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St. Vincent Covers David BowieS ’Young Americans’ on *The Late Show With Stephen Colbert*
St. Vincent brought her cover of David Bowie’s ’Young Americans’ to The Late Show With Stephen Colbert this week – watch below.
The singer-songwriter – real name Annie Clark – appeared on the talk show on Wednesday night (December 17) as part of the program’s ‘Under The Covers’ series, playing the 1975 classic with flamboyant rock’n’roll swagger.
Clark first played the track during her set at Love Rocks at New York’s Beacon Theatre in March 2023 and this time around, she switched the iconic “Do you remember President Nixon” line, invoking Joe Biden in Nixon’s place.
In an interview ahead of the performance, Clark was asked for three artists that she would like to hear covering her own music, and she named erykah Badu, Doechii and The Slits.
Watch the footage of her performance here:
St. Vincent and David Bowie: A History of Influence
St. Vincent has frequently enough cited Bowie as a major influence on her work. In 2015, she spoke about how his aesthetic choices have impacted her saying: “He had a myriad of aesthetics and was constantly changing - but it was always rooted in music. If David Bowie wasn’t a great songwriter, none of us would be here today, sitting and talking about authenticity as a guise.”
The same year,she was gifted a guitar signed by Bowie by her then-girlfriend Cara Delevingne which she described as the “best gift ever in the entire world”,and she also incorporated elements of Bowie’s style into her own performances and visual presentation.
“Young Americans” – Context and Importance
“Young Americans” was released in 1975 as part of Bowie’s album of the same name. The song marked a stylistic shift for bowie, incorporating elements of soul and funk music. It was also notable for its lyrical commentary on American society and politics, specifically referencing President Richard Nixon.
| Song | Artist | Album | Year | Genre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Young Americans | David |