There’s a John Lennon doco (Imagine) where a dedicated fan is stalking Lennon’s home and Lennon, the pacifist, discusses his “meaningful lyrics” with the young chap. It’s an excellent insight into how an artist puts some words together and a fan thinks that those words are meaningful to them alone.
Having said that, my main man David Bowie has written some lyrics that seem peculiarly significant to me. As a science nerd and skeptic, I guess it is just random and insignificant. As a witch I figure it is meaningful.
Life on Mars
From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads
Rule Britannia is out of bounds
Ibiza means nothing to me. But I did live in the Norfolk Broads while unable to be a citizen – despite being married to a pom.
Panic in Detroit
I asked for an autograph
jumped the silent cars that slept at traffic lights
The one time I met David Bowie, a Finnish girl and I rushed his limo (silent car) as it stopped at traffic lights. We asked for and got an autograph, a photo, and a handshake.
Having scored a trillion dollars
My current professional mission is a trillion dollar idea. Even amongst the delusional, not many people aim for a trillion.
Always Crashing The Same Car
As I pushed my foot down to the floor
I was going round and round the hotel garage
The second time I crashed a car, I was having a mental meltdown about a girl. I was in a 1969 Triumph, parked in a pub carpark (hotel garage). I pressed down fully on the accelerator and put the steering on full lock. Crashed into a van that was driving by. No-one hurt but it took a year to pay off the repairs. The first time I crashed a car was the girl of my angst’s mum’s car. Different cars, same girl. No crashes since, no longer a teenager.
Five Years
It’s about the end of the world. I spearheaded a global end-of-the-world movement. I think that qualifies.
Kendrick Lamar
My favourite album of 2015 was also Bowie’s, given that he grafted the same jazz onto his last songs.
Of course Bowie wrote a lot of songs, and most of them are meaningless in relation to my life. I don’t dance, I’m not a DJ or a starman, I’m not a duke or a gravedigger.
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