In 1983, David Bowie wrote his favourite song, only for Nile Rodgers to ruin it
David Bowie said that creativity meant taking risks and moving beyond familiar ground, but the article argues that he began following musical trends in the 1980s. His commercially successful 1983 album *Let’s Dance* brought him frustration because its reception made him feel seen as a chart act rather than an innovator.
Bowie singled out “Ricochet” as a song he loved, but said Nile Rodgers’s arrangement gave it the wrong syncopation and an ungainly feel. He believed it should have flowed differently and wanted to perform it with the beat as he had intended. The article presents the song’s muted reception as an example of the tension between Bowie’s ambitions and the album’s commercial direction.
In short
- Bowie said “Ricochet” was one of his favourite songs on *Let’s Dance*.
- He felt Nile Rodgers’s rhythm did not match his intentions.
- The album’s success left Bowie frustrated about his creative direction.