Fame
David Bowie(데이빗 보위) Lyrics
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Fame lets him loose, hard to swallow
Fame puts you there where things are hollow (fame)
Fame, it's not your brain, it's just the flame
That burns your change to keep you insane (fame)
Fame, (fame) what you like is in the limo
Fame, (fame) what you get is no tomorrow
Fame, (fame) it's mine, it's mine, it's just his line
To bind your time, it drives you to crime (fame)
Is it any wonder I reject you first?
Fame, fame, fame, fame
Is it any wonder you are too cool to fool? (fame)
Fame, bully for you, chilly for me
Got to get a rain check on pain (fame)
Fame
Fame, fame, fame
Fame, fame, fame
Fame, fame, fame, fame
Fame, fame, fame, fame
Fame, fame, fame
Fame, what's your name?
Fame
In David Bowie's song "Fame," the lyrics seem to reveal the shallowness and pitfalls of chasing after fame. He begins by saying how "Fame makes a man take things over. Fame lets him loose, hard to swallow." Fame gives one a sense of power and control, but it is also addictive and can be difficult to manage. The chorus repeats the word "Fame" in a repetitive, almost hypnotic manner, emphasizing its all-consuming force. Bowie points out that it can be superficial, and "puts you there where things are hollow." Fame is not an intellectual pursuit; it's a flame that burns through change and drives you to insanity.
It seems like there is an allure to fame in the eyes of those who chase it, for "what you like is in the limo," and "what you get is no tomorrow." The chasing of fame requires much borrowing and being driven "to crime." However, by the end of the song, Bowie seems to reject fame entirely. He asks, "Is it any wonder I reject you first?" Fame is so transient and fleeting that even those who achieve it can't afford to rest on their laurels. Despite the song's melancholic tone, he ends on a playful note with "Fame, what's your name?" which acts as a rhetorical question, implying that fame doesn't have a true identity or worthiness and is instead built on fleeting attributes.
Line by Line Meaning
Fame makes a man take things over
The state of being famous empowers a person to take control over situations.
Fame lets him loose, hard to swallow
Fame brings freedom but it is not easy to handle or accept.
Fame puts you there where things are hollow (fame)
Being famous can place you in superficial or empty situations.
Fame, it's not your brain, it's just the flame
Fame is not a result of intelligence or hard work, but more like a spark that ignites a person's popularity.
That burns your change to keep you insane (fame)
Fame can also consume a person's values or personality to the point of unhealthy obsession or insanity.
Fame, (fame) what you like is in the limo
The perks or luxuries that fame provides are often desired or sought after, such as fancy cars or private jets.
Fame, (fame) what you get is no tomorrow
Fame can be fleeting or short-lived, so what a person gains or experiences in the moment may not last long.
Fame, (fame) what you need you have to borrow Fame
Achieving or maintaining fame can require things such as support from others or borrowing money to sustain it.
Fame, (fame) it's mine, it's mine, it's just his line
A person may claim ownership or control over their fame, but in reality, it is often influenced or determined by external factors or other people's perception.
To bind your time, it drives you to crime (fame)
The pressure or obsession with fame can lead a person to make poor decisions or break the law in order to gain or maintain it.
Is it any wonder I reject you first?
The singer is not surprised they would reject someone who is seeking fame or validation from them.
Fame, fame, fame, fame
The repetition and emphasis on 'fame' reflects the overwhelming and all-consuming nature of it.
Is it any wonder you are too cool to fool? (fame)
The singer implies that people who are truly wise or intelligent are not easily fooled by the allure or manipulation of fame.
Fame, bully for you, chilly for me
Being famous may benefit one person, but can create distance or isolation from others who do not share or understand the experience.
Got to get a rain check on pain (fame)
The singer suggests that they need to delay or avoid experiencing the negative consequences or hardships that come with fame.
Fame
The single word signifies the overwhelming prominence and influence of fame.
Fame, fame, fame
The repetition and emphasis on 'fame' reflects the overwhelming and all-consuming nature of it.
Fame, fame, fame, fame
The repetition and emphasis on 'fame' reflects the overwhelming and all-consuming nature of it.
Fame, fame, fame, fame
The repetition and emphasis on 'fame' reflects the overwhelming and all-consuming nature of it.
Fame, fame, fame
The repetition and emphasis on 'fame' reflects the overwhelming and all-consuming nature of it.
Fame, what's your name?
The artist asks the rhetorical question of what defines a person's identity or worth beyond their fame.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: DAVID BOWIE, CARLOS ALOMAR, JOHN WINSTON LENNON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind