David Robert Jones (8 January 1947 – 10 January 2016), known professionally… Read Full Bio ↴David Robert Jones (8 January 1947 – 10 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie, was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Bowie was acclaimed by critics and musicians, particularly for his innovative work during the 1970s. His career was marked by reinvention and visual presentation, and his music and stagecraft had a significant impact on popular music.

Bowie developed an interest in music from an early age. He studied art, music and design before embarking on a professional career as a musician in 1963. "Space Oddity", released in 1969, was his first top-five entry on the UK Singles Chart. After a period of experimentation, he re-emerged in 1972 during the glam rock era with his flamboyant and androgynous alter ego Ziggy Stardust. The character was spearheaded by the success of Bowie's single "Starman" and album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, which won him widespread popularity. In 1975, Bowie's style shifted towards a sound he characterised as "plastic soul", initially alienating many of his UK fans but garnering him his first major US crossover success with the number-one single "Fame" and the album Young Americans. In 1976, Bowie starred in the cult film The Man Who Fell to Earth and released Station to Station. In 1977, he again changed direction with the electronic-inflected album Low, the first of three collaborations with Brian Eno that came to be known as the "Berlin Trilogy". "Heroes" (1977) and Lodger (1979) followed; each album reached the UK top five and received lasting critical praise.

After uneven commercial success in the late 1970s, Bowie had three number-one hits: the 1980 single "Ashes to Ashes", its album Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps), and "Under Pressure" (a 1981 collaboration with Queen). He achieved massive commercial success in the 1980s starting with Let's Dance (1983). Between 1988 and 1992, he fronted the hard rock band Tin Machine before resuming his solo career in 1993. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Bowie continued to experiment with musical styles, including industrial and jungle. He also continued acting; his roles included Major Jack Celliers in Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983), Jareth the Goblin King in Labyrinth (1986), Pontius Pilate in The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), and Nikola Tesla in The Prestige (2006), among other film and television appearances and cameos. He stopped touring after 2004 and his last live performance was at a charity event in 2006. In 2013, Bowie returned from a decade-long recording hiatus with The Next Day. He remained musically active until his death from liver cancer at his home in New York City. He died two days after both his 69th birthday and the release of his final album, Blackstar (2016).

During his lifetime, his record sales, estimated at over 100 million records worldwide, made him one of the best-selling musicians of all time. In the UK, he was awarded ten platinum, eleven gold and eight silver album certifications, and released 11 number-one albums. In the US, he received five platinum and nine gold certifications. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. Rolling Stone ranked him among the greatest artists in history. As of 2022, Bowie was the best-selling vinyl artist of the 21st century.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Bowie

Studio albums
David Bowie (1967)
David Bowie/Space Oddity (1969)
The Man Who Sold the World (1970)
Hunky Dory (1971)
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972)
Aladdin Sane (1973)
Pin Ups (1973)
Diamond Dogs (1974)
Young Americans (1975)
Station to Station (1976)
Low (1977)
"Heroes" (1977)
Lodger (1979)
Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) (1980)
Let's Dance (1983)
Tonight (1984)
Never Let Me Down (1987)
Black Tie White Noise (1993)
The Buddha of Suburbia (1993)
Outside (1995)
Earthling (1997)
Hours (1999)
Heathen (2002)
Reality (2003)
The Next Day (2013)
Blackstar (2016)

''Helden''
David Bowie Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Du
Könntest du schwimmen
Wie Delphine
Delphine es tun
Niemand gibt uns eine Chance
Doch können wir siegen
Für immer und immer
Und wir sind dann Helden

Für einen Tag

Ich
Ich bin dann König
Und du
Du Königin
Obwohl sie
Unschlagbar scheinen
Werden wir Helden
Für einen Tag
Wir sind dann wir
An diesem Tag

Ich
Ich glaub' das zu träumen
(Zu träumen)
Die Mauer
Im Rücken war kalt
(So kalt)
Schüsse reißen die Luft
(Reißen die Luft)
Doch wir küssen
Als ob nicht geschieht
(Nichts geschieht)
Und die Scham fiel auf ihre Seite
Oh, wir können sie schlagen
Für alle Zeiten
Dann sind wir Helden
Nur diesen Tag

Dann sind wir Helden
Dann sind wir Helden
Dann sind wir Helden

Nur diesen Tag
Dann sind wir Helden

Overall Meaning

The song "Helden" by David Bowie (also known as "Heroes" in its English version) talks about two people who feel like underdogs in life, who are unrecognized and unappreciated. They dream of being like dolphins, free and effortless in the water, and believe that even though they aren't given a chance to succeed, they can still win. The song expresses a sense of determination to overcome obstacles and become heroes, even if it is just for one day.

The second verse of the song seems to describe a situation in which the two protagonists find themselves trapped behind a wall on a cold night, surrounded by gunfire. Despite the danger, they kiss as if nothing's happening. The line "and the shame was on the other side" suggests that they have nothing to be ashamed of, and that the shame belongs to those who are trying to control them. The two characters continue to hold onto their belief that they can be heroes, even if it's just for that one day.

Overall, "Helden" is a song about hope and the power of the human spirit to overcome adversity. It encourages us to keep dreaming, no matter how hopeless things may seem, and to believe that we can be heroes, just for one day.

Line by Line Meaning

Du
Addressing someone, possibly a companion or friend

Könntest du schwimmen
Do you have the ability to swim?

Wie Delphine
Like dolphins do

Delphine es tun
Swimming like dolphins

Niemand gibt uns eine Chance
We are not given an opportunity or chance

Doch können wir siegen
But we have the ability to win regardless

Für immer und immer
Forever and ever

Und wir sind dann Helden
And we will become heroes

Für einen Tag
For just one day

Ich
Referring to oneself

Ich bin dann König
I will then be a king

Und du
And you

Du Königin
You will be a queen

Obwohl sie
Even though they

Unschlagbar scheinen
Seem unbeatable

Werden wir Helden
We will become heroes

Für einen Tag
Just for one day

Wir sind dann wir
We will be ourselves

An diesem Tag
On this day

Ich
Referring to oneself

Ich glaub' das zu träumen
I think I'm dreaming

(Zu träumen)
(To dream)

Die Mauer
The wall

Im Rücken war kalt
Was cold against my back

(So kalt)
(So cold)

Schüsse reißen die Luft
Gunshots tear through the air

(Reißen die Luft)
(Tear through the air)

Doch wir küssen
But we kiss

Als ob nicht geschieht
As though nothing is happening

(Nichts geschieht)
(Nothing is happening)

Und die Scham fiel auf ihre Seite
And shame falls on their side

Oh, wir können sie schlagen
Oh, we can defeat them

Für alle Zeiten
For all time

Dann sind wir Helden
Then we will become heroes

Nur diesen Tag
Just for this one day

Dann sind wir Helden
Then we will become heroes

Nur diesen Tag
Just for this one day

Dann sind wir Helden
Then we will become heroes

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Brian Eno, David Bowie, Andrea Schroeder

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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