50 Years Ago Today, An Iconic 1975 Song Secretly Co-Written by a Beatle Changed Rock

On this day 50 years ago, an iconic song that was created thanks to an unusual musical collaboration involving a former member of The Beatles was first released. While that fact is largely forgotten, David Bowie's No. 1 hit "Fame" remains unforgettable, partially because it changed rock music.

John Lennon Co-Wrote David Bowie's 'Fame' and Performed on the Song

David Bowie's landmark album, "Young Americans," was released on March 7, 1975, 50 years ago as of today. It gave fans of the artist their first chance to hear his song "Fame." Back then, the fact that John Lennon co-wrote that track wasn't hidden since his name was listed in the liner notes. Today, however, the former Beatles member's involvement is practically a secret that only the most dedicated music fans remember.

A 2017 BBC article outlined the role that Lennon had in the creation of "Fame," which includes performing on the track. It states that Bowie invited Lennon to the studio, and the plan was for them to record a cover of The Beatles' song "Across the Universe." However, Bowie, Lennon, and a guitarist named Carlos Alomar began jamming instead, and that resulted in the writing of "Fame."

During the session for "Fame," Alomar brought the song's iconic riff, Lennon played acoustic guitar and provided backing vocals, most memorably exclaiming "Aim." For his part, Bowie wrote and sang the track's cynical lyrics. Ultimately, all three men played pivotal roles in the writing and recording of the still-beloved song.

How David Bowie's 'Fame' Changed Rock Music History

In music history, few artists have matched the longevity that David Bowie enjoyed. Since he was an icon for decades, it is easy to feel like he was always destined for that, but the singer easily could have faded away after his early-'70s breakthrough. After all, even though he became famous during his Ziggy Stardust era, he was never able to top the charts until one landmark track changed that forever

In 1975, "Fame" became Bowie's first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, holding the top spot for two weeks in September and charting for 21 weeks in total. The fact that Bowie earned that level of success cemented his status and gave him the clout that played a pivotal role in allowing him to continue reinventing himself for decades. That matters for reasons that go far beyond Bowie's own legacy.

A 2015 article on Billboard's website gave Bowie a distinction that any artist would be able to take immense pride in. It stated that he "influenced more musical genres than any other rock star." One way that the article backed that up was by pointing out that Bowie influenced the Parliament song “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker).” It also states that "Fame" has been sampled in several rap songs, and Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side.”

Between how "Fame" affected Bowie's career, how that allowed him to influence music, and how many artists have sampled it, the song's game-changing history is hard to deny.