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)
African Night Flight
David Bowie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
More men fall in Hullabaloo men
I slide to the nearest bar
Undermine chairman I went too far
Bent on a windfall rent a sony
Wonder how the dollar went down
Gotta get a word to Elizabeth's father
Hey no, he wished me well
Seemed like another day
I could fly into the eye of god on high
His burning eye will see me through
One of these days, one of these days
Gotta get a word through one of these days
Asanti habari habari habari
Asanti nabana nabana nabana
Getting in mood for a Mombassa night flight
Pushing my luck, gonna fly like a mad thing
Bare strip takeoff skimming over Rhino
Born in slumber less than peace
Struggle with a child whose screaming dreaming
Drowned by the props all steely sunshine
Sick of you, sick of me
Lust for the free life
Quashed and maimed
Like a valuable loved one
Left unnamed
Seemed like another day
I could fly into the eye of god on high
Seemed like another day
I could fly into the eye of god on high
Over the bushland over the trees
Wise like Orangutan that was me
His burning eye will see me through
One of these days, one of these days
Gotta get a word through one of these days
His burning eye will see me through
One of these days, one of these days
Gotta get a word through one of these days
Asanti habari habari habari
Asanti nabana nabana nabana
The opening lines of African Night Flight by David Bowie paint a picture of chaos and confusion. The lyrics suggest that the singer is experiencing an “African nightmare” and is surrounded by “Hullabaloo men,” who are causing more chaos. The singer seeks refuge in a nearby bar after causing trouble and contemplates his luck and financial situation while wondering about the whereabouts of Elizabeth's father, whom he needs to contact. The song suggests that the singer has a dream of flying like a “mad thing” over the African landscape, which he describes as both beautiful and dangerous.
The song’s lyrics reflect Bowie’s experiences in Africa, where he spent time in 1975, and the resulting disillusionment with the Western perception of the continent. He incorporates the sounds of African drumming and chanting into the song, giving it a distinct, otherworldly feel. The song's structure is unusual, with the chorus (“Seemed like another day I could fly into the eye of God on high…”) repeated three times, separated only by two stanzas. The repetition seems to reflect the singer's desire to escape his situation and fly away into the unknown.
Overall, African Night Flight is an evocative and surreal song that captures Bowie's fascination with Africa and the enigmatic nature of the continent.
Line by Line Meaning
African nightmare one-time Mormon
The singer, who once followed the Mormon religion, experiences a frightening or unsettling vision of Africa.
More men fall in Hullabaloo men
Perhaps a reference to the chaos and violence that often happens in Africa, as more men are caught up in the madness and confusion.
I slide to the nearest bar
The singer seeks escape from the horrors he sees by going to a bar.
Undermine chairman I went too far
The singer has perhaps committed some kind of subversive or anti-authoritarian act that has gone too far and may have consequences.
Bent on a windfall rent a sony
The singer is desperate to make some money, willing to do anything to try and find a break.
Wonder how the dollar went down
The singer is concerned about the decline of American economic power, which will impact his ability to make money.
Gotta get a word to Elizabeth's father
Another reference to a desire for money - perhaps the singer wishes to pitch a business idea to Elizabeth's father in order to get an investment.
Hey no, he wished me well
Elizabeth's father has rejected the singer's proposal, but at least he still wishes him the best.
Seemed like another day
The singer feels distanced from the dangers and chaos he's witnessing, as if it's just another day.
I could fly into the eye of god on high
Despite the fears and anxieties the singer feels, he has a sense of power and possibility, as if he could ascend to a godlike status.
His burning eye will see me through
The singer now feels a sense of divine protection, his situation under control due to some kind of benevolent force.
One of these days, one of these days
The singer is confident that he will someday achieve the success and power he desires.
Gotta get a word through one of these days
The singer is determined to reach the person who can help him succeed.
Asanti habari habari habari
Asanti can mean 'hello' in Swahili, suggesting the singer is greeting someone or perhaps a group of people.
Asanti nabana nabana nabana
Nabana does not have a clear meaning, but it could be another way of greeting people in Africa.
Getting in mood for a Mombassa night flight
The singer is getting ready to go on a dangerous or exciting flight in Mombasa, Kenya.
Pushing my luck, gonna fly like a mad thing
The singer is taking a big risk by going on this flight, but he's determined to do it anyway - perhaps it's a metaphor for his determination to succeed in life.
Bare strip takeoff skimming over Rhino
The plane is taking off from a runway that is not well-paved, and it's so low to the ground that it's almost like it's grazing a rhinoceros's back.
Born in slumber less than peace
A reference to the turbulent political history of Africa, where many countries have been born out of unrest and violence. The second half of the line could refer to the singer's own unsettled state of mind.
Struggle with a child whose screaming dreaming
The singer is having trouble controlling his own mind, which perhaps feels like a screaming child. He's also dreaming, indicating that this is all happening in his imagination.
Drowned by the props all steely sunshine
The sound of the airplane's engines is so loud that it drowns out everything else. 'Steely sunshine' could either be a metaphor for the harsh, direct light coming in through the windows, or for the impersonal, almost robotic nature of the airplane itself.
Sick of you, sick of me
The singer is growing tired of his own struggles and angst, perhaps realizing that they are self-generated and avoidable.
Lust for the free life
Despite his weariness and doubt, the singer still desires a life of freedom and success.
Quashed and maimed
The singer's desires and dreams have been beaten down by the harsh reality of his situation.
Like a valuable loved one
Despite the previous line, the singer still has a sense of affection for his dreams and what they represent to him.
Left unnamed
Despite the value he places on his dreams, the singer knows they have been rendered unattainable and thus unimportant.
Over the bushland over the trees
The plane is flying over natural landscapes that seem peaceful and unchanging compared to the frantic world the singer has been imagining until now.
Wise like Orangutan that was me
The singer is perhaps coming to a state of calm and wisdom, feeling a sense of enlightenment and insight.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DAVID BOWIE, BRIAN ENO
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 .