Blackstar

For various reasons, this song struck a chord with me bigtime. Upon seing the video, an even bigger one. For related reasons, I feel particularly apt to draw interpretations. Why? Please just bear with me.

Link to the video, which I refer to, and another interesting link:

youtube.com/watch genius.com/David-bowie-blackstar-lyrics

First off, I think we can expect most of the lines in this song to have multiple connotations. I deem my analysis to be accurate, but not complete. The people posting before me have mentioned organised religion and death. To me this is very one-dimensional. As we are about to see, the song is both more down-to-earth and esoteric than that.

"In the villa of Ormen, in the villa of Ormen Stands a solitary candle, ah-ah, ah-ah In the centre of it all, in the centre of it all Your eyes" A 1) A candle can obviously be phallic 2) The candle in the video resembles a scrotum 3) Center of it all, the phallus is, in terms of height at the center of a mans body. 4) The stereotype is that men tend to think/see with their penis/balls. Hence "your eyes". Bowie is as much a visual artist as a lyrical one ("Dont you wonder somethimes, about sound and vision?" c.f Sound and Vision from "Low"). Here, in the video, Bowie is disfigured (blind) and hence castrated. ​ B 1) Ormen = "the snake" in nordic languages such as my native swedish. Yes, it's THE snake, orm is snake. Aside from being yet another phallic cue, this places the song in a phantasmatic and long gone european setting. Considering, however, the raids conducted by Norse people both directly and indirectly via Normany ~1000 years ago, this is basically a large part of Bowies heritage (he does look very nordic). 2) I don't quite know what to make of this other than Bowie wanting a mystical connection that isn't your usual egyptian/abrahamic/vedic one. It needed to be closer to home.

"On the day of execution, on the day of execution Only women kneel and smile, ah-ah, ah-ah At the centre of it all, at the centre of it all Your eyes, your eyes"

C 1) First of all, whos execution? Probably Bowies. I have other theories but they are too far fetched... 2) Note that both here and in the first stanza, repetion and the manner in which Bowie is singing creates the feeling of a chant.(Much like you would expect from a public execution, by the way). 3) The comment about women is double-edged. On the positive side, the stereotype is that women are better at emoting than men. In a situation such as an execution they are likely to show more feeling, whatever feeling this may be. One can "smile" for so many different reasons and in so many ways. The darker side of this coin: Bowie, especially being bisexual and a very attractive man on many level knew better than most the nature of women. The reader may not agree, but let's just say the -stereotype- is "frailty thy name is woman" -W. Shakespeare. He is basically bringing up the fact that women are, paradoxically, more willing than men to execute/dethrone/castrate a fellow human being if he/she is considered inferior. The fact that this lust is rarely seen in the open is another matter. By now I will have made some people angry, it's OK. You don't have to agree with me about everything, but hear me out. ​ "Ah-ah-ah Ah-ah-ah ​ In the villa of Ormen, in the villa of Ormen Stands a solitary candle, ah-ah, ah-ah In the centre of it all, in the centre of it all Your eyes Ah-ah-ah"

More chanting and repetition.

Now the song takes a great big turn. In many ways. In the video, even Bowies charcter changes. He isn't blind and sensless anymore, but very much alive. ​ "Something happened on the day he died Spirit rose a metre and stepped aside Somebody else took his place, and bravely cried (I’m a blackstar, I’m a blackstar)"

This is where it gets really interesting. D 1) On the day Bowie died he left his sick ("blind") body an entered a realm where he is now healthy. 2) We then go on to discuss the void left by Bowie, but maybe not just by Bowie... He stepped aside and someone took his place. Someone who is a black star. Here I make very few esoterical connections, even if blackness and stars are concerned. We are obviously talking about black people, black musicians more specifically. The greats of Bowie, Jagger, Elvis, Beatles, Freddie Mercury etc. all owe A LOT to black music. And what Bowie envisions here is all these white (well, in the case of Elvis and Freddie somewhat white) will now step aside having given back to a new generation of black musicians. So, just like Bowie is not means as "just Bowie" but all ol' white men who have been inspired by black music, this new blackstar isn't one but many people. 3) To take it further, one might look to black people moving up the ranks of american (in particular) society notably seen with the election and re-election of Obama, and his policies. ​ "How many times does an angel fall? How many people lie instead of talking tall? He trod on sacred ground, he cried loud into the crowd (I’m a blackstar, I’m a blackstar, I’m not a gangstar)" ​ The first three line, I am having trouble with. Please help me! :) The last one is an obvious reference to black people being taken for criminals and having to prove they are not.

"I can’t answer why (I’m a blackstar) Just go with me (I’m not a filmstar) I’m-a take you home (I’m a blackstar) Take your passport and shoes (I’m not a popstar) And your sedatives, boo (I’m a blackstar) You’re a flash in the pan (I’m not a marvel star) I’m the great I am (I’m a blackstar)"

Here we get a very interting passage. Note that during this more "cheery, post-death middle of the song" Bowie -really sings in quite a black manner-, i.e. a soul-y voice (and a good one at that!!), also note how he uses "boo". Here, Bowie intermingles with his heirs. I won't analyse this in detail, it's somewhat beoynd me. It deals alot with seduction and the allure of the black gentleman. ​ "I’m a blackstar, way up, on money, I’ve got game I see right, so wide, so open-hearted pain I want eagles in my daydreams, diamonds in my eyes (I’m a blackstar, I’m a blackstar)"

More of the same "daydreaming about fame, glory". An active livestyle of a super celebrity (and ofcourse it's a bit TOO bright, i.e. satircial) ​ "Something happened on the day he died Spirit rose a metre and stepped aside Somebody else took his place, and bravely cried (I’m a blackstar, I’m a star's star, I’m a blackstar)"

Same as above. ​ "I can’t answer why (I’m not a gangstar) But I can tell you how (I’m not a flam star) We were born upside-down (I’m a star's star) Born the wrong way ‘round (I’m not a white star) (I’m a blackstar, I’m not a gangstar I’m a blackstar, I’m a blackstar I’m not a pornstar, I’m not a wandering star I’m a blackstar, I’m a blackstar)"

He doesn't really need to answer why he is not a gangsta(e)r, or else like many black celebrities is adopts/is given that image regardless. Born upside-down. Humans originate from Africa, and white people are indeed born on the other side of the globe. Bowie here takes on teh role of a black man trapped in a white mans body (born on the wring side) and he isn't a white star. Nor is he a wandering star, now this could have soemthing to do with (not) being Jewish. That would indicate a connection to certain anti-semitic notions (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wandering_Jew) however. It is still possible. ​ "In the villa of Ormen stands a solitary candle Ah-ah, ah-ah At the centre of it all, your eyes On the day of execution, only women kneel and smile Ah-ah, ah-ah At the centre of it all, your eyes, your eyes Ah-ah-ah"

We revisit the nordic setting. In the video, we also see a black priestess leading a group of bewitched (white) women dancing and making the black panther sign(!), yes look in the video link above at 8.35-8.40.

This song has many themes, one of which is clearly a renaissance in black culture.