1973 Rock Classic, Written About a Mysterious Muse, Became One of the Most Sensual Ballads

It’s not uncommon for rock stars to draw inspiration from a captivating muse, and David Bowie‘s “Lady Grinning Soul” is no exception, which was reportedly inspired by a soul singer.

By the early 1970s, Bowie was already making waves and paving his way in the rock genre when he released “Lady Grinning Soul.” It was released as part of his album Aladdin Sane and was a last-minute addition. Many have called it the James Bond theme that could have been, with its romantic sound and sexy delivery having made it perfect for the 007 spy. The track had even been considered one of Bowie’s underrated gems.

“Mike Garson’s piano opens with the most ridiculous and spot-on re-creation of a 19th Century music hall ‘exotic’ number. I can see now the ‘poses plastiques’ as if through a smoke-filled bar. Fans, castanets and lots of Spanish black lace and little else. Sexy, mmm? And for you, Madam?” said Bowie in an interview with the Mail on Sunday in 2008.

The track never entered the charts and was released as B-side singles to two other songs, “Rebel Rebel” and “Let’s Spend the Night Together.” What caught attention about the track is its supposed inspiration. According to reports, “Lady Grinning Soul” was about American soul singer Claudia Lennear after Bowie met her at a party in 1972.

There were never any accurate or proven facts on whether the two had any romantic relationship beyond being acquaintances. Bowie had kept the truth about the track a well-kept secret, but he once admitted the song “was written for a wonderful young girl whom I’ve not seen for more than 30 years. When I hear this song she’s still in her 20s, of course.”

According to the Daily Bulletin, Lennear called themselves “unlikely friends” who shared a love for R&B music. She even revealed that “nobody else said ‘Cloodia.’ I never liked my name. When he said it, I liked it.” Before Bowie died in 2014, she claimed that Bowie had called her to confirm “Lady Grinning Soul” was about her.

The reports of Lennear being the inspiration don’t appear far-fetched, as she had risen through the ranks in the music industry after getting her start as a backup singer. Not to mention that it’s famously reported that Mick Jagger wrote the Rolling Stones track “Brown Sugar” about Lennear.

In the documentary 20 Feet From Stardom, Jagger confirmed she was the “really hot one of the Ikettes.” The two would end up having a brief romance that “was an on-off thing because of our different schedules.” Lennear recalls Jagger’s on-stage persona having been quite different to the quiet, well-mannered man he was in private.

Related: 1978 Rock Ballad, Written as an Apology to a Bandmate, Remains a Classic Soft Rock Anthem