I Can't Give Everything Away

I listened to this song on the day it was released, and I thought this song was written in the voice of a character who was dying and felt that he could not finish give everything (wealth, ideas, art, love?) away fast enough before he passed. Little did I know, the character in question was David Bowie himself, singing this, the last song on what he knew would be his last album.

RIP to a great artist.

The harmonica sound is a nod to "New Career In a New Town". Returning again and again - immortal, in a way. Reincarnation as burden: can't give everything away.

Maybe the term “Prodigal” in its fullest meaning, biblical, show us why David Bowie, cannot give everything away.

The Prodigal Song returns after it’s squandering, it’s not just forgiven, it’s return is celebrated - even in his darkest hours he finds room to celebrate all his returning songs that comes to mind. A part of the song possibly cannot be given away? At least not it’s full menaing. But it can be shared - and we are greateful for David Bowie sharing.

The Prodigal Son - WiKi In the story, a father has two sons. The younger son asks the father for his inheritance, and the father grants his son's request. However, the younger son is prodigal (i.e., wasteful and extravagant) and squanders his fortune, eventually becoming destitute. The younger son is forced to return home empty-handed and intends to beg his father to accept him back as a servant. To the son's surprise, he is not scorned by his father but is welcomed back with celebration and welcoming party. Envious, the older son refuses to participate in the festivities. The father tells the older son "you are ever with me, and all that I have is yours, but thy younger brother was lost and now he is found".