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Songfacts:  You can leave comments about the song at the bottom of the page.

This song is about a boy who rebels against his parents by wearing makeup and tacky women's clothes. It was a defining song of the "Glam Rock" era. Characterized by feminine clothes and outrageous stage shows, Glam was big in England in the early '70s. Bowie had the most mainstream success of the Glam Rockers.

Three years before this was released, Bowie admitted he was bisexual. The announcement seemed to help his career, as he gained more fans and wrote more adventurous songs.

In 1972, Bowie produced "Walk On The Wild Side" for Lou Reed, another song about a transvestite.

This was Bowie's last hit featuring Mick Ronson on guitar. Ronson recorded with Bowie from 1971-1974 before going solo. He died in 1993.

An alternate version appears on Bowie's compilation album Sound And Vision. On that version, Bowie plays all the instruments.

The Diamond Dogs tour was an enormous production. It featured moving bridges, catapults, and a huge diamond that Bowie emerged from.

The album cover was painted by Dutch artist Guy Peellaert. It shows Bowie as a dog in front of a banner that says "The Strangest Living Curiosities." The cover caused some controversy because the Bowie dog had clearly not been neutered. An alternate cover was released with the appendages airbrushed out.

Mick Jagger had shown Bowie artwork that Peellaert had done for the not yet released Rolling Stones album It's Only Rock And Roll. Bowie quickly got a hold of Peelaert and had him design the cover for Diamond Dogs, which was unleashed to the public prior to the album by the The Rolling Stones. Mick Jagger was none too happy about this. David Bowie has this to say about the incident: "Mick was silly. I mean, he should never have shown me anything new. I went over to his house and he had all these Guy Peellaert pictures around and said, 'What do you think of this guy?' I told him I thought he was incredible. So I immediately phoned him up. Mick's learned now, as I've said. He will never do that again. You've got to be a bastard in this business." (thanks, Willy - Vallejo, DC and Daniel - The North West, England)

This was covered in Portuguese by Seu Jorge for the soundtrack of the 2004 film The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou. (thanks, Bertrand - Paris, France)

Comments:

I do believe this song was written during the Ziggy Stardust sessions but was cut from the album because it didn't fit the concept. Bowie plays a very truncated version of "Rebel Rebel" on the "Storytellers" CD/DVD, which is a shame, but the story about is early days chumming about with Marc Bolan is a gem.
- Paul, Rothesay, NB, Canada

Guy Pellaert is actually a Belgian artist. He made a lot of images of rock stars in his compelling book 'Rock Dreams'.
- Reuben, Amsterdam, Netherlands

I LOVE the guitar at the begining of this song that sets the whole rebelious mood for the song. I love the lyrics, very free spirited song
- Allie, Pine Knob, MI

It's the guitar riff and the music that make this song a standard. The gender bending is far out when you're twenty, youth is extravagant, after all. But maybe not this generation methinks.
- kenny, clydebank, Scotland

love this song, really do, i love a lot of songs, and this is one of them. one thing tho, "Walk On The Wild Side" by Lou Reed was a song about tansvestites, not only one.
- Lila, San Diego, CA

I agree with Nessie (Sapporo, Japan)! And this song does have a great riff.
- Kayla, Bloomington, IN

Ok did anyone read 1984? Diamond Dogs was based on the book and this song depicts Julia in 1984. Julia is a member of the anti-sex league "Doesnt know if you're a boy or a girl" and at one part state who she wants ato get a dress, which is a forbidden object "rebel, rebel, put on your dress" its about Winston and Julia being rebelious towards the party and Big Brother. That aside; this song ROCKS!
- Jess, Cape Town, South Africa

Though i havn't heard the diamond dogs/1984 theory before and so have no evidence to say anything about the album as a whole, i can definatly say that it seems a bit of a stretch to apply it to julia in 1984, who doesn't even rebel so much as to wear a dress if i recall correctly. This song makes me want to crossdress immediatly!
- Joe, Notttingham, England

