Lyrics for Ashes to Ashes as interpreted by numb

Ashes to Ashes Lyrics
Do you remember a guy that's been
In such an early song
I've heard a rumour from Ground Control
Oh no, don't say it's true

They got a message from the Action Man
"I'm happy, hope you're happy too
I've loved all I've needed to love
Sordid details following"

The shrieking of nothing is killing
Just pictures of Jap girls in synthesis and I
Ain't got no money and I ain't got no hair
But I'm hoping to kick but the planet it's glowing

CHORUS
Ashes to ashes, funk to funky
We know Major Tom's a junkie
Strung out in heaven's high
Hitting an all-time low

Time and again I tell myself
I'll stay clean tonight
But the little green wheels are following me
Oh no, not again
I'm stuck with a valuable friend
"I'm happy, hope you're happy too"
One flash of light but no smoking pistol

I never done good things
I never done bad things
I never did anything out of the blue, woh-o-oh
Want an axe to break the ice
Wanna come down right now

CHORUS

REPEAT
My mother said to get things done
You'd better not mess with Major Tom

Interaction
Mail to a friend Send Lyrics to a Friend
Share on Facebook

Stumble It
Add to Del.icio.us Add to Del.icio.us




  • 79 Comments
  • Printer Friendly Lyrics
oldest first     Expand All
roger wilco
05-17-2002

Rated +1 
so, Mr. Bowie, are we led to believe that "Space Oddity" wasn't so much about an astronaut lost in space as it was about a heroin addict?

still an excellent song, tho!

Log in to reply
rainbow8711
05-22-2002

Rated 0 
sorry to be bitchy but DUH! none of Bowie's songs are superficial, sure space oddity SEEMED to be about a man going up in a spaceship and then getting lost....but if you actually analyse it, it's (fairly) obvious that it's about "major tom" getting hooked on drugs. eg: "for here am i floating in a tin can, far above the world, planet earth is blue and there's nothing i can do" -feeling helpless and detatched. "can u hear me major tom" - people trying to get thru to him, and finally: "tell my wife i love her very much"- this always used to make me cry when i thout it was about a man getting lost in space as i was always scared that would happen to me if i went space-travelling! now i know the real reason it's perhaps sadder, becuz people probably do feel like that, once you're gone it's impossible to come back.... snif.

Log in to reply
1 Reply
rainbow8711
05-22-2002

Rated +1 
sorry i know this page is supposed to be about ashes2ashes! so to avoid criticism i will comment on the above song, as i'm sure no-one really comes here to read about another song! erm, i think ashes2ashes is excellent, and sam mumba totally fucked it up when she sampled it in her song....except for that it's brilliant, only wish i'd heard it earlier, then maybe life wouldn't be so shite....well wishful thinking.

Log in to reply
mikes_konstantine
05-22-2002

Rated -1 
hey maddox86, even if you don't like the music, you don't have to be a bitch! i'm not a big bowie fan either, but it doesn't mean that hes a fag. only an asshole would say that.

Log in to reply
rainbow8711
05-22-2002

Rated -1 
piss off, if all you're going to use this site for is to criticise classic artists then what does that make you? i wont say it, cuz i'm not lowering myself to your level. i'll say you're an ignorant asshole and that's putting it nicely. go write some death music

Log in to reply
MattBG
05-22-2002

Rated 0 
hehe, my name's matt, stop argueing

Log in to reply
Aerobabe
05-22-2002

Rated 0 
here we got our maddox again. why can't u give an explanation then? that's the third time today! lol
ok...i must keep myself out of it lol agree with matt hi matt!

Log in to reply
roger wilco
05-22-2002

Rated 0 
rainbow8711: it was more a rhetorical question, but i appreciate the feedback.

Bowie had been known to pal around with the Warhol camp, particularly with Iggy Pop and Lou Reed. both musicians tended to be more straightforward about H than their contemporaries.

all three of them probably shared needles.

Log in to reply
roger wilco
05-22-2002

Rated 0 
christ, maddox86, a little starved for attention are we?

Log in to reply
roger wilco
05-22-2002

Rated 0 
christ, maddox86, a little starved for attention are we?

Log in to reply
vampiresshumane
06-02-2002

Rated 0 
I think this song is unbelievable. I never got over how he could go from sich a high note to a low note. Anyway, maddox86. you can go fuck yourself and believe me, you will always be judged so get used to it.

Log in to reply
jimmytheexploder
06-02-2002

Rated -1 
david bowie is the foundation of most musical influence, but he really is a homosexual... i think its good that he is able to express himself this this maddox guy obviously can't.

