This thread has some thought provoking comments from contributors who in my opinion have over analysed Ferry’s lyrics concluding the song was a lament to ‘the destruction of the Europe he once knew’ , an interesting interpretation but in actuality somewhat misguided.
He wrote it as a ‘final closure’ outlet in coming to terms with European glamour model Amanda Lear ‘breaking up’ with him.
She was an elite model back in 1973 at arguably her peak and whether there was anyone else involved or whether she wouldn’t commit to a serious long term relationship I do not know but those were halcyon days in the music and fashion industry where the Rock ‘n Roll fashionista’s indulged in the glamour of the endless de riguer drug fuelled party circuit , many crashed and burned, others split completely but some came through it such as a certain David Bowie. I mention him in this thread as it occurred to me whilst writing this that he requested Amanda Lear for the femme fatale role in his ill fated ‘1984 Floor Show Review’ and when viewing the archive footage on You Tube one senses a certain sexual chemistry.
However be that as it may returning to ‘Song For Europe’ Ferry refers to the romantic memories of Paris and Venice when they were an item “all those moments lost in wonder that we’ll never find again”.
He was hardly going to title the recording “Ode To Amanda” or “Song For Amanda” as Bowie did in 1969 equally heartbroken by his then true love (who called time on their relationship because of his other dalliances) and wrote his lament ‘Letter to Hermione”
This thread has some thought provoking comments from contributors who in my opinion have over analysed Ferry’s lyrics concluding the song was a lament to ‘the destruction of the Europe he once knew’ , an interesting interpretation but in actuality somewhat misguided. He wrote it as a ‘final closure’ outlet in coming to terms with European glamour model Amanda Lear ‘breaking up’ with him. She was an elite model back in 1973 at arguably her peak and whether there was anyone else involved or whether she wouldn’t commit to a serious long term relationship I do not know but those were halcyon days in the music and fashion industry where the Rock ‘n Roll fashionista’s indulged in the glamour of the endless de riguer drug fuelled party circuit , many crashed and burned, others split completely but some came through it such as a certain David Bowie. I mention him in this thread as it occurred to me whilst writing this that he requested Amanda Lear for the femme fatale role in his ill fated ‘1984 Floor Show Review’ and when viewing the archive footage on You Tube one senses a certain sexual chemistry. However be that as it may returning to ‘Song For Europe’ Ferry refers to the romantic memories of Paris and Venice when they were an item “all those moments lost in wonder that we’ll never find again”. He was hardly going to title the recording “Ode To Amanda” or “Song For Amanda” as Bowie did in 1969 equally heartbroken by his then true love (who called time on their relationship because of his other dalliances) and wrote his lament ‘Letter to Hermione”