I don't want knowledge
I want certainty
I don't want knowledge
I want certainty
I don't want knowledge
I want certainty

In the street a man shouts out loud
A wallet drops and money flies
Into the midday sun
With the sound, with the sound
With the sound of the ground
With the sound, with the sound
With the sound of the ground
With the sound, with the sound
With the sound of the ground

Oh I get a little bit
Afraid sometimes
Earthlings on fire
Earthlings on fire

With the sound, with the sound
With the sound of the ground
With the sound, with the sound
With the sound of the ground
With the sound, with the sound
With the sound of the ground

Sure I get a little bit
Afraid sometimes

Earthlings on fire
Earthlings on fire
Earthlings on fire
Earthlings on fire

I don't want knowledge
I want certainty
I don't want knowledge
I want certainty

In a house a man drops dead
As he hits the floor he sighs
What a morning

With the sound, with the sound
With the sound of the ground
With the sound, with the sound
With the sound of the ground
With the sound, with the sound
With the sound of the ground

With the sound, with the sound
With the sound of the ground
With the sound, with the sound
With the sound of the ground
With the sound, with the sound
With the sound of the ground

Sometimes earthlings on fire
I don't want knowledge
I want certainty
Oh I get a little bit
Afraid sometimes
I don't want knowledge
I want certainty
I don't want knowledge
I want certainty
Oh I get a little bit
Afraid sometimes


Lyrics submitted by saturnine

Law (Earthlings on Fire) Lyrics as written by Reeves C. Gabrels David Bowie

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Law (Earthlings on Fire) song meanings
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  • +1
    General Comment

    The second verse: In a house a man drops dead, As he hits the floor he sighs, "What a morning" is an obscure reference to author Samuel Beckett's father. According to Beckett, his father got up one morning, put on his dressing gown, then collapsed to the ground with a massive stroke, and died. His final words were "What a morning".

    Law (Earthlings On Fire) was first played to an audience as a curtain-raiser at the Bowie's 50'th Birthday Benefit concert.

    In an interview on Israeli radio, Bowie made reference to English philosopher Bertrand Russell who first noted that people don't want knowledge, they want certainty. Bowie said "..was so true when I was young but now I'm quite happy to say I don't accept certainty but I still want the knowledge".

    Thanks to teenagewildlife.com for the info.

    Also, I found one day, while watching an episode of King Of The Hill (Bobby Hill was becoming a model for a fat boys line of clothing... hilarious), and the begining of Law (Earthlings On Fire) came on as Bobby entered the fashion show. Just a little bit of wierd info.

    sickofyourfaceon October 25, 2004   Link

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