This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Do you remember a guy that's been
In such an early song?
I've heard a rumor from Ground Control
Oh no, don't say it's true
They got a message from the Action Man
"I'm happy, hope you're happy too
I've loved all I've needed, love
Sordid details following"
The shrieking of nothing is killing, just
Pictures of Jap girls in synthesis and I
Ain't got no money and I ain't got no hair
But I'm hoping to kick but the planet it's glowing
Ashes to ashes, funk to funky
We know Major Tom's a junkie
Strung out in heaven's high
Hitting an all-time low
Time and again I tell myself
I'll stay clean tonight
But the little green wheels are following me
Oh no, not again
I'm stuck with a valuable friend
"I'm happy, hope you're happy too"
One flash of light but no smoking pistol
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, funk to funky
We know Major Tom's a junkie
Strung out in heaven's high
Hitting an all-time low
My mother said, to get things done
You'd better not mess with Major Tom
My mother said, to get things done
You'd better not mess with Major Tom
My mother said, to get things done
You'd better not mess with Major Tom
My mother said, to get things done
You'd better not mess with Major Tom
In such an early song?
I've heard a rumor from Ground Control
Oh no, don't say it's true
They got a message from the Action Man
"I'm happy, hope you're happy too
I've loved all I've needed, love
Sordid details following"
The shrieking of nothing is killing, just
Pictures of Jap girls in synthesis and I
Ain't got no money and I ain't got no hair
But I'm hoping to kick but the planet it's glowing
Ashes to ashes, funk to funky
We know Major Tom's a junkie
Strung out in heaven's high
Hitting an all-time low
Time and again I tell myself
I'll stay clean tonight
But the little green wheels are following me
Oh no, not again
I'm stuck with a valuable friend
"I'm happy, hope you're happy too"
One flash of light but no smoking pistol
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, funk to funky
We know Major Tom's a junkie
Strung out in heaven's high
Hitting an all-time low
My mother said, to get things done
You'd better not mess with Major Tom
My mother said, to get things done
You'd better not mess with Major Tom
My mother said, to get things done
You'd better not mess with Major Tom
My mother said, to get things done
You'd better not mess with Major Tom
Lyrics submitted by numb, edited by demosthenes2
Ashes To Ashes Lyrics as written by David Bowie
Lyrics © Royalty Network, O/B/O DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
This song is usually taken for David kicking his drug habit and moving on to the 1980's, but it is more than that! Yes, more! There are some strange lyrics within the lyrics that reveal some of David's biography. For starters, this song is named Ashes to Ashes. Where does that come from? The Bible. The line in the Bible is about death obviously. The Bible verse, "For then the dust will return to the earth,...". But who is returning? Is it David or Major Tom? Major Tom is David's stand in for his many bisexual flings he had in the 1970's. David and Iggy Pop, Lou Reed and Mick Ronson were many of David's bisexual adventures. Analyze the name...and it becomes interesting. What is Major Tom? A "Tom" is a male cat that goes out looking for bodies. A Major Tom = Major Cat. This is David's way of saying he was looking for bisexual men for him to get high with and have men on men sex. Then the key ending lyrics brings it all home: "My mother said to get things done You'd better not mess with major tom"
David's mother wants him to stick to women, but the drugs have caused David's homosexuality to awaken. It forces him to seek out men and dress up as women. David use to dye his hair red, wear lipstick and wear a dress to pick up men. This song was a way for him to admit to it and put it behind him. Notice also how in the 1980's David became more masculine. He wore suits again and became more manly.
so this is a song about going straight?<br /> <br /> I've never heard anything so ridiculous, considering in the eighties Bowie looked as camp as he ever did in the 70s (serious moonlight Bowie, manly, Screaming Lord Byron, manly? Bowie at the Brits in black stilettoes? are you sure???)<br /> <br /> Ashes To Ashes is a line from the bible, of course, it is used at funerals, and the song is a funeral. The funeral procession is there, the semi-religious figures, the pyre.<br /> <br /> Whose funeral? Well obviously Major Tom's but that is not the real-point. The real point is that it is the funeral of the 70s. Every single line in the song references the 70s (and the late 60s in the case of Space Oddity references).<br /> <br /> I think your prurience is interesting, and indeed Bowie has written many overtly homosexual songs throughout his career (from the 60s right up to the 00s). Indeed, his greatest songs have been about homosexuality (Moonage Daydream, Width Of A Circle, Bewlay Brothers) but this is not an overtly homosexual song.<br /> <br /> As I have said earlier, the meaning of the song, to anybody who has listened to his music of the 70s, is obvious. It is about the 70s, it is about his experienes in the 70s and his music of the 70s. And it is a song of the 80s. So it is a funeral.<br /> <br /> Simple as that. I don't think Bowie has written a more direct and autobiographic lyric - he has said so much himself. It's one of the few Bowie lyrics that is not cryptic and does not need too much analysing.
Yeah, I'm not sure anyone has sex with dudes voluntarily, for a long period of time, because 'drugs mad them do it'. (From experience.) I always like to read it as a farewell to his old singing voice (though I know I'm likely wrong) - it starts in that laboured falsetto and then gradually drops into the beautiful growl of "My mama said..." etc.<br /> <br /> @wellard - Couldn't agree more except that, IMO, Bewlay Brothers is very tempting to read as about his brother (a severe schizophrenic) - "He's chameleon, Corinthian, comedian and caricature" etc.