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Lady Stardust Lyrics

People stared at the makeup on his face
Laughed at his long black hair, his animal grace
The boy in the bright blue jeans
Jumped up on the stage
And lady stardust sang his songs
Of darkness and disgrace

Chorus:
And he was alright the band was altogether
Yes he was alright the song went on forever:
And he was awful nice
Really quite out of sight
And he sang all night long

Femme fatales emerged from shadows
To watch this creature fair
Boys stood upon their chairs
To make their point of view
I smiled sadly for a love I could not obey
And Lady stardust sang his songs
Of darkness and dismay

Chorus:
And he was alright the band was altogether
Yes he was alright the song went on forever:
And he was awful nice
really quite paradise
And he sang all night long

Oh how I sighed when they asked if I knew his name

Chorus:
And he was alright the band was altogether
Yes he was alright the song went on forever:
And he was awful nice
really quite paradise
And he sang all night long
34 Meanings

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Cover art for Lady Stardust lyrics by David Bowie

i agree, it's about Marc. i've seen the narrator as being bowie/ziggy, making the Lady Stardust a kind of spiritual or metaphoric mate

@egotrippen Lady StarDust LSD. Divine feminine/masculine. Bowies music is so spiritual and I believe he is a Lyran starseed. A starman.

Cover art for Lady Stardust lyrics by David Bowie

I don't think this song is aobut Marc Bolan. It seems pretty autobiographical - Lady Stardust <i>is</i> Ziggy/Bowie. It refers to his dressing in drag/semi-drag.
<i>Oh how I sighed when they asked if I knew his name</i> and <i>I smiled sadly for a love I could not obey</i> is refering to him not being able to reveal that Lady Stardust is him and the character he developed.

@Chinup I couldn't agree more. Bowie said it's about Marc, but that may be indirection. I think it's clearly about Bowie.

Cover art for Lady Stardust lyrics by David Bowie

In terms of the ZS story, it isn't so much Ziggy himself playing, but Ziggy recognizing the impact he's had on young men starting in the music world.

Cover art for Lady Stardust lyrics by David Bowie

hmm, I'm willing to accept that this is about Marc Bolan, as he is gorgeousness multiplied, and definitely deserves the title of lady stardust. but i can't help this song also reminding me of lou reed (my other passion...) and the velvet underground, especially the 'femme fatales' part, and 'the band was all together'. and 'oh how i sighed, when they asked if i knew his name'... lou and david had a very close relationship, and bowie is pretty much responsible for getting lou into the mainstream. Love all three of them, anyways!

Cover art for Lady Stardust lyrics by David Bowie

I believe the line "Ooh, how I sighed when they asked if I knew his name!" to be a somewhat oblique nod to Peter's denial of Jesus in the Gospels - i.e. "Ooh, how I lied when they asked if I knew his name!".

Nicholas Pegg suggests that the line "I smiled sadly for a love I could not obey" is paraphasing Lord Alfred Douglas' quote "I am the love that dare not speak its name." - I think quoting a wider selection of the poem that line is from (Two Loves) sheds more light still on the song:

"[...]I fell a-weeping, and I cried, 'Sweet youth, Tell me why, sad and sighing, thou dost rove These pleasent realms? I pray thee speak me sooth What is thy name?' He said, 'My name is Love.' Then straight the first did turn himself to me And cried, 'He lieth, for his name is Shame, But I am Love, and I was wont to be Alone in this fair garden, till he came Unasked by night; I am true Love, I fill The hearts of boy and girl with mutual flame.' Then sighing, said the other, 'Have thy will, I am the love that dare not speak its name.' "

@petroleum Lady StarDust LSD. Divine feminine/masculine. Bowies music is so spiritual and I believe he is a Lyran starseed. A starman. yeshua, Syrian starseed, I believe.

Cover art for Lady Stardust lyrics by David Bowie

This was written about Marc Bolan, of T. Rex. Really lovely song.

Cover art for Lady Stardust lyrics by David Bowie

LOVE this song. The first line strikes me and holds me all the way through...amazing

Cover art for Lady Stardust lyrics by David Bowie

okay, it's about Marc Bolan. But i still think there's alot of Bowie in there...

Cover art for Lady Stardust lyrics by David Bowie

This song IS about Marc Bolan of T. Rex, a longtime friend and rival of Bowie. It was originally titled "A Song for Marc". Really beautiful stuff.

Cover art for Lady Stardust lyrics by David Bowie

As a part of the Ziggy concept, Ziggy first appears on stage to become a rock star, and Lady Stardust sings along. Mostly his first time on stage, though. Great song.

 
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