Claim: Absolute Beginners featured music.

`` Absolute Beginners '' is a song written and recorded by David Bowie . It was the theme song to the 1986 film of the same name -LRB- itself an adaptation of the book Absolute Beginners -RRB- .   Although the film was not a commercial success , the song became one of Bowie 's most successful 1980s singles . It was released on 3 March 1986 and reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart . It also reached the top ten on the main singles charts in 12 other countries , his last song to accomplish that . It was less successful in the US , peaking at No. 53 on the Billboard Hot 100 . Bowie performed it live on his Glass Spider and 2000 tours .