First time I heard this song was in a Ross'. Mom got very irritated when I kept singing the hook over and over again in the car.
- VooDooCat, Zimbabwe, United States

I'd read somewhere that this song was based on the novel 1984 by George Orwell. In it, having relationships and sex for fun was illegal. The main character, Winston, meets a girl called Julia, who sleeps around, wears sexy clothes and generally rebels. Julia is the hot tramp in the song, er, so I've heard!
- Paul, Derry, Ireland

surely the filthiest guitar riff in musical history?
- andy, london, England

for like EVER i thought the line 'you tore your dress' was 'antonio banderes'...oops how embarrassing!
- MeL, SoutH AustraliA, Australia

Seu Jorge plays this on the acoustic guitar in the life aquatic, it sounds great
- Tom, St. Louis, MO

It is a great guitar riff, but the rest of the arrangement is also very cool, the bass line and the unusual drum part, hitting the snare on every beat instead of the usual rock backbeat. A very groovy song.
- Dennis, Anchorage, AK

does have a sweet guitar part. that's AWESOME. I like this song
- Steve, Midland, MI

This song has THE BEST backing guitar of all time. I love, love, love this song..
- Rachel, South Point, OH

Is :Arnold Lane" a good song. I've never heard it. I love Pink Floyd though.
- Stefanie, Rock Hill, SC

The Pink Floyd song Arnold Layne is also about a cross dresser.
- Alex, Fort Mill, SC

This song is funny!! I love it, and the riff is pretty cool too.
- Stefanie, Rock Hill, SC

The riff rocks. Hell, this song rocks. Doo doo do DOOT DOOT do doo doo!
- John, Monvtille, NJ

Rick Derringer covered this song, it came out on a radio-only promo called "Live in Cleveland" back in the 70's.
- Jeff, San Jose, CA

Greatest Guitar Riff ever! just beats out satisfaction and sweet child o mine. didnt no what it was about but still like it. i thot it was about a rebel who acts punk by ripping her dress.
- Andy, Tualatin, OR

Tedious guitar riff but it was good. Classic glam but it was good. To think that George Orwell's 1984 inspired such an album, Diamond Dogs. Close enough for rock and roll...
- Brian, Meriden, CT

Why would Jagger hate Bowie, if he "stole" the cover design in 1974, and they collaborated on the song Dancing on the Street in the 80's?
- Nathan, Defiance, OH

Bowie ,originally, approached Norman Rockwell to paint the album cover of "D...Dogs". Rockwell declined. Mick Jagger showed Bowie some paintings by Guy P. And as usual Bowie "stole" the idea and the artist and utilized him first.....Supposedly Jagger hates Bowie for it and will no longer share his ideas with him (to this day).
- Jason, Dallas, TX

The second most tedious riff in rock, after the Stones' "Satisfaction."
- Nessie, Sapporo, Japan

I can't beleive someone could make such a sweet song about a cross dresser, but if anyone could do it, its has to be Bowie.
- Jorge, Illinois, IL

I first heard it as being about a girl who doesn't act like a lady. I think it works both ways - a boy who wears a dress or a girl who would get hers ripped, a boy who wears makeup or a girl who doesn't. Note that the rebel's gender is never actually stated; it could be about either defying traditional gender roles. That's my take, anyway. And yeah, I can see how Bowie would be embarrassed about the song later on, but it's still great.
- Ana, Louisville, KY

Seu Jorge did a cover recently on The LIfe Aquatic soundtrack
- Charlotte, Seattle, WA

Apparantly the Bay City Rollers did a cover version - thankfully I've not heard - a bit like Blue covering Radiohead!!
- Paul, Teddington

Bowie: 'Rebel, Rebel' is just for me the funniest song. I can't, I just can't conceive how I wrote that now. I mean, I really must have felt that at the time but... Hot tramp, I love you so, don't give me grief. I mean it's really -- it's so flippant."
- Paige, Sheffield, England

love this song, but didnt know thats what it was about...
- Shana, Pembroke, Canada

Joan Jett did a cover of this song
- Nora, richfield, MN