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)

An Ocassional Dream
David Bowie Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I recall how we lived
On the corner of a bed
And we'd speak of a Swedish room
Of hessian and wood
And we'd talk with our eyes
Of the sweetness in our lives
And tomorrows of rich surprise
Some things we could do

In our madness
We burnt one hundred days
Time takes time to pass
And I still hold some ashes to me
An occasional dream

And we'd sleep, oh, so close
But not really close our eyes
'Tween the sheets of summer
Bathed in blue
Gently weeping nights
It was long, long ago, long ago
And I still can't touch your name

For the days of fate
Were strong for you
Danced you far from me

In my madness
I see your face in mine
I keep a photograph
It burns my wall with time
Time
An occasional dream
Of mine
An occasional dream
Of mine

An occasional dream
Of mine

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of David Bowie's song "An Occasional Dream" are an intimate reflection of a past romantic relationship. He recalls their time spent together on a bed in a corner of a room, discussing the possibility of creating a Swedish room with hessian and wood. They talked with their eyes, communicating the sweetness of their lives and their hopes for a future filled with rich surprises. However, in their madness or intense love for each other, they indulged in burning one hundred days with each other, unaware of the time slipping away. Even now, Bowie holds on to some ashes from those days, unable to let go of the memories.

Bowie describes sleeping next to each other, but not really closing their eyes. The summer nights were bathed in blue as they wept gently. The days of fate were strong for his lover, ultimately dancing them far apart. Even in his madness, Bowie sees his lover's face in his own, and he keeps a photograph that burns on his wall with time. The occasional dream he has reminds him of the sweet moments they once shared, but which have been lost in time.

This song captures the nostalgic feeling of looking back on an old love that has since faded away. The dream-like quality of the lyrics adds to this sentiment, as if the memories are just a fleeting occasional dream. The use of imagery, such as the Swedish room and the burning of time, creates a poetic effect that resonates with anyone who has loved and lost.

Line by Line Meaning

I recall how we lived
I remember the way we existed

On the corner of a bed
Sharing a small space on the edge of a bed

And we'd speak of a Swedish room
We talked about a cozy Swedish-style room

Of hessian and wood
Decorated with rustic elements like burlap and wood

And we'd talk with our eyes
We communicated nonverbally

Of the sweetness in our lives
About how wonderful our lives were

And tomorrows of rich surprise
Anticipating exciting and joyful future moments

Some things we could do
Thinking about possibilities and things to do together

In our madness
During a time of craziness or instability

We burnt one hundred days
Metaphorically wasting a lot of time

Time takes time to pass
Time moves slowly

And I still hold some ashes to me
I still hold onto some remnants of that time

An Occasional Dream
A fleeting memory or thought

And we'd sleep, oh so close
We slept together in close proximity

But not really close our eyes
But we didn't actually close our eyes

'Tween the sheets of summer bathed in blue
Between the cool blue sheets of summertime

Gently weeping nights
Sad and poignant nights

It was long, long ago
It happened a very long time ago

And I can't touch your name
I can't get in touch with you

For the days of fater were strong for you
You were held back by events from your past

Danced you far from me
You were pulled away from me by external forces and circumstances

In my madness
During a time of turmoil or desperation

I see your face in mine
I can't stop thinking about you or seeing your face in my mind

I keep a photograph
I hold onto a physical reminder of our time together

It burns my wall with time
The photo has faded and deteriorated over time

Time,
The passing of time

An occasional dream
A memory or longing that resurfaces occasionally

Of mine
Something personal or from my own experience

An occasional dream
A memory or longing that resurfaces occasionally

Of mine
Something personal or from my own experience

An occasional dream
A memory or longing that resurfaces occasionally

Of mine
Something personal or from my own experience

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: David Bowie

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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