This song is the funeral for Major Tom, but Bowie is able to be the one singing it. If he'd died young, it was pretty much guaranteed that we'd be hearing endless mournful songs about Major Tom from other artists other artists were already singing about Major Tom, after all.
Think of Peter Schilling. Bowie survived, however, and could end things on his own terms in his own way. So I really love this song. Not just because of the excellent music, but what it meant for Bowie as an artist. Things could have gone in a much, much worse direction for him but they didn't; this song is a reminder of that. It almost makes you proud of him.
No Replies Log in to reply. My Interpretation Surely this song is about the paradox of having made it and being on top and still feeling like crap and having the same negative self-image and even greater self-doubt as when he was nothing.
The self-image problem makes the jump to the drug abuse references easy. Think about how optimistic the music and the initial lyrics of Major Tom are. Sure, ours is a dystopian universe - the people who have the stage can't even change the world planet earth is blue and there is nothing I can do or really even save themselves by returning to earth Can you hear me Major Tom once they've made it out of the stratosphere superstardom, that is.
But, then to discover there is no such thing as happiness I am happy, hope you're happy too or love sordid details to follow only the shrieking of nothing our own inner voice which in Bowie's case was pretty low during much of the 70's.
That's how you get "Strung out in heaven's high" that is on top of the world "hitting an all time low" ironic, isn't it, dope addicted and suicidal for all that money and fame.
It is about celebrity culture and isolation. Messing with Major Tom sounds more like forgetting who you really are, and losing all happiness and sense of direction. Becoming overtaken by one's own ego. My Interpretation Bowie has stated several times that the song is an Edwardian-type nursery rhyme summation of his career to that point.
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. Kabuki reference, the girls in Kabuki theatre are played by boys. Transformed with make up.
Reference to the mid 70s. Skint after the Mainman fiasco even after selling lots of records. Obviously a drug reference, he is trying to get off drugs that dominated his life in the 70s "Funk to Funky".
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. Bowie admitting his music is rather calculated rather than spontaneous. 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 wellard on December 21, Link.
Down to T Mr Wellard! Time I got on with my life too methinks and give the 90s akick : smi2le on January 10, 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 See further "prisoner of love" a decade later.
General Comment I wonder if the line 'Oh no, not again' which no one's seemed to talk about is possibly a nod to Douglas Adams and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy or just coincidence? I'd like to think Bowie was referencing that great scene over Magrathea Lots of wheel shaped alien craft out there, so imagine a junkie astronaut who is used to seeing UFOs saying Oh no, not again.
It's bad enough being high in space, but being high and in danger is probably not a good thing. WillieNAZ on October 31, General Comment I think people read far too much into lyrics. The lyrics are about addiction. He made a good song out of the life experience because that is what the artist does. The medium is music and words. Sometimes, the words do not have to mean anything much except to sort of reflect the subject matter in a very loose way, perhaps just because some words sound good together and loosely relate to the subject matter of the song.
What is relevant is the interplay of melody, harmony, rhythm and word-play. Think 'The Owl and the Pussycat' or the 'Jabberwocky' People are always looking for meaning in their own lives You have to create your own meaning General Comment 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? I've believed for a long time, it was about drugs. Not necessarily heroin, but some type of drugs. General Comment 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. General Comment Akasha's right. Bowie has such an amazing voice. Artists - D. Bowie story-boarded the promo himself, drawing it shot by shot and dictating the editing process. Although it appears that two of the Blitz Kids bow at intervals, they were actually trying to pull their gowns away from the bulldozer in an effort to avoid them getting caught.
Contrary to popular belief, the elderly woman lecturing Bowie at the end of the clip was not his real mother. A bulldozer is still in action every autumn and winter there, moving shingle about brought from Rye Harbor to protect the sea wall defenses.
The video featured Bowie in the gaudy Pierrot costume that became the dominant visual representation of his Scary Monsters phase. I never done good things I never done good things I never done bad 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.
Ashes To Ashes. David Bowie's Songs. David Bowie News. David Bowie Performances. David Bowie album launch to be streamed live. The third instalment of Parlophone Records David Bowie box-sets pulls together his recordings from the late seventies and early eighties Cracked Actor album gets full release. David Bowie wins five awards at the 59th Grammys.
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