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)
Alabama Song
David Bowie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, don't ask why, no, don't ask why
For we must find the next whiskey bar
Or if we don't find the next whiskey bar
I tell you we must die, I tell you we must die
I tell you, I tell you, I tell you we must die
We've lost our good old mama
And must have whiskey or you know why
Oh, moon of Alabama, it's time to say goodbye
We've lost our good old mama
And must have whiskey or you know why
Oh, show us the way to the next little dollar
Oh, don't ask why, oh, don't ask why
For we must find the next little dollar
Or if we don't find the next little dollar
I tell you we must die, I tell you we must die
I tell you, I tell you, I tell you we must die
Oh, moon of Alabama, it's time to say goodbye
We've lost our good old mama
And must have dollar or you know why
Oh, moon of Alabama, it's time to say goodbye
We've lost our good old mama
And must have dollar or you know why
Oh, show us the way to the next little girl
Oh, don't ask why, no, don't ask why
For we must find the next little girl
Or if we don't find the next little girl
I tell you we must die, I tell you we must die
I tell you, I tell you, I tell you we must die
Oh, moon of Alabama, it's time to say goodbye
We've lost our good old mama
And must have little girl or you know why
Oh, moon of Alabama, it's time to say auf Wiedersehen
We've lost our good old mama
And must have little girl or you know why
You know why, you know why
"Alabama Song" is a song composed by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill in 1927 for their opera, "Mahagonny." It was later popularized by David Bowie in 1978. The song is about the desperation of alcoholics and the lengths they will go to acquire their next drink. The singer pleads with the moon of Alabama to guide him to the next whiskey bar, little dollar, and little girl. The urgency is heightened by the repeated declaration that if they don't find what they're looking for, they will die.
The song is a commentary on the excesses of capitalism and the desperation that drives people to seek out the pleasures that it promises. The repeated refrain of "don't ask why" suggests that the characters are not even sure why they are doing what they are doing, but they feel compelled to continue nonetheless. The song also explores the themes of loss and the desire for escape, with the repeated reference to the loss of their "good old mama."
The song's haunting melody and melancholy lyrics make it a powerful commentary on the struggles of addiction and the allure of escapism. Bowie's version is an iconic interpretation of the song, and his unique vocal inflections add an extra layer of emotion to the already poignant lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, show me the way to the next whiskey bar
We are in dire need of alcohol as it is the only thing that can provide us solace.
Oh, don't ask why, no, don't ask why
The reason for our need for alcohol is not important, we just need it.
For we must find the next whiskey bar
Our survival depends on finding the next place to get our fix.
Or if we don't find the next whiskey bar
If we fail in our mission to find alcohol, we will not be able to go on living.
I tell you we must die, I tell you we must die
Without alcohol, we will not be able to continue living and thus will face death.
Oh, moon of Alabama, it's time to say goodbye
We acknowledge that we must part ways and leave Alabama behind.
We've lost our good old mama
We have lost a nurturing figure and feel lost without them.
And must have whiskey or you know why
We need whiskey in order to forget our troubles and move on with our lives.
Oh, show us the way to the next little dollar
We need money to acquire alcohol and survive.
For we must find the next little dollar
Our future depends on finding a way to get money, even if it means struggling.
Oh, moon of Alabama, it's time to say auf Wiedersehen
We are leaving Alabama behind and moving on, saying goodbye for now.
And must have little girl or you know why
We need human connection and intimacy, something to help us through our troubles.
You know why, you know why
The reason we need alcohol, money, and intimacy is deeply personal and does not need to be explained to anyone.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Kurt Weill, Bertolt Brecht
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mica Hale
Strange how so many people do not like this version. I am used to listening to it for nearly 30 years now and I love and appreciate every single (live) version Bowie has done of that song that can be found on Youtube. And stop comparing this to the Doors' version, those are two completely different pairs of shoes. Maybe that someone who is used to the Doors' version might be a little bit shocked by Bowie's weird interpretation, I think one has to get used to it.
James Barnhart
To appreciate this version check the 1930 version of Lotte Lenya singing it. This is very close to the original, the Doors version is a sterile version to fit with rock culture. Kurt Weill, who wrote the music also wrote Mack the Knife. Bobby Darrin really cleaned up that song as well.
DRL613
I had only known the Door's version. Then I heard this version (about 1979) and was instantly converted! While Door's is closer to the original version this is an amazing interpretation.
terrypussypower
I love this version! It's so totally off-the-wall, but typically Bowie! His vocals are amazing!
lyonslaforet
It's one of David Bowie's most offbeat songs but I like it.
Saint Dennis
Classic Bowie. I love this song. I'm surprised there were so many Live versions, but the Studio one was so much harder to track, but thank god you have this one on Youtube!
Kellen Quigley
I like how Bowie included the "little dollar" verse that Brecht and Weill wrote for the middle. It's odd to me that The Doors left it out.
murielsartre
I hope y'all know the original original version, as sung by Lotte Lenye and company in 1930 (which you can find on YouTube, of course), is even weirder than this one. The Doors' version is rather poppier by comparison, but that's not a bad thing, I suppose. Bowie's version is definitely closer to the original in feel.
I'll bet Bowie knew this wasn't going to go anywhere in terms of sales with anyone save for the diehard fans, so not only could he cover a song he liked, but he could also clear out another part of his RCA contract AND give a big thumb in the eye to the management and lawyers he'd been suing to escape at the same time.
The Runaway Script
If he was intending to screw RCA over, it might have failed. When it was released as a single in December of 1979, it ended up reaching #23 in the charts.
Andrew Demetrius
I prefer it over this version, though I do love David Bowie and also the Doors Version.....