Lazarus
David Bowie Lyrics
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I've got scars that can't be seen
I've got drama, can't be stolen
Everybody knows me now
Look up here, man, I'm in danger
I've got nothing left to lose
I'm so high it makes my brain whirl
Dropped my cell phone down below
Ain't that just like me?
By the time I got to New York
I was living like a king
There I'd used up all my money
I was looking for your ass
This way or no way
You know, I'll be free
Just like that bluebird
Now, ain't that just like me?
Oh, I'll be free
Just like that bluebird
Oh, I'll be free
Ain't that just like me?
The song Lazarus by David Bowie is a reflective piece on mortality and death. The opening lyrics "Look up here, I'm in heaven, I've got scars that can't be seen" suggest that the singer has passed away, but their scars remain, perhaps alluding to emotional wounds that the singer carried throughout their life. The second stanza, "Look up here, man, I'm in danger, I've got nothing left to lose" suggests that the singer may have been suffering from a terminal illness, thus the "danger" of their situation. The line, "I'm so high it makes my brain whirl" could refer to a physical or emotional high, perhaps indicating a moment of clarity or enlightenment.
The third stanza is more grounded in reality, describing a trip the singer took to New York, where they used up all their money and were looking for someone. The line "This way or no way" suggests that the singer was determined to find this person or resolve the situation. The song's conclusion, "Just like that bluebird, oh, I'll be free, ain't that just like me?" could be interpreted as the singer finding freedom in death, much like a bird being released from its cage. The repetition of "ain't that just like me?" suggests that the singer has come to terms with their own mortality and has found peace with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Look up here, I'm in heaven
I may be dead and in the afterlife
I've got scars that can't be seen
I bear deep emotional wounds that cannot be physically seen
I've got drama, can't be stolen
I'm going through a difficult phase which cannot be taken away from me
Everybody knows me now
I've gained popularity and a large following
Look up here, man, I'm in danger
I'm encountering a risky situation
I've got nothing left to lose
I'm ready to take any chance as I have nothing left to risk
I'm so high it makes my brain whirl
I'm under the influence of drugs, making me feel disoriented
Dropped my cell phone down below
I've lost something important to me
Ain't that just like me?
My carelessness is reflected in minor events as well
By the time I got to New York
When I arrived in New York
I was living like a king
I was experiencing extravagance and enjoying wealth
There I'd used up all my money
I had depleted my financial resources while living in New York
I was looking for your ass
I was searching for someone but wasn't successful
This way or no way
There was only one way forward, and I had to follow it
You know, I'll be free
I will be free from all the burdens and stress
Just like that bluebird
I will fly away like a blue bird, signifying freedom and lightness
Oh, I'll be free
I will find liberation and independence from my troubles
Ain't that just like me?
My nature is to be unconventional and unpredictable
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: David Bowie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lukebradley574
Bowie entering the closet: his coffin.
The two Bowie's: the bedridden one to symbolise his body decaying, the active one dancing and writing around the room to symbolise his mind's determination to finish the album, mind over matter.
The girl under his bed trying to claw at him: symbolises the cancer trying to take hold of him, and, eventually, succeeding.
The thought, effort and cleverness put into this music video is mind boggling, how he insinuated his death days before, is and will hopefully go down as one of the most artistically done albums ever made.
RIP Bowie, we'll sure as hell miss you.
@DarrienJohnson2001
I can't believe it's been 8 years since David Bowie passed away.
Rest in peace David Bowie
We'll miss you so much😢💐🕊❤😪🥰
(2016–2024)
8th anniversary of David Bowie's death.
(1947–2016)
Thank you for your music and memories.
@06mrselfdestruct
David Bowie looked straight into the eyes of death, and used it to create his last masterpiece, fucking brilliant
@larkstonguesinaspic4814
IrishZombie81 exactly . He turned his own death into an Art project . What is possibly one of the best albums of all time .
@panzerjagertigerpelefant
When a man who's lived the life of a god in his profession, has gone through so much, from the death of his friends and companions who he sang with, and he nears his end, he knows he must have one last ride with his skills.
@kingken130
just like Freddie Mercury did
@emoAnarchist
thats gotta be the best way i have heard this album described
@carollipton4584
Absolutely. One of the most courageous acts of artistic creation that has ever been.
@wonderland4515
It must be so painful knowing you’re dying and writing a song about it and sing it. He truly went out as a star ❤️
@spongebobslesserknownbroth9769
A blackstar
@vikingfyi
A black star / blackstar is both what you call a dying star (planet), but also it's a cancer lesion...
@lunarvision
One of the most beautiful and moving videos ever.