'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore itemprop=offers
David Bowie Lyrics


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Man, she punched me like a dude
Hold your mad hands, I cried
'Tis a pity she was a whore
'Tis my curse, I suppose
That was patrol
That was patrol
This is the war
Black struck the kiss, she kept my cock
Smote the mistress, drifting on
'Tis a pity she was a whore
She stole my purse, with rattling speed
That was patrol
This is the war
'Tis a pity she was a whore

Man, she punched me like a dude
Hold your mad hands, I cried
'Tis a pity she was a whore
'Tis my fate, I suppose
For that was patrol
That was patrol
'Tis a pity she was a whore





'Tis a pity she was a whore

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to David Bowie's song 'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore are quite cryptic and can be interpreted in several ways. The song could be interpreted as a commentary on the destructive power of love and the pain that it can cause. The opening lines, "Man, she punched me like a dude/Hold your mad hands, I cried" suggest a violent encounter. The singer seems to be lamenting the fact that he fell in love with someone who was not only emotionally damaging, but also physically so. The repetitive line "That was patrol/This is the war" might suggest that the singer is stuck in some sort of cycle of abuse, with each encounter with this woman feeling like a battle.


The chorus, "Tis a pity she was a whore," might be referring to the societal expectations and restrictions placed on women who engage in sexual relationships outside of marriage or monogamous partnerships. The singer seems to be acknowledging that society might be judging this woman harshly, but he is still struggling with the impact she has had on his life. The line "She stole my purse, with rattling speed" might suggest that this woman is not only emotionally and physically damaging, but also manipulative and potentially even dangerous.



Line by Line Meaning

Man, she punched me like a dude
She hit me as if she were a man


Hold your mad hands, I cried
I begged her to stop acting violently


'Tis a pity she was a whore
It's unfortunate that she was a prostitute


'Tis my curse, I suppose
It's my fate and burden to deal with


That was patrol
Referring to a previous experience


That was patrol
Referring to a previous experience


This is the war
This is the current battle or conflict


Black struck the kiss, she kept my cock
She took my money after we kissed


Smote the mistress, drifting on
She attacked another woman who was passing by


She stole my purse, with rattling speed
She took my money very quickly


That was patrol
Referring to a previous experience


This is the war
This is the current battle or conflict


'Tis a pity she was a whore
It's unfortunate that she was a prostitute


Man, she punched me like a dude
She hit me as if she were a man


Hold your mad hands, I cried
I begged her to stop acting violently


'Tis a pity she was a whore
It's unfortunate that she was a prostitute


'Tis my fate, I suppose
It's my fate and burden to deal with


That was patrol
Referring to a previous experience


That was patrol
Referring to a previous experience


'Tis a pity she was a whore
It's unfortunate that she was a prostitute




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: David Bowie

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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