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)
Black Out
David Bowie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your lips cut a smile on your face
(Your scalding face) to the cage, to the cage
She was a beauty in a cage
Too, too high a price
To drink rotting wine from your hands
(Your fearful hands) get me to a doctor's, I've been told
I just cut and blackout
I'm under Japanese influence and my honor's at stake
The weather's grim, ice on the cages
Me, I'm Robin Hood and I puff on my cigarette
Panthers are steaming, stalking, screaming
If you don't stay tonight
I will take that plane tonight
I've nothing to lose, nothing to gain
I'll kiss you in the rain
Kiss you in the rain (kiss you in the rain)
Kiss you in the rain (kiss you in the rain)
In the rain (in the rain)
Get me to the doctor
Get me off the streets
(Get some protection)
Get me on my feet
(Get some direction)
Hot air gets me into a blackout
Oh, get me off the streets
Get some protection
Oh, get me on my feet
(Woo-hoo) while the streets block off
Getting some skin exposure to the blackout (get some protection)
Get me on my feet (get some direction, woo-hoo)
Oh, get me on my feet
Get me off the streets (get some protection)
Get a second, get a (woo-hoo)
Yeah, get a second breath and pass, second go, blackout
In David Bowie’s song Blackout, the lyrics tell a story of someone who is struggling with addiction and struggling to stay in control. The beginning of the song paints a picture of the singer as a confident woman, walking past with a smile on her face. However, as the lyrics progress, it is revealed that she is trapped in a metaphorical cage and is paying too a high price for the intoxicating things that she is drinking from her own hands. She needs help and wants someone to “get me to a doctor’s” but it is clear that she is conflicted, as her own honor is at stake.
Throughout the song, the imagery of a cage is repeated, perhaps representing addiction or the feeling of being trapped in one’s own self-destructive behavior. Lyrics like “panthers are steaming, stalking, screaming” and “the weather’s grim, ice on the cages” seem to imply a sense of danger and urgency, as if the singer is being pursued or hunted down for her addiction.
The chorus repeats the desperate plea for help, with the singer asking to be “get me off the streets”, “get me on my feet” and “get some protection”. The song suggests a sense of desperation and hopelessness, with the singer caught in a cycle of addiction and unable to break free.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh you, you walk on past
The singer is addressing someone who is walking away.
Your lips cut a smile on your face
The person is smiling as they walk away.
(Your scalding face) to the cage, to the cage
The person is angry or upset and going into confinement.
She was a beauty in a cage
A reference to someone who was once trapped or confined.
Too, too high a price
The cost is too great for something.
To drink rotting wine from your hands
The person is offering something undesirable to the singer.
(Your fearful hands) get me to a doctor's, I've been told
The singer believes the person's hands are trembling out of fear and they need medical attention.
Someone's back in town the chips are down
Someone important has returned but the situation is not good.
I just cut and blackout
The artist is experiencing a sudden loss of consciousness.
I'm under Japanese influence and my honor's at stake
The artist is not in control of their actions and their reputation is in danger.
The weather's grim, ice on the cages
The setting is cold and bleak, possibly a reference to prison or confinement.
Me, I'm Robin Hood and I puff on my cigarette
The artist is identifying with the legendary outlaw and smoking a cigarette.
Panthers are steaming, stalking, screaming
The singer is surrounded by dangerous and aggressive animals.
If you don't stay tonight
The singer is trying to persuade someone to stay.
I will take that plane tonight
The singer will leave town if the other person does not stay.
I've nothing to lose, nothing to gain
The artist does not feel strongly about the situation either way.
I'll kiss you in the rain
The artist is romantic and is willing to express their feelings in the rain.
(kiss you in the rain)
Repeating the previous line for emphasis.
Get me to the doctor
The singer reiterates their need for medical attention.
Get me off the streets
The artist wants to avoid danger from being on the streets.
(Get some protection)
Internal thought from the artist - they need protection.
Get me on my feet
The artist wants to feel stable and on solid ground.
(Get some direction)
Internal thought from the singer - they need guidance or clarity.
Hot air gets me into a blackout
The artist feels overwhelmed or dizzy due to the heat.
Oh, get me off the streets
Reiteration of the need to leave the public space for safety.
Get some protection
The singer emphasizes their need for protection.
Oh, get me on my feet
The singer repeats their desire for stability.
(Woo-hoo) while the streets block off
The artist rejoices as the streets become inaccessible.
Getting some skin exposure to the blackout (get some protection)
The artist is vulnerable and needs protection from whatever is causing their blackout.
Get me on my feet (get some direction, woo-hoo)
Reiteration of the need for both stability and guidance.
Get me off the streets (get some protection)
Reiteration of the need to leave the public space to avoid danger.
Get a second, get a (woo-hoo)
The artist wants another chance or an opportunity for a fresh start.
Yeah, get a second breath and pass, second go, blackout
The artist wants to try again and make another attempt, even though they have experienced failure or loss before.
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing
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
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