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)
1984
David Bowie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The times they are telling, and the changing isn't free
You've read it in the tea leaves, and the tracks are on TV
Beware the savage jaw
Of 1984
They'll split your pretty cranium, and fill it full of air
And tell that you're eighty, but brother, you won't care
Beware the savage jaw
Of 1984
Come see, come see, remember me?
We played out an all-night movie role
You said it would last, but I guess we enrolled
In 1984 (who could ask for more?)
1984 (who could ask for more?)
(More)
I'm looking for a vehicle, I'm looking for a ride
I'm looking for a party, I'm looking for a side
I'm looking for the treason that I knew in '65
Beware the savage jaw
Of 1984
Come see, come see, remember me?
We played out an all-night movie role
You said it would last, but I guess we enrolled
In 1984 (who could ask for more?)
1984 (who could ask for more?)
(More)
1984
1984
1984 (more)
1984
1984 (more)
1984
David Bowie's "1984" is a song that warns listeners of a dystopian future, one that takes place in the titular year. The lyrics speak of a world where surveillance is rampant, where the government controls every aspect of people's lives, and where rebellion and free thought are punished. The song is a warning to those who would choose to ignore the signs of this impending dystopia, urging listeners to be aware of the savage jaw of 1984.
The opening verse is an ominous warning, stating that there may come a time when people won't have a choice about the changes that are happening around them. The second verse speaks to the violence that might occur in this dystopian world, with people's minds being filled with empty promises, while their bodies are destroyed. The chorus repeats the phrase "Beware the savage jaw of 1984," a refrain that serves as a warning to listeners.
The final two verses of the song take on a more personal tone, with Bowie asking a former lover to help him find a way out of this world. There is nostalgia for the past, for the years of the 60s where treason and rebellion were common, and where people felt that they could change the world.
Overall, "1984" is a cautionary tale that implores listeners to pay attention and be aware of the signs of impending doom.
Line by Line Meaning
Someday they won't let you, now you must agree
There will come a time when they will not allow you to do as you please, so you must conform.
The times they are telling, and the changing isn't free
The present era is revealing what is to come, but change will come at a cost.
You've read it in the tea leaves, and the tracks are on TV
You can see the future coming by reading omens, and it is playing out on television.
Beware the savage jaw
Be cautious of the unexpected, life-changing events that may come your way.
Of 1984
Referring to the year the novel by George Orwell was set in, and the idea of a dystopian future.
They'll split your pretty cranium, and fill it full of air
They will alter your mind, and make you believe anything they want you to.
And tell that you're eighty, but brother, you won't care
They may make you believe you are old, but you won't be concerned because they will have manipulated your thoughts.
You'll be shooting up on anything, tomorrow's never there
You will be so caught up in the present moment, that you will not think about the future or its consequences.
Come see, come see, remember me?
Remember me, and what I have said to you about the future.
We played out an all-night movie role
We went through life and its struggles together, in a metaphorical sense.
You said it would last, but I guess we enrolled
You believed that things would stay the same, but we were mistaken and now we have no choice but to adapt.
In 1984 (who could ask for more?)
Referring to the dystopian future depicted in Orwell's novel, and questioning who would want to live in such a world.
1984 (who could ask for more?)
Repeating the phrase to emphasize the question of who would want to live in such a world.
I'm looking for a vehicle, I'm looking for a ride
I am searching for a way out, a way to escape this future.
I'm looking for a party, I'm looking for a side
I am searching for a group or a side to align with.
I'm looking for the treason that I knew in '65
I am searching for a sense of rebellion and activism, like what I experienced in the past.
1984
Referring to the year and Orwell's novel once more.
1984 (more)
Adding emphasis to the previous reference to the novel.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: David Bowie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
DrJKintobor
on I Can't Give Everything Away
I can totally imagine this being the end theme of Sabrina Online, when Sabrina marries Richard and they drive off into the sunset...
Peter Bonney
on Diamond Dogs
If you like free music and you have google chrome, try this free app .SonicHits .