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)
Cat People Live
David Bowie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can stare for a thousand years
Colder than the moon
It's been so long
Feel my blood enraged
It's just the fear of losing you
Don't you know my name?
And I've been putting out the fire with gasoline
See these eyes so red
Red like jungle burning bright
Those who feel me near
Pull the blinds and change their minds
It's been so long
Still this pulsing night
A plague I call a heartbeat
Just be still with me
You wouldn't believe what I've been through
You've been so long
Well it's been so long
And I've been putting out the fire with gasoline
Putting out the fire
With gasoline
See these tears so blue
An ageless heart that can never mend
These tears can never dry
A judgment made can never bend
See these eyes so green
I can stare for a thousand years
Just be still with me
You wouldn't believe what I've been through
You've been so long
Well it's been so long
And I've been putting out fire with gasoline
Putting out fire with gasoline
(Been so long)
(Been so long)
Well it's been so long (been so long)
I've been putting out fire (been so long)
It's been so long (been so long)
Been putting out fire (been so long)
It's been so long (been so long)
Been putting out fire (been so long)
Been so long (so long, so long)
Been so long (so long, so long)
Been putting out fire (been so long, so long, so long)
Been putting out fire (been so long, so long, so long)
Been so long
(Been so long, so long, so long)
(Been so long, so long, so long)
Putting out fire (been so long, so long, so long)
Been putting out fire (been so long, so long, so long)
Been so long
Been so long (so long, so long)
Been so long (so long, so long)
The song "Cat People" by David Bowie was written as a soundtrack for the 1982 film "Cat People." The lyrics describe the emotional turmoil of a man who is desperately trying to hold on to his relationship despite the fear of losing his partner. Bowie uses vivid imagery and powerful metaphors to convey the intensity of his protagonist's feelings.
The opening lines of the song set the tone for the entire piece as Bowie sings about his piercing green eyes that can stare for a thousand years. This symbolizes the singer's unwavering determination to hold on to his lover, even if it takes eternity. The next few lines describe the coldness of his heart, which is colder than the moon, showing how he has become emotionally detached due to the fear of losing his lover. He then expresses his intense anger, which is fueled by the fear of losing his lover, which has been building inside him.
The chorus section of the song repeats the phrase "putting out the fire with gasoline," which represents the singer's tendency to make things worse by seeking destructive solutions to his problems. The second verse describes the singer's inner turmoil and how his intense emotions lead to others fearing him. The song ends with Bowie urging his lover to be still with him, promising that her understanding of his situation will make her realize how much he has been through.
Line by Line Meaning
See these eyes so green
I have a piercing gaze that can last for eternity
I can stare for a thousand years
I have a deep-seated confidence in myself
Colder than the moon
My emotions are as frigid as the lifeless, barren rock in the sky
It's been so long
The time seems to stretch on indefinitely
Feel my blood enraged
I am consumed by feelings of passionate anger
It's just the fear of losing you
My intense emotions are fueled by a deep-seated fear of losing you
Don't you know my name?
I need to make sure that you truly understand who I am
And I've been putting out the fire with gasoline
My attempts to extinguish the flames are only making the situation worse
See these eyes so red
My eyes are bloodshot from crying
Red like jungle burning bright
My intense emotions are comparable to a blazing inferno
Those who feel me near
Those who are in my presence can sense my powerful emotions
Pull the blinds and change their minds
People are scared of me and tend to avoid me
Still this pulsing night
My heart is still racing, even though it's been so long
A plague I call a heartbeat
My heart feels like a sickness that I can't escape from
Just be still with me
All I need is your comforting presence
You wouldn't believe what I've been through
I have suffered immensely and it's hard for others to comprehend
See these tears so blue
I am shedding tears that persistently fall like the ceaseless flow of time
An ageless heart that can never mend
My heart is forever broken and can never be repaired
These tears can never dry
My tears will always continue to flow
A judgment made can never bend
There are certain things in life that can never be undone or forgiven
(Been so long)
The passage of time has been a constant theme throughout this song
(so long, so long)
I have been waiting for so long
Been putting out fire (been so long, so long, so long)
I have been trying to put out the flames of my passionate emotions for what feels like an eternity
Putting out fire (been so long, so long, so long)
Despite my efforts, my emotions continue to burn bright like a raging inferno
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Giorgio Moroder, David Bowie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
horse4you
Ultimate song. Wonderful performance. RIP David. @davidbowie
David E. Vogel
The Serious Moonlight Tour was one of the top-10 shows in rock history. Bowie was at the top of his game. Major credit goes to the sound engineers who have given this a perfect well balanced archive.
TH
@John S you say not in the top 10 but then list 7 tours….? anyway it’s completely subjective and the persons opinion, other people have other opinions, go figure.
John S
IMHO, not even in the top 10 Bowie tours. What about the Outside tour? Or Earthling? Or Heathen? Or Diamond Dogs? Or Low? How about Reality? No offense intended, just adding some perspective and balance. Check out the other performances here on YouTube, compare stagecraft, db’s voice, the band, the mix and all the rest, or give a listen to the unbelievable LiveandWell and make your own call.
Sonny Crisini
well said. saw him in Sydney as an 18 year old, amazing, unforgettable !
94 Sounds
It's such a shame there aren't more videos of this song played live. It's probably my favourite Bowie track.
Puerto Riconnect
I don't get why people act like Let's Dance isn't a great fucking album. It's one of his best.
Silvia D.B.
I think it's about perspective, let me explain: I discovered it when I was very young, it was the stage of 'Scary Monsters' in 1980, from there I learned about all of the above and well, uff! When David presented 'Let's Dance' it was a radical turn but very different from the previous ones. While those were "for the better," this more commercial approach to dance music made us question whether the path he was taking was the right one or not. Personally, I was disappointed at first, until I found myself dancing to any song (I still have the singles). And the tour has already reassured most of us, apart from the look and that silver blonde, he kept the usual themes on tour. Today (and knowing his subsequent work), it is a good job, but not the best of course!
Aubin de MONTFALCON
@Puerto RiconnectI agree with most albums you mention by comparison (worst is Tonight in my opinion), however I really, really love "1-Outside".
Aubin de MONTFALCON
@Phil Smith 100% agree with you.
Let's dance remains globally a good album, much better than the 2 others which will follow. There is another factor that also explains this criticism towards Let's Dance: this radical change between the previous "Scary Monsters" and this one: when we talk about Bowie we talk more about periods than individual albums . And "Let's dance" sort of opens the commercial era of Bowie.