Quicksand

This song is one of the most intelligent and complex Bowie wrote.

First, I don't think it can be that easily be linked with a philosphy, neither existensialism or nihilism. It can't be seen as buddistic or occult neither, it's just a big mix of all of these theories and spiritualities.

First, for what is of the philosophies, it's important not to use only single words of the song out of their context. In this song, Bowie isn't denying the concept of God, or at least the concept of afterlife. "Knowledge comes with death release" he says, implying there's something after death. If there's knowledge coming after death, there's an afterlife. The use of the word "Bardo"(not Brigitte Bardot but the buddhist concept about the differents steps, called bardos, in afterlife) goes in this direction.

Yes, there's a lot of Nietzsche references in the song. First the "superman" can be linked to the Overman of the philosopher. And Bowie sings about "bullshit faith". But the song does not adhere to the thinkings of Nietzsche completely, but just uses it as interrogations, a kind of counter-part. "I'm tethered to the logic of Homo Sapien Can't take my eyes from the great salvation Of bullshit faith " The statement about bullshit faith is here balancing the previous sentence, where is obsessed by the great (religious) salvation.

So I'd say this song isn't about answer, but questions. Bowie cannot be linked to any of the thinkings he's quoting. I personally think he wrote this song during his own experiences about occult religions and questions on afterlife. On one hand, he seems to be willing to believe, but on the other hand, he's torn by his nihilist side. "I'm torn between the light and dark Where others see their targets Divine symmetry "

The song is all about questions without answers. And the worst things about mysteries is that the more you think about it, the more you want to find a defintive answer, which is impossible. So he's "Sinking in the quicksand of his thought" knowing that one day he'll know his there's or not an afterlife.

The day of his death.