Oh baby, just you shut your mouth

David Bowie

A little something about David Bowie
If you're a casual David Bowie fan, you may find it puzzling that with every new Bowie release somebody, somewhere, will tell you that it is his best work in twenty years. The reason for this is a bit complicated. To start, you need to understand that with every album Bowie is moving himself into new territory, musically. He's been doing it from day one, molding himself in the shape of a hippie, glam-rocker, funkster, punk, techno kraut-rocker (a la Kraftwerk of Can), pop star, guitar-playing grunge-rocker, industrial goth-rocker (a la Nine Inch Nails), and 90s-techno artist. So exactly what works for each individual Bowie fan is a matter of taste. Since I tend to prefer Bowie's work when he's at his most imaginitve, I would argue that his best work in the past twenty years was his 1995 "non-linear gothic drama" Outside. The other factor in this equation is: what was so great about his work twenty years ago? The answer lies in listening to the work that David Bowie recorded in the 1970s. Where as these days the man seems to be changing to keep up with the times and keep his music fresh, in the 1970s other artists were changing their sounds to keep up with David Bowie. He remains the most memorable product of the glam movement of the early 70s, and the looks and sounds he helped pioneer inspired the new wave, punk and new romantic acts that are featured so prominently at this site. So if someone tells you that Bowie hasn't had a really great record in twenty years, you should take it with a grain of salt. But if you want to know what they're talking about you should also listen to some of the work that Bowie put out between the start of his career and Scary Monsters, released at the dawn of the 80s

Ok, time for the lyrics...:

Lyrics featured below: "China Girl", "Fashion", "Modern Love", "Let's Dance" , "Blue Jean", "Ashes to Ashes"

China Girl

I could escape this feeling With my China GirlI feel a wreck without my Little China GirlI hear her heart beatingLoud as thunderSaw their stars crashingI'm a mess without myLittle China GirlWake up mornings where's myLittle China GirlI hear her heart's beatingLoud as thunderSaw their stars crashing downI feel a-tragic like I'm Marlon BrandoWhen I look at my china girlI could pretend that nothing really meant too muchWhen I look at my china girlI stumble into town just like a sacred cowVisions of swastikas in my headPlans for everyoneIt's in the whites of my eyesMy little china girlYou shouldn't mess with meI'll ruin everything you areI'll give you televisionI'll give you eyes of blueI'll give you a man who want to rule the worldAnd when I get excitedMy little china girl saysOh baby just you shut your mouthShe says ... sh-sh-shhhFashionThere's a brand new dance but I don't know its nameThat people from bad homes do again and againIt's big and it's bland full of tension and fearThey do it over there but we don't do it hereFashion! Turn to the leftFashion! Turn to the rightOooh, fashion!We are the goon squad and we're coming to townBeep-beepBeep-beepListen to me - don't listen to meTalk to me - don't talk to meDance with me - don't dance with me, noBeep-beepThere's a brand new talk, but it's not very clearOh bopThat people from good homes are talking this yearOh bop, fashionIt's loud and tasteless and I've heard it beforeOh bopYou shout it while you're dancing on the ole dance floorOh bop, fashionFashion! Turn to the leftFashion! RightFashion!We are the goon squad and we're coming to townBeep-beepBeep-beepListen to me - don't listen to meTalk to me - don't talk to meDance with me - don't dance with me, noBeep-beepBeep-beepOh, bop, do do do do do do do doFa-fa-fa-fa-fashionOh, bop, do do do do do do do doFa-fa-fa-fa-fashionLa-la la la la la la-laModern LoveI don't want to go outI wont stay inGet things doneI catch a paper boyBut things don't really changeI'm standing in the windBut I never wave bye-byeBut I try, I tryThere's no sign of lifeIt's just the power to charmI'm lying in the rainBut I never wave bye-byeBut I try, I tryNever gonna fall forModern love - walks beside meModern love - walks on byModern love - gets me to the church on timeChurch on time - terrifies meChurch on time - makes me partyChurch on time - puts my trust in god and manGod and man - no confessionsGod and man - no religionGod and man - don't believe in modern loveIt's not really workIt's just the power to charmI'm still standing in the windBut I never wave bye byeBut I try, I tryNever gonna fall forModern love - walks beside meModern love - walks on byModern love - gets me to the church on timeChurch on time - terrifies meChurch on time - makes me partyChurch on time - puts my trust in god and manGod and man - no confessionsGod and man - no religionGod and man - don't believe in modern loveModern love - walks beside meModern love - walks on byModern love - gets me to the church on timeChurch on time - terrifies meChurch on time - makes me partyChurch on time - puts my trust in god and manGod and man - no confessionsGod and man - no religionGod and man - I don't believe in modern loveModern love, Modern love, Modern love, Modern love, Modern love, Modern loveModern love, Modern love, Modern love, Modern love, Modern love, Modern loveModern love - Modern love, walks beside meModern love - Modern love, walks on byModern love - Modern love, walks beside meModern love - Modern love, walks on byNever gonna fall forNever gonna fall for


