Thematically, it was a marriage of the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell and Bowie's own glam-tinged vision of a post-apocalyptic world. Bowie had wanted to make a theatrical production of Orwell's book and began writing material after completing sessions for his 1973 album Pin Ups, but the author’s estate denied the rights. The songs ended up on the second half of Diamond Dogs instead where, as the titles indicated, the Nineteen Eighty-Four theme was prominent.
Though the album was recorded and released after the 'retirement' of Ziggy Stardust in mid-1973, and featured its own lead character in Halloween Jack ("a real cool cat" who lives in the decaying "Hunger City"), Ziggy was seen to be still very much alive in Diamond Dogs, as evident from Bowie's haircut on the cover and the glam-trash style of the first single "Rebel Rebel".
David Bowie - vocals, guitars, saxes, Moog synthesizer, Mellotron, producer, mixing engineer
Earl Slick - guitar on "Rock 'n' Roll with Me"
Mike Garson - keyboards
Herbie Flowers - bass guitar
Tony Newman - drums
Aynsley Dunbar - drums
Alan Parker - guitar on "1984"
Future Legend
David Bowie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As the last few corpses lay rotting on the slimy
Thoroughfare,
The shutters lifted in inches in Temperance Building,
High on Poacher's Hill.
And red, mutant, eyes gaze down on Hunger City.
No more big wheels.
Fleas the size of rats sucked on rats the size of cats,
And ten thousand peoploids split into small tribes,
Coveting the highest of the sterile skyscrapers,
Like packs of dogs assaulting the glass fronts of Love-Me Avenue.
Ripping and rewrapping mink and shiny silver fox, now leg-warmers.
Family badge of sapphire and cracked emerald.
Any day now,
The year of the Diamond Dogs.
"This ain't Rock'n'Roll,
This is Genocide."
The lyrics of David Bowie's song "Future Legend" paint a vivid picture of a post-apocalyptic world, where death and decay are the only constants. The opening line "And in the death" sets the scene, as the last few corpses are left to rot on a slimy thoroughfare. The setting is Hunger City, where the shutters of the Temperance Building are lifted in inches on Poacher's Hill. The imagery implies that the city is in a state of decay, and the conditions are far from optimum. The red, mutant eyes mentioned in the lyric line signify an ominous presence that looms over the city.
The next few lyrics describe what life is like in this dystopian city. The description of fleas the size of rats sucking on rats the size of cats, and ten thousand peoploids splitting into small tribes, conjure up images of a city in total anarchy, where people are fighting for survival. The highest of the sterile skyscrapers is being coveted, like packs of dogs assaulting the glass fronts of Love-Me Avenue. The image of rewrapping mink and shiny silver fox as leg-warmers serves to paint a picture of a fashion-obsessed society where people have lost touch with reality. Finally, the lyric line "Any day now, the year of the Diamond Dogs" suggests that change is inevitable, and that the current state of decay is not sustainable.
Line by Line Meaning
And in the death,
As death approaches, the atmosphere looks hopeless and bleak.
As the last few corpses lay rotting on the slimy Thoroughfare,
There are dead bodies on the ground, decomposing in a filthy street.
The shutters lifted in inches in Temperance Building, High on Poacher's Hill.
The blinds of a building, situated on top of a hill, begin to open.
And red, mutant, eyes gaze down on Hunger City.
The eyes of mutants situated in Hunger City look down on the scene.
No more big wheels.
The powerful elite, formerly in control of society, have lost their power.
Fleas the size of rats sucked on rats the size of cats,
Small and large creatures are now forced to share the same fate and are no longer at the top of the food chain.
And ten thousand peoploids split into small tribes, Coveting the highest of the sterile skyscrapers,
The remaining survivors have been divided into small groups, each one fighting over ownership of the tallest, cleanest buildings.
Like packs of dogs assaulting the glass fronts of Love-Me Avenue.
The groups behave like dogs viciously trying to break through the windows of an enticing, but unattainable location.
Ripping and rewrapping mink and shiny silver fox, now leg-warmers.
The valuable, luxurious furs of animals are now being repurposed as leg-warmers for the surviving tribes.
Family badge of sapphire and cracked emerald.
A cherished family emblem, signifying bygone luxuries, is still held on to as a symbol of status.
Any day now, The year of the Diamond Dogs.
The survival of these groups will depend upon their ability to adapt and create stone subcultures for themselves in a new era of society.
"This ain't Rock'n'Roll, This is Genocide."
The struggles of the present era are not to be compared with the thrills of past Rock and Roll; rather, they constitute an extermination of an entire way of living.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAVID BOWIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
DrJKintobor
on I Can't Give Everything Away
I can totally imagine this being the end theme of Sabrina Online, when Sabrina marries Richard and they drive off into the sunset...
Peter Bonney
on Diamond Dogs
If you like free music and you have google chrome, try this free app .SonicHits .