Wow. Some very well thought out ideas here and all very thought provoking. But while much of this analysis can help you in getting a better understanding both of how Bowie came to write Quicksand, as well as the many ideas he may have been thinking about, writing about and singing about during the time in which this song was created, there is one line in it that no one has yet mentioned and it's a line that is key for coming to an understanding: the "Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, ahhhhhh, ahhhh, ahhhhhhhhhh-ahh-ah-ahhhhhhhh" refrain after "knowledge comes with death's release". A wordless line in a song full of words. The words in Quicksand hint at many things, some nihilistic, some pessimistic, some optimistic. Did any of these or some combination of them ultimately win out Bowie's mind? Only the ahhh-ahhh-ahhhs can tell us. Penetrate to their depths and you will find Quicksand's meaning...if any such meaning exists.
Wow. Some very well thought out ideas here and all very thought provoking. But while much of this analysis can help you in getting a better understanding both of how Bowie came to write Quicksand, as well as the many ideas he may have been thinking about, writing about and singing about during the time in which this song was created, there is one line in it that no one has yet mentioned and it's a line that is key for coming to an understanding: the "Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, ahhhhhh, ahhhh, ahhhhhhhhhh-ahh-ah-ahhhhhhhh" refrain after "knowledge comes with death's release". A wordless line in a song full of words. The words in Quicksand hint at many things, some nihilistic, some pessimistic, some optimistic. Did any of these or some combination of them ultimately win out Bowie's mind? Only the ahhh-ahhh-ahhhs can tell us. Penetrate to their depths and you will find Quicksand's meaning...if any such meaning exists.