In my opinion, the second part of the song reveals a lot about Bowie. He tells himself that he doesn't know who he is, and this seems to have played itself out during his career through his changing personas. However, as I see it, deeper meaning can read into this insight if this part is read in conjunction with the next section, "my father ran the prison". Sexuality has a lot to do with your relationship with your mother, according to Freud, and therefore your father, leading on from that. I can only speculate, but I think Bowie sees his relationship with his father as having been responsible for creating the prison in which Bowie lives. That prison, as I see it, is being uncertain about his sexuality, and therefore who he is. This has lead to his changing personas.
The lyric actually begins "Then we saw Mishima's Dog," not "mission is dark." Always best to check the artist's website to avoid misinterpretation.
The lyric actually begins "Then we saw Mishima's Dog," not "mission is dark." Always best to check the artist's website to avoid misinterpretation.
Mishima's Dog is a direct reference to Yukio Mishima's noval "Spring Snow"--where a black dog becomes trapped in the rocks of a waterfall--an omen of things to come.
Mishima's Dog is a direct reference to Yukio Mishima's noval "Spring Snow"--where a black dog becomes trapped in the rocks of a waterfall--an omen of things to come.
I would interpret the lyrics overall as that of a ronin--a samuri without a master ("I don't know who I am").
I would interpret the lyrics overall as that of a ronin--a samuri without a master ("I don't know who I am").
In my opinion, the second part of the song reveals a lot about Bowie. He tells himself that he doesn't know who he is, and this seems to have played itself out during his career through his changing personas. However, as I see it, deeper meaning can read into this insight if this part is read in conjunction with the next section, "my father ran the prison". Sexuality has a lot to do with your relationship with your mother, according to Freud, and therefore your father, leading on from that. I can only speculate, but I think Bowie sees his relationship with his father as having been responsible for creating the prison in which Bowie lives. That prison, as I see it, is being uncertain about his sexuality, and therefore who he is. This has lead to his changing personas.
The lyric actually begins "Then we saw Mishima's Dog," not "mission is dark." Always best to check the artist's website to avoid misinterpretation.
The lyric actually begins "Then we saw Mishima's Dog," not "mission is dark." Always best to check the artist's website to avoid misinterpretation.
Mishima's Dog is a direct reference to Yukio Mishima's noval "Spring Snow"--where a black dog becomes trapped in the rocks of a waterfall--an omen of things to come.
Mishima's Dog is a direct reference to Yukio Mishima's noval "Spring Snow"--where a black dog becomes trapped in the rocks of a waterfall--an omen of things to come.
I would interpret the lyrics overall as that of a ronin--a samuri without a master ("I don't know who I am").
I would interpret the lyrics overall as that of a ronin--a samuri without a master ("I don't know who I am").