Word on a Wing

In 1999 in "Sotrytellers" David said that years: 1975, 1976 (as well as second half of 1974 and first few weeks of 1977) was the darkest days of his life and this song was "signal of distress" and "calling for help".

To me, this is David's cry for spiritual help amidst the troubles of 1976 and his cocaine addiction and dabbling in obscure beliefs. He's basically said as much himself, not that he remembers much of this year.

The first time I heard this song, I fell in love with it. I see it as a dialogue between two people: a male atheist and the religious love-of-his-life. In my view, every pronoun is referring to the current speaker's significant other (hint: the lines "Just because I believe don't mean I don't think as well // Don't have to question everything in heaven or hell" and each stanza beginning "Lord, I kneel and offer you..." are voiced by the woman).

In his lover's goodly nature the man is able to forget all that can go awry in superstition. Having a particularly humanistic outlook on life, he can acknowledge the benefit religion can offer to those able to handle it responsibly, and feels empowered by the mutual temperance in their relationship ("Sweet name, you're born once again for me // And I'm ready to shape the scheme of things", etc.).

...or! the whole song could be a prayer--as WolfTickets and BowieOwnsAll posit--but I still prefer the romantic interpretation due to its uniquely personal relevance. Does anyone else feel this way? That David changes the affectation of his voice at key points seems to lend credence to my theory (granted, I know the wanker isn't known for vocal uniformity).

He actually says "just because I believe" not "Just because I don't believe"

It sounds very Christian on the surface, but he's bargaining with god like a partner. It's like he wants to believe he believes, which is actually quite familiar from a failing relationship too.

I've read in more than one place that Bowie offered this song to Elvis first, but that Elvis turned it down. This leads me to believe that it really is just a gospel song, Bowie-style.

That said, I don't think that lessens the power of the song. Can you imagine being a Ziggy Stardust fan and going to see Bowie as the Thin White Duke singing a gospel song? It's still iconoclastic. I love the "Just because I don't believe..." line, but more I love that he says "I don't stand in my own light". For someone as popular as Bowie (or especially Elvis), this would have been a really powerful statement.

Yes it's about talking to a higher power, does that mean it's about the Christian God? No, only in the eyes of sadly indoctrinated Americans.

This song is very beautiful, and one of my favorite Bowie songs. It seems like a desperate prayer in song-form. DB seems to be emerging from spiritual confusion, but still has some doubts. There are some definite Christian references here, such as, "Lord," "born-again," and "strange land." The song can send chills up and down your spine - in a good way :)

To me, this song is somewhat sarcastic towards religion. He says "in this age of grand illusion" to represent his true feelings, I think. The song appears to be a tribute to God, but as another person pointed out in the comments, David is not exactly humble in the song as one would be if they were really giving themselves to God. It also seems like he is trying to say all the things one is supposed to say and do all the things one is supposed to do to have faith, but it's all really tongue in cheek. I see the last part as a challenge, "Do I fit into your scheme of things?" If not, too bad, because I still care for myself. And the part about "Just because I believe doesn't mean I don't think," is an obvious contradiction and mockery of the blind faith position; if you believe in an illusion, are you really thinking?

I also always thought he said at the beginning, "I don't need another chain," referring more to a lover than to a God. And he says, "you walked into my life," which to me suggests a human being, since God wouldn't "walk." The "sweet name" is a lover, and maybe they've had a quarrel about faith at some point. However, the religion he's really converted to is love, not Christianity or another organized religion. So yeah, although that's a jumbled up (and possibly wrong) interpretation, when I heard the song I always thought it was about thinking you needed faith and finding love instead.

Oh yeah, and how has everyone missed, "It's safer than a strange land, but I still care for myself." Again, that's a loaded line. He's saying faith is safer than being on earth alone (which is the strange land), but at the same time he cares for himself too much to just recklessly throw his faith and belief into an illusion. And this is his "prayer," which intentionally challenges God's scheme of things. David has his own.

The prayer and the word on a wing, while they would initially suggest some hopes floating up to heaven in a fragile way, to me always represented the feeling of love and commitment. All you can give are these fragile words, on a wing, because you feel like you are flying so high above everything when you're in love. And getting down on one knee, to me that's a marriage more than an actual prayer. I could just be seeing what I want to see; that happens from time to time.

Just a very desperate yet simple prayer by a man discovering his faith. I think it worked.