Let's Dance

Let's dance, put on your red shoes and dance the blues
Let's dance, to the song they're playin' on the radio

Let's sway, while colour lights up your face
Let's sway, sway through the crowd to an empty space

If you say run, I'll run with you
If you say hide, we'll hide
Because my love for you
Would break my heart in two
If you should fall
Into my arms
And tremble like a flower

Let's dance, for fear your grace should fall
Let's dance, for fear tonight is all

Let's sway, you could look into my eyes
Let's sway, under the moonlight, this serious moonlight

If you say run, I'll run with you
If you say hide, we'll hide
Because my love for you
Would break my heart in two
If you should fall
Into my arms
And tremble like a flower

Let's dance, put on your red shoes and dance the blues
Let's dance, to the song they're playin' on the radio

Let's sway, you could look into my eyes
Let's sway, under the moonlight, this serious moonlight




Blue Jean

Blue Jean-I just met me a girl named Blue Jean
Blue Jean-she got a camouflaged face and no money
Remember they always let you down when you need 'em
Oh, Blue Jean-is heaven any sweeter than Blue Jean
She got a police bike
She got a turned up nose

Sometimes I feel like
(Oh, the whole human race)
Jazzin' for Blue Jean
(Oh, and when my Blue Jean's blue)
Blue Jean can send me
(Oh, somebody send me)
Somebody send me
(Oh, somebody send me)

One day I'm gonna write a poem in a letter
One day I'm gonna get that faculty together
Remember that everybody has to wait in line
Blue Jean-look out world you know I've got mine
She got Latin roots
She got everything



Ashes to Ashes

Do you remember a guy that's been
In such an early song
I've heard a rumour from Ground Control
Oh no, don't say it's true

They got a message from the Action Man
"I'm happy, hope you're happy too
I've loved all I've needed love
Sordid details following"

The shrieking of nothing is killing 
Just pictures of Jap girls in synthesis and I
Ain't got no money and I ain't got no hair
But I'm hoping to kick but the planet it's glowing

     Ashes to ashes, funk to funky
     We know Major Tom's a junkie
     Strung out in heaven's high
     Hitting an all-time low

Time and again I tell myself
I'll stay clean tonight
But the little green wheels are following me
Oh no, not again
I'm stuck with a valuable friend
"I'm happy, hope you're happy too"
One flash of light but no smoking pistol

I never done good things
I never done bad things
I never did anything out of the blue, woh-o-oh
Want an axe to break the ice
Wanna come down right now

     Ashes to ashes, funk to funky
     We know Major Tom's a junkie
     Strung out in heaven's high
     Hitting an all-time low

My mother said to get things done
You'd better not mess with Major Tom
My mother said to get things done
You'd better not mess with Major Tom
My mother said to get things done
You'd better not mess with Major Tom
My mother said to get things done
You'd better not mess with Major Tom