Two words describe this song: Poetic Beauty. I wasn't a very big Bowie fan, then one day I was flipping through the channels and caught "Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars" on AMC right as Bowie began this song, and I was stunned. It's an endlessly beautiful song, and Bowie delivers it perfectly.
The song is originally by a guy named Jacques Brel, who I believe was French, so Bowie was the first to do an English version of this song. I believe the song is about someone who is contemplating their own death as they see it nearing, but they don't want to accept it.
I think the most beautiful lines are...
My death waits there in a double bed
Sails of oblivion at my head
So pull up the sheets against the passing time
He sees himself dying of old age in a bed. He sees death as oblivion, because he doesn't know what will happen to him once he dies. Chances are he doesn't believe in heaven or hell. And he sees oblivion in the form of ships coming for him. Then he says he'll pull up the sheets to protect himself against the passing time, and the passing time equals inevitable death. This is much like a child pulling up the sheets to protect themself from monsters.
When Bowie played this song live, during the last chorus he would sing...
But whatever lies behind the door
There is nothing much to do
Angel or Devil, I don't care
For in front of that door, there is...
And then he would stop singing and people in the crowd would shout "ME".
This is one of the most beautifully sad songs I have ever heard.
Fast forward 45 years....the video for Lazarus shows Bowie in bed, facing death as it were, as Blackstar was his farewell to us...RIP David, thank you so much for all the wonderful music, art and memories.....
Fast forward 45 years....the video for Lazarus shows Bowie in bed, facing death as it were, as Blackstar was his farewell to us...RIP David, thank you so much for all the wonderful music, art and memories.....
Two words describe this song: Poetic Beauty. I wasn't a very big Bowie fan, then one day I was flipping through the channels and caught "Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars" on AMC right as Bowie began this song, and I was stunned. It's an endlessly beautiful song, and Bowie delivers it perfectly.
The song is originally by a guy named Jacques Brel, who I believe was French, so Bowie was the first to do an English version of this song. I believe the song is about someone who is contemplating their own death as they see it nearing, but they don't want to accept it.
I think the most beautiful lines are...
My death waits there in a double bed Sails of oblivion at my head So pull up the sheets against the passing time
He sees himself dying of old age in a bed. He sees death as oblivion, because he doesn't know what will happen to him once he dies. Chances are he doesn't believe in heaven or hell. And he sees oblivion in the form of ships coming for him. Then he says he'll pull up the sheets to protect himself against the passing time, and the passing time equals inevitable death. This is much like a child pulling up the sheets to protect themself from monsters.
When Bowie played this song live, during the last chorus he would sing...
But whatever lies behind the door There is nothing much to do Angel or Devil, I don't care For in front of that door, there is...
And then he would stop singing and people in the crowd would shout "ME".
This is one of the most beautifully sad songs I have ever heard.
@Ratman_84 - Jaques Brel was Belgian though sang in French... Check out his version of the song 'La Mort' it's beautiful...
@Ratman_84 - Jaques Brel was Belgian though sang in French... Check out his version of the song 'La Mort' it's beautiful...
Fast forward 45 years....the video for Lazarus shows Bowie in bed, facing death as it were, as Blackstar was his farewell to us...RIP David, thank you so much for all the wonderful music, art and memories.....
Fast forward 45 years....the video for Lazarus shows Bowie in bed, facing death as it were, as Blackstar was his farewell to us...RIP David, thank you so much for all the wonderful music, art and memories.....