Rebel Rebel Lyrics
Doo doo doo-doo doo doo-doo doo
Doo doo doo-doo doo doo-doo doo
Doo doo doo-doo doo doo-doo doo
[Verse 1]
You've got your mother in a whirl
She's not sure if you're a boy or a girl
Hey, babe, your hair's alright
Hey, babe, let's go out tonight
You like me and I like it all
We like dancing and we look divine
You love bands when they're playing hard
You want more and you want it fast
[Pre-Chorus]
They put you down, they say I'm wrong
You tacky thing, you put them on
[Chorus]
Rebel Rebel, you've torn your dress
Rebel Rebel, your face is a mess
Rebel Rebel, how could they know?
Hot tramp, I love you so
{Bridge}
Don't ya?
Doo doo doo-doo doo doo-doo doo
You've got your mother in a whirl
'Cause she's not sure if you're a boy or a girl
Hey, babe, your hair's alright
Hey, babe, let's stay out tonight
You like me and I like it all
We like dancing and we look divine
You love bands when they're playing hard
You want more and you want it fast
[Pre-Chorus]
They put you down, they say I'm wrong
You tacky thing, you put them on
[Chorus]
Rebel Rebel, you've torn your dress
Rebel Rebel, your face is a mess
Rebel Rebel, how could they know?
Hot tramp, I love you so
[Bridge]
Don't ya?
Ooh!
Doo doo doo-doo doo doo-doo doo
Doo doo doo-doo doo doo-doo doo
Rebel Rebel, you've torn your dress
Rebel Rebel, your face is a mess
Rebel Rebel, how could they know?
Hot tramp, I love you so (don't ya?)
[Bridge]
[Outro]
You've torn your dress, your face is a mess
You can't get enough, but enough ain't the test
You've got your transmission and your live wire
You got your cue line and a handful of ludes
You wanna be there when they count up the dudes
And I love your dress
You're a juvenile success
Because your face is a mess
So how could they know?
I said, how could they know?
So what you wanna know?
Calamity's child, chi-chi, chi-chi
Where'd you wanna go?
What can I do for you? Looks like I've been there too
'Cause you've torn your dress
And your face is a mess
Ooh, your face is a mess
Ooh, ooh, so how could they know?
Ah, ah, how could they know?
Ah, ah
About
David Bowie’s 1974 single that did well in the UK (#5) but not in the US charts (#64). However, it became a huge concert favorite and a staple on classic rock stations. The song deals openly with Bowie’s uncertain sexuality, adding to the debate and his allure.
It is considered his last glam single from an album that signals his transformation into the “funk and soul” stage of his career,
Diamond Dogs.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
According to guitarist Alan Parker, Bowie conceived the main riff of the song as a way to get at another legendary artist:
He said, ‘I’ve got this riff and it’s a bit Rolling Stonesy – I just want to piss Mick off a bit.’ I spent about three-quarters of an hour to an hour with him working on the guitar riff – he had it almost there, but not quite.
We got it there, and he said, ‘Oh, we’d better do a middle…’ So he wrote something for the middle, put that in. Then he went off and sorted some lyrics. And that was us done.
- 2.Diamond Dogs
- 3.Sweet Thing
- 4.Candidate
- 6.Rebel Rebel
- 9.1984
- 10.Big Brother
