Bowie has stated several times that the song is an Edwardian-type nursery rhyme summation of his career (to that point). It was the 80s and he was looking back at his career/life.
The video:
The Joey outfit and the ballerina girl, harking back to his time in a Commedia DelArte mime troupe (Pierrot, Columbine).
Bowie says the digger truck was a symbol of advancing violence (love machine rumbles through desolation row)
Location was Beachy Head, an infamous suicide spot, a reference to Major Tom's suicide in Space Oddity
Padded Cell, a reference to his brother's time in a Hospital for the Mentally Ill
He wears Green Ziggy Stardust boots, again a reference to his past career.
Lyrics
"Do you remember a guy that's been in such an early song". Obviously a simple reference to Space Oddity.
"Pictures of Jap Girls in synthesis". Kabuki reference, the girls in Kabuki theatre are played by boys. Transformed with make up.
"Ain't got no money, ain't got no hair". Reference to the mid 70s. Skint after the Mainman fiasco even after selling lots of records. No hair - reference to Man Who Fell To Earth.
"Hoping to kick". Obviously a drug reference, he is trying to get off drugs that dominated his life in the 70s
"Funk to Funky". Young Americans/Station To Station era music reference; although he purposefully sings it "fun to funky"
"Hitting an all time Low". Reference to Low Album
"I'm stuck with a valuable friend". This is Major Tom. Makes him a lot of money (royalties); and hope by sticking with him for this song that he will remain valuable.
"Never did anything out of the blue". Bowie admitting his music is rather calculated rather than spontaneous.
"Want to come down right now". Another obvious drug reference
"My mamma said". Obviously, a reference to the Nursery Rhyme "My Mamma said" (same tune). Bowie (via his mother) considers that Major Tom is a bad influence, despite him being a valuable friend. Bowie is ending the 70s and to get things done, needs to leave the characters and music of the 70s behind.
I think it is quite obviously a looking back and wrapping up of the 70s - his characters, music, drugs etc
This is the most useful comment here, but you all seem a bit naive if you think this song is about leaving drugs behind, it's about TRYING to leave heroin behind "time after time...I'm stuck with a valuable friend" (heroin is expensive & is injected.) See further "prisoner of love" a decade later.
This is the most useful comment here, but you all seem a bit naive if you think this song is about leaving drugs behind, it's about TRYING to leave heroin behind "time after time...I'm stuck with a valuable friend" (heroin is expensive & is injected.) See further "prisoner of love" a decade later.
Bowie has stated several times that the song is an Edwardian-type nursery rhyme summation of his career (to that point). It was the 80s and he was looking back at his career/life.
The video: The Joey outfit and the ballerina girl, harking back to his time in a Commedia DelArte mime troupe (Pierrot, Columbine).
Bowie says the digger truck was a symbol of advancing violence (love machine rumbles through desolation row)
Location was Beachy Head, an infamous suicide spot, a reference to Major Tom's suicide in Space Oddity
Padded Cell, a reference to his brother's time in a Hospital for the Mentally Ill
He wears Green Ziggy Stardust boots, again a reference to his past career.
Lyrics "Do you remember a guy that's been in such an early song". Obviously a simple reference to Space Oddity.
"Pictures of Jap Girls in synthesis". Kabuki reference, the girls in Kabuki theatre are played by boys. Transformed with make up.
"Ain't got no money, ain't got no hair". Reference to the mid 70s. Skint after the Mainman fiasco even after selling lots of records. No hair - reference to Man Who Fell To Earth.
"Hoping to kick". Obviously a drug reference, he is trying to get off drugs that dominated his life in the 70s
"Funk to Funky". Young Americans/Station To Station era music reference; although he purposefully sings it "fun to funky"
"Hitting an all time Low". Reference to Low Album
"I'm stuck with a valuable friend". This is Major Tom. Makes him a lot of money (royalties); and hope by sticking with him for this song that he will remain valuable.
"Never did anything out of the blue". Bowie admitting his music is rather calculated rather than spontaneous.
"Want to come down right now". Another obvious drug reference
"My mamma said". Obviously, a reference to the Nursery Rhyme "My Mamma said" (same tune). Bowie (via his mother) considers that Major Tom is a bad influence, despite him being a valuable friend. Bowie is ending the 70s and to get things done, needs to leave the characters and music of the 70s behind.
I think it is quite obviously a looking back and wrapping up of the 70s - his characters, music, drugs etc
Down to T Mr Wellard! Time I got on with my life too methinks and give the 90s akick :)
Down to T Mr Wellard! Time I got on with my life too methinks and give the 90s akick :)
This is the most useful comment here, but you all seem a bit naive if you think this song is about leaving drugs behind, it's about TRYING to leave heroin behind "time after time...I'm stuck with a valuable friend" (heroin is expensive & is injected.) See further "prisoner of love" a decade later.
This is the most useful comment here, but you all seem a bit naive if you think this song is about leaving drugs behind, it's about TRYING to leave heroin behind "time after time...I'm stuck with a valuable friend" (heroin is expensive & is injected.) See further "prisoner of love" a decade later.
@wellard drug addicts or other addicts lose all their friends and family for their "valuable friend" the one that they cannot live without.
@wellard drug addicts or other addicts lose all their friends and family for their "valuable friend" the one that they cannot live without.