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)

103 New Killer Star
David Bowie Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

See the great white scar
Over Battery Park
Then a flare glides over
But I won't look at that scar
Oh my nuclear baby
Oh my idiot trance
All my idiot questions
Let's face the music and dance

Don't ever say I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready
I never said I'm better, I'm better, I'm better
Don't ever say I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready
I never said I'm better, I'm better, I'm better, I'm better than you

All the corners of the buildings
Who but we remember these
The sidewalks and trees
I'm thinking now

I got a better way
I discovered a star
I got a better way
Ready, set, go
I got a better way
A new killer star
I got a better way
Ready, set, go
I got a better way
The stars in your eyes
I got a better way
Ready, set, go
I got a better way
I discovered a star
I got a better way
Ready, set, go

See my life in a comic
Like the way they did the Bible
With the bubbles and action
The little details in color
First a horseback bomber
Just a small thin chance
Like seeing Jesus on Dateline
Let's face the music and dance

Don't ever say I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready
I never said I'm better, I'm better, I'm better
Don't ever say I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready
I never said I'm better, I'm better, I'm better, I'm better than you

All the corners of the buildings
Who but we remember these
The sidewalks and trees
I'm thinking now

I got a better way
I discovered a star
I got a better way
Ready, set, go
I got a better way
A new killer star
I got a better way
Ready, set, go
I got a better way
The stars in your eyes
I got a better way
Ready, set, go
I got a better way
I discovered a star
I got a better way
Ready, set, go
I got a better way
I got a better way
Ready, set, go
I got a better way
I got a better way
Ready, set, go
I got a better way
Ooh ooh

I got a better way
Ready, set, go

Overall Meaning

"New Killer Star" is a song about the fear of nuclear war, hinted at by the opening lyric "See the great white scar over Battery Park." The scar refers to the destruction of the World Trade Center during the 9/11 attacks, but Bowie uses it as a metaphor for the fear and destruction caused by nuclear war. Throughout the song, Bowie speaks to his "nuclear baby," a reference to the bomb itself, asking "All my idiot questions / Let's face the music and dance" as he comes to terms with the potential destruction caused by the "new killer star" or the bomb.

As the song progresses, Bowie reminisces about the little details in his life, saying "All the corners of the buildings / who but we remember these / the sidewalks and trees / I'm thinking now," reminding himself of the beauty and fragility of life. He then channels this fear into a more positive outlook, urging himself to find a better way and "discovering a star" to lead the way into a better future.

Overall, the song is a complex, multi-layered commentary on the fear of nuclear war, coming to terms with mortality, and finding hope in the face of destruction.

Line by Line Meaning

See the great white scar Over Battery Park Then a flare glides over But I won't look at that scar
Observing the devastation of Battery Park, a result of a catastrophic event that left the area scarred, there are still signs of life such as a flare. Though the evidence of destruction is overwhelming, the singer refuses to be paralyzed by fear.

Oh my nuclear baby Oh my idiot trance All my idiot questions Let's face the music and dance
The singer is doubtful about their sanity and naive in their understanding and questions about nuclear power. Despite this, they accept the challenge and embrace the situation with dignity and grace by dancing.

Don't ever say I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready I never said I'm better, I'm better, I'm better Don't ever say I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready I never said I'm better, I'm better, I'm better, I'm better than you
The singer asserts their independence and equality by rejecting any attempts to generalize or compare them with anyone else.

All the corners of the buildings Who but we remember these The sidewalks and trees I'm thinking now
The artist reflects on the memories of urban landscapes and how they are often taken for granted or forgotten. They ponder on these thoughts and engage in introspection.

I got a better way I discovered a star I got a better way Ready, set, go I got a better way A new killer star I got a better way Ready, set, go I got a better way The stars in your eyes I got a better way Ready, set, go I got a better way I discovered a star I got a better way Ready, set, go I got a better way I got a better way Ready, set, go I got a better way I got a better way Ready, set, go I got a better way Ooh ooh I got a better way Ready, set, go
The artist has found a solution or a new path forward. They have discovered a new source of inspiration or goal - this could represent new love, new purpose, or simply a new perspective towards life. They are excited and eager to embark on this new journey towards happiness and self-actualization.

See my life in a comic Like the way they did the Bible With the bubbles and action The little details in color First a horseback bomber Just a small thin chance Like seeing Jesus on Dateline Let's face the music and dance
The singer sees their life as a dramatic story with colorful details and actions, much like how the Bible is portrayed in a comic book. They compare their chances of survival to a horseback bomber - slim but still possible. Despite the odds, they face the reality of their situation and once again choose to dance.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DAVID BOWIE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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TRACKS