Log in to reply
global
06-06-2002

Rated 0 
the end of the song is the key, "My mother said to get things done
You'd better not mess with Major Tom". In other words don't mess
with heroin.

Log in to reply
Akasha
06-10-2002

Rated 0 
Bowie's actually bisexual...hence his marriage.

Log in to reply
eviL
06-19-2002

Rated 0 
Akasha's right. bowie IS married to the supermodel iman, after all. they kind of have a child . . .

and i really fail to see how someone's sexual orientation changes the way their music sounds.

ashes to ashes is a beautiful song, really. Bowie has such an amazing voice. his range is absolutley astonisting.

Log in to reply
BigPoppaChidog
07-09-2002

Rated 0 
Ashes to Ashes, Funk to Funky, We know Major Tom's a Junkie...does that mean Major Tom is strung out on smack? Not necessarily. There are many types of junkies, as Burroughs showed us in "Naked Lunch", and Bowie was a fan of Billy Burroughs. So, in the end, maybe Major Tom was just strung out on the beauty of space and how Earth looks from all the way up there. Makes sense when ya take into account, "I'm hoping to kick but the planet it glowing"

All in all, one of my favorite 80s era Bowie tunes, and I am an admitted Bowie junkie.

Log in to reply
Crush_Satans_Head
08-03-2002

Rated -1 
Maddox, I want to kick your teeth in. David Bowie is the greatest dinger in the world. Go to hell.

Log in to reply
georgy
08-06-2002

Rated -1 
great song, very atmospheric and innovative.
About Bowies sexuality, I've heard it mentioned that he did'nt shave until he was 28 and it was then that he, apparently, stopped experimenting with bisexuality. So maybe it was a testosterone thing. His voice noticably deepened too. He could never have sung the Ziggy album in the same key at 30.

Log in to reply
Koncorde
09-04-2002

Rated 0 
When you consider that Bowie himself went through an extended period of drug abuse from 1975 through to 80'ish during which he nearly died on several occasions (allegedly, but it is well recorded in several autobiographies about the extents of his abuse) it makes sense that where Space Oddity referred to the "spirit of youth" seeking to escape the grasps of a society that wasn't its own (thereby feeling isolated) Ashes to Ashes is rather a personal reference to him getting over his problem and moving on - burning and burying that portion of his life.

Oh, and his vocal range never changed - he just started to sing lower songs as that is what was fashionable or suitable (the Thin White Duke period simply didn't require that vocal style as he bid to reinvent himself once again). However in the past 15 years or so its noticeable lowered due to his still rabid smoking and they have had to alter the key of his songs, but he still pumps out the entire Scary Monsters Album with great force.

Log in to reply
booberch
09-09-2002

Rated 0 
People like maddox86 just seek attention and like to cause a reaction. He's probably a 100pound, bespectacled, hairy palmed, spotty little virgin aged 17 and a half. He's "The man behind the curtain.." (W.O.OZ)
As for Bowie? This song is so unique, ethereal & complete.

Log in to reply
agnamaracs
09-25-2002

Rated 0 
in the line "in such an early song," he sounds like he's actually singing "in such another song."

the question is: what is all that talking in the background of the "the shrieking of nothing" part? it's creepy. bowie is creepy.

this is probably my favorite bowie song. i love it.

Log in to reply
coldinhere
03-29-2003

Rated 0 
This song is awesome. I'm a big Bowie fan. I liked the A Perfect Circle cover, but it'd be amazing if they did a studio version.

Log in to reply
Dead
03-29-2003

Rated 0 
Did anybody saw the video for this song? It got old and ugly special FX but, in some way, it's spooky. I don't know why but Bowie allways could scare me since I was a boy and I saw him for first time in the movie "Laberynth".

Log in to reply
aphekqs
05-08-2003

Rated 0 
Haha, maddox, you funny little shit, you.

"Ashes to Ashes" is a beautiful and haunting song reminiscing on Bowie's past battles with drug abuse. Love it!

Log in to reply
Kaguth
06-09-2003

Rated 0 
I agree with Koncorde on this one. Bowie is not explaining Space Oddity in this song. People got the junkie connection when that song first came out. That's why he says "we know major toms a junkie". That line is supposed to be coming from people who think they know what space oddity is all about. In this song he saying, Major time isn't a junkie, he's me. Or something like that.
By the way, everyone should report maddox on the report abuse option at the bottom of the screen. Get maddox kicked off!

Log in to reply




  • Add Your Comments
What does this song mean to you?

You must be logged in to post your comments.

Feel free to create an account with us, or log in with your existing account, to start adding your comments to songs.





Popular
Top:   Lyrics, Artists, Albums
Random:   Lyric, Artist, Album

Your Ad Here