Sorry, but you have totally missed the boat here. Bowie often spoke of how Americans loved to try and read into his lyrics, almost always getting them wrong. He often wrote straight forward, as in this song, but the masses tried to anylize it far too much. If you truly listen to 'quicksand', it is Adolph Hitler himself, as the narrator. The Crowley, Himmler, Garbo (the spy), living proof of Churchills lies (Hitler himself was that living proof). All of these were things Hitler was heavily into, and he is mourning the fact that he is about to enter the ragged 'hole' (the bunker), where he begins to sink in the quicksand of his thoughts, and he 'aint' got the 'power' anymore.
He realizes now that he had the potential of a superman, but is just a mortal. He began life as a follower of God, but turned on faith in God, for the occult. He wonders if he should taste the vipers fang (poison) of shoot himself. Bowie was fascinated with Hitler, and this is his take on the sadness and resolve he felt in his last moments in the bunker.
Exactly right, except I feel he steps out of narrative for the chorus, "Don't believe in yourself, Don't deceive with belief, Knowledge comes With death's release". Hitler is a warning to not believe so strongly in yourself and I don't think he would be so zen like, instead he spent his time deceiving with the belief that he's helping out his fellow man.
Exactly right, except I feel he steps out of narrative for the chorus, "Don't believe in yourself, Don't deceive with belief, Knowledge comes With death's release". Hitler is a warning to not believe so strongly in yourself and I don't think he would be so zen like, instead he spent his time deceiving with the belief that he's helping out his fellow man.
After watching "Century of the Self" the section on Nazis reminded me of this song, since it's such a zen like message of not taking yourself too seriously and the mistakes the Nazis made.
I'm living in a silent film
Portraying
Himmler's sacred realm
Of dream reality
Also, re your point about misreading bowie - bowie almost always sings from someone elses point of view but the common way to read lyrics is the singer singing as the singer. Bowie always played characters, which is confusing because his characters were still deeply personal (like singing as an alien landing on earth but as a metaphor for alienation), but still not "Bowie the person".
Also, re your point about misreading bowie - bowie almost always sings from someone elses point of view but the common way to read lyrics is the singer singing as the singer. Bowie always played characters, which is confusing because his characters were still deeply personal (like singing as an alien landing on earth but as a metaphor for alienation), but still not "Bowie the person".
Who know's what goes through a genius' mind. :)
I've never really read into many of his songs however you're Hitler theory is a good one. With regard to the chorus, if this is a Hitler story, could be a reference to immanentizing the eschaton which Hitler was trying to achieve in the Illuminatus Trilogy - essentially trying to bring about judgement day and his transcendental illumination.
"Don't believe in yourself (the Golden Dawn) don't deceive with belief (the Church),
Knowledge comes (illumination) with deaths release (mass killing)"
Who know's what goes through a genius' mind. :)
I've never really read into many of his songs however you're Hitler theory is a good one. With regard to the chorus, if this is a Hitler story, could be a reference to immanentizing the eschaton which Hitler was trying to achieve in the Illuminatus Trilogy - essentially trying to bring about judgement day and his transcendental illumination.
"Don't believe in yourself (the Golden Dawn) don't deceive with belief (the Church),
Knowledge comes (illumination) with deaths release (mass killing)"
"Mortal with potential of a superman"? Master race = superman.
Sorry, but you have totally missed the boat here. Bowie often spoke of how Americans loved to try and read into his lyrics, almost always getting them wrong. He often wrote straight forward, as in this song, but the masses tried to anylize it far too much. If you truly listen to 'quicksand', it is Adolph Hitler himself, as the narrator. The Crowley, Himmler, Garbo (the spy), living proof of Churchills lies (Hitler himself was that living proof). All of these were things Hitler was heavily into, and he is mourning the fact that he is about to enter the ragged 'hole' (the bunker), where he begins to sink in the quicksand of his thoughts, and he 'aint' got the 'power' anymore.
He realizes now that he had the potential of a superman, but is just a mortal. He began life as a follower of God, but turned on faith in God, for the occult. He wonders if he should taste the vipers fang (poison) of shoot himself. Bowie was fascinated with Hitler, and this is his take on the sadness and resolve he felt in his last moments in the bunker.
Exactly right, except I feel he steps out of narrative for the chorus, "Don't believe in yourself, Don't deceive with belief, Knowledge comes With death's release". Hitler is a warning to not believe so strongly in yourself and I don't think he would be so zen like, instead he spent his time deceiving with the belief that he's helping out his fellow man.
Exactly right, except I feel he steps out of narrative for the chorus, "Don't believe in yourself, Don't deceive with belief, Knowledge comes With death's release". Hitler is a warning to not believe so strongly in yourself and I don't think he would be so zen like, instead he spent his time deceiving with the belief that he's helping out his fellow man.
After watching "Century of the Self" the section on Nazis reminded me of this song, since it's such a zen like message of not taking yourself too seriously and the mistakes the Nazis made.
I'm living in a silent film Portraying Himmler's sacred realm Of dream reality
Great stuff :)
Also, re your point about misreading bowie - bowie almost always sings from someone elses point of view but the common way to read lyrics is the singer singing as the singer. Bowie always played characters, which is confusing because his characters were still deeply personal (like singing as an alien landing on earth but as a metaphor for alienation), but still not "Bowie the person".
Also, re your point about misreading bowie - bowie almost always sings from someone elses point of view but the common way to read lyrics is the singer singing as the singer. Bowie always played characters, which is confusing because his characters were still deeply personal (like singing as an alien landing on earth but as a metaphor for alienation), but still not "Bowie the person".
Who know's what goes through a genius' mind. :) I've never really read into many of his songs however you're Hitler theory is a good one. With regard to the chorus, if this is a Hitler story, could be a reference to immanentizing the eschaton which Hitler was trying to achieve in the Illuminatus Trilogy - essentially trying to bring about judgement day and his transcendental illumination. "Don't believe in yourself (the Golden Dawn) don't deceive with belief (the Church), Knowledge comes (illumination) with deaths release (mass killing)"
Who know's what goes through a genius' mind. :) I've never really read into many of his songs however you're Hitler theory is a good one. With regard to the chorus, if this is a Hitler story, could be a reference to immanentizing the eschaton which Hitler was trying to achieve in the Illuminatus Trilogy - essentially trying to bring about judgement day and his transcendental illumination. "Don't believe in yourself (the Golden Dawn) don't deceive with belief (the Church), Knowledge comes (illumination) with deaths release (mass killing)"
"Mortal with potential of a superman"? Master race = superman.
I reckon Bowie read the Illuminatus Trilogy.
THANK you, Exiled! It all comes together for me now.
THANK you, Exiled! It all comes together for me now.