Bowie died on January 10, 2016 after a secret 18 month battle with cancer: it was 2 days after his 69th birthday and the release of Blackstar (2016). Tony Visconti - a producer and friend with Bowie for over 5 decades - commented "He made Blackstar for us — his parting gift . I knew for a year this was the way it would be. I wasn’t, however, prepared for it."
The album artwork was revealed through a video posted on Facebook on 18 November 2015, and a music video for the title track was released on Bowie's YouTube channel the following day. The song was later made available for purchase through the iTunes Store, as well as a pre-order for the entire album. The title track is being used as the opening music for the television series The Last Panthers.
The album was critically acclaimed and commercially successful, accumulating a Metacritic score of 86 and reaching #1 on the charts in many countries in its first week of release. It was Bowie's first #1 album in the U.S.
Grammy Award (2017) - At the 59th Grammy Awards on Sun, February 12, 2017, Bowie took the award for "Best Rock Song" for "Blackstar".
Blackstar
David Bowie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stands a solitary candle, ah ah, ah ah
In the centre of it all, in the centre of it all
Your eyes
On the day of execution, on the day of execution
Only women kneel and smile, ah ah, ah ah
At the center of it all, at the center of it all
Your eyes
Your eyes
Ah ah ah
Ah ah ah
In the villa of Ormen, in the villa of Ormen
Stands a solitary candle, ah-ah, ah-ah
At the center of it all, at the center of it all
Your eyes
Your eyes
Ah ah ah
Something happened on the day he died
Spirit rose a metre then stepped aside
Somebody else took his place, and bravely cried
(I'm a blackstar, I'm a blackstar)
How many times does an angel fall?
How many people lie instead of talking tall?
He trod on sacred ground, he cried loud into the crowd
(I'm a blackstar, I'm a blackstar, I'm not a gangster)
I can't answer why (I'm a blackstar)
Just go with me (I'm not a filmstar)
I'ma take you home (I'm a blackstar)
Take your passport and shoes (I'm not a popstar)
And your sedatives, boo (I'm a blackstar)
You're a flash in the pan (I'm not a marvel star)
I'm the great I Am (I'm a blackstar)
I'm a blackstar, way up, oh honey, I've got game
I see right, so wide, so open-hearted it's pain
I want eagles in my daydreams, diamonds in my eyes
(I'm a blackstar, I'm a blackstar)
Something happened on the day he died
Spirit rose a metre then stepped aside
Somebody else took his place, and bravely cried
(I'm a blackstar, I'm a star star, I'm a blackstar)
I can't answer why (I'm not a gangster)
But I can tell you how (I'm not a flam star)
We were born upside-down (I'm a star star)
Born the wrong way 'round (I'm not a white star)
(I'm a blackstar)
('m not a gangster)
(I'm a blackstar, I'm a blackstar)
(I'm not a pornstar, I'm not a wandering star)
(I'm a blackstar, I'm a blackstar)
In the villa of Ormen stands a solitary candle
Ah ah, ah ah
At the centre of it all, your eyes
On the day of execution, only women kneel and smile
Ah ah, ah ah
At the centre of it all, your eyes
Your eyes
Ah ah ah
The opening lyrics of David Bowie's "Blackstar" present a mysterious and haunting scene. The villa of Ormen, a solitary candle, and the center of it all - all symbols of something arcane and mystical. The repeated phrase "Your eyes" suggests some sort of hypnotic or visionary experience. This suggests that the song is talking about a journey into another reality or a trip through the unknown. The song's mention of execution and smiling, kneeling women adds to the sense of mystery and eeriness. These elements combine to communicate a sense of otherworldliness which the song represents.
The mysterious and cryptic scenes presented in the opening give way, in the later parts of the song, to vocals which are more straightforward. In the section where David Bowie sings "Something happened on the day he died, Spirit rose a meter and then stepped aside. Somebody else took his place, and bravely cried" he is clearly referring to himself as a blackstar. This represents a transformation, a kind of death and rebirth. This is typical of alchemical transformations, from the black sun, whose light is danger to a glittering silver star. In this way, the song becomes a metaphor for Bowie's own career, marked by constant reinvention.
