The song "All the Young Dudes" is performed by Mott the Hoople, though written by David Bowie. A dude is commonly used to refer to a younger man. In a 1973 interview with Rolling Stone, Bowie said that the news the young dudes were sharing was the same news as in his own song "Five Years," the destruction of the Earth in five years time.

"All the Young Dudes is a song about this news. It's no hymn to the youth, as people thought. It is completely the opposite."

Lou Reed, though not involved with the writing of the song, argued that the "news" in the lyrics is a pro-gay celebration, and the song was a gay anthem encouraging gay people to be proud of themselves.