
Length3:46
LabelRCA
Songwriter(s)David Bowie
Producer(s)Ken Scott, David Bowie

"Lady Grinning Soul" is a song by the English musician David Bowie, released on the album Aladdin Sane in 1973. It was a last-minute addition, replacing the "sax version" of "John, I'm Only Dancing" as the closing track.[1] The composer's first meeting with American soul singer Claudia Lennear in 1972 is often cited as the inspiration for the song.[5][6][7][8] In 2016, after Bowie's death, an interview with Lennear revealed that Bowie called her in 2014, and told her the song had been written about her.[9]

The style of the piece has been compared to a James Bond theme.[10][1][11] Pianist Mike Garson described his own performance as "about as romantic as it gets ... French with a little Franz Liszt thrown in there".[12] Rolling Stone's contemporary review called Bowie's singing "the album's most expansive and sincere vocal",[13] while author Nicholas Pegg considers the track "one of Bowie's most underrated recordings ... quite unlike anything else he has ever done".[7] Mojo magazine listed it as Bowie's 93rd best track in 2015.[14]

The track was used in the films The Runaways (2010) and Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel (2012).

  1. ^ a b c O'Leary 2015, chap. 6.
  2. ^ Cann 2010, p. 291.
  3. ^ "Aladdin Sane 45th anniversary silver vinyl due". David Bowie Official Website. 14 February 2018. Archived from the original on 16 February 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  4. ^ Clerc 2022, p. 159.
  5. ^ Carr & Murray 1981, p. 56.
  6. ^ Cann 2010, pp. 292–295.
  7. ^ a b Pegg 2016, p. 148.
  8. ^ Doggett 2012, p. 202.
  9. ^ "David Bowie's 'Lady Grinning Soul' Claudia Lennear of Pomona remembers her friend". Dailybulletin.com. 6 February 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  10. ^ Carr & Murray 1981, pp. 52–56.
  11. ^ Kris Needs (1983). Bowie: A Celebration: p. 29
  12. ^ David Buckley (1999). Strange Fascination – David Bowie: The Definitive Story: pp. 187–188
  13. ^ Ben Gerson (19 July 1973). "Aladdin Sane". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 5, 2010.
  14. ^ "David Bowie – The 100 Greatest Songs". Mojo. No. 255. February 2015. p. 54.


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