Line by Line Meaning
In the villa of Ormen, in the villa of Ormen
In a place of great importance, a single candle stands alone
Stands a solitary candle, ah ah, ah ah
A single flame exists in this powerful place
In the centre of it all, in the centre of it all
The candle is at the very heart of this significant location
Your eyes
It is through your eyes that this location is seen and interpreted
On the day of execution, on the day of execution
During a time of death and endings
Only women kneel and smile, ah ah, ah ah
As death approaches, only women show strength and positivity, despite their sorrow
At the center of it all, at the center of it all
The candle remains at the heart of everything
Your eyes
Even in death, it is through your eyes that this all is witnessed
Something happened on the day he died
There was a significant event on the day of his passing
Spirit rose a metre then stepped aside
His spirit was lifted before making way for someone else
Somebody else took his place, and bravely cried
Someone else took on his mantle and showed courage in doing so
(I'm a blackstar, I'm a blackstar)
Potentially referencing the idea of being a significant, shining figure even in death
How many times does an angel fall?
Even angels, typically seen as perfect beings, can experience moments of failure or imperfection
How many people lie instead of talking tall?
Instead of speaking with honesty and vulnerability, people often choose to hide behind falsehoods
He trod on sacred ground, he cried loud into the crowd
He dared to speak out in a place of great importance and expressed himself strongly
(I'm a blackstar, I'm a blackstar, I'm not a gangster)
Restating the idea of being a significant, shining figure even in death, while also rejecting an association with a particular type of person
I can't answer why (I'm a blackstar)
He cannot explain why he is such a significant figure, but he is confident in this statement
Just go with me (I'm not a filmstar)
Follow him despite not being a typical celebrity figure
I'ma take you home (I'm a blackstar)
He can guide others and bring them to a significant place
Take your passport and shoes (I'm not a popstar)
He can provide direction while also stating his difference from a typical musician
And your sedatives, boo (I'm a blackstar)
He can even provide comfort and care for others
You're a flash in the pan (I'm not a marvel star)
He is not a brief, passing moment like a typical Hollywood star
I'm the great I Am (I'm a blackstar)
He sees himself with great spiritual significance and power
I'm a blackstar, way up, oh honey, I've got game
He is a significant and powerful figure
I see right, so wide, so open-hearted it's pain
He sees the world very clearly and understands it so deeply that it hurts him
I want eagles in my daydreams, diamonds in my eyes
He desires grandeur and beauty in his hopes and dreams
Something happened on the day he died
There was a significant event on the day of his passing
Spirit rose a metre then stepped aside
His spirit was lifted before making way for someone else
Somebody else took his place, and bravely cried
Someone else took on his mantle and showed courage in doing so
(I'm a blackstar, I'm a star star, I'm a blackstar)
Restating the idea of being a significant, shining figure even in death
I can't answer why (I'm not a gangster)
He cannot explain why he is such a significant figure, but he is confident in this statement
But I can tell you how (I'm not a flam star)
He can explain his significance or how he came to be this way, despite not being a typical celebrity
We were born upside-down (I'm a star star)
He was born differently or uniquely compared to others, lending to his significant status
Born the wrong way 'round (I'm not a white star)
He is not like other types of stars or celebrities, but was born distinct
(I'm a blackstar)
He reiterates his significance as a powerful and distinct figure
('m not a gangster)
He reaffirms his distance from a particular kind of person or celebrity
(I'm a blackstar, I'm a blackstar)
Restating the idea of being a significant, shining figure even in death
('m not a pornstar, I'm not a wandering star)
He is neither of these things, yet still a powerful figure
(I'm a blackstar, I'm a blackstar)
He identifies himself as a significant, powerful figure
In the villa of Ormen stands a solitary candle
In this significant place stands a single flame
Ah ah, ah ah
Approximately representing the candle's flicker
At the centre of it all, your eyes
The eyes still represent the best way to interpret and understand this place
On the day of execution, only women kneel and smile
In the face of great sorrow, only women show strength and positivity
Ah ah, ah ah
Approximately representing the women's sing-song voices
At the centre of it all, your eyes
Even during such a significant moment, it is through the eyes that the truth of the matter can be seen
Your eyes
This repeated line confirms the importance of interpretation through the eyes
Ah ah ah
Approximately representing the flickering of the candle
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: David Bowie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
DrJKintobor
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Peter Bonney
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