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)
Criminal World
David Bowie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You were the widow of a wild cat
And now I know about your special kisses
And I know you know where that's at
I guess I recognize your destination
I think I see beneath your makeup
What you want is so separation
This is no ordinary
This is no ordinary
(Oh, oh, oh)
What a criminal world
The boys are like baby-faced girls
What a criminal girl
She'll show you where to shoot your gun
What a typical mother's son
The only thing that she enjoys
Is a criminal world
Where the girls are like baby-faced boys
You've got a very heavy reputation
But no-one knows about your low-life
I know a way to find a situation
And hold a candle to your high-life disguise
You caught me kneeling at your sister's door
That was no ordinary stick-up
I'm well aware just what you're looking for
I am no ordinary
I am no ordinary
(Oh, oh, oh)
What a criminal world
The boys are like baby-faced boys
What a criminal girl
She'll show you where to shoot your gun
What a typical mother's son
The only thing that she enjoys
Is a criminal world
Where the girls are like baby-faced boys
Baby-faced boys
Baby-face
What a criminal world
What a criminal
Criminal
What a criminal world
What a criminal
The lyrics of David Bowie's "Criminal World" talk about a woman who is seen in different lights by different people - a "widow of a wild cat" who also has "other faces" and "special kisses". The singer of the song seems to have caught on to her schemes and understands that all she wants is "separation" from the ordinary world. The refrain talks about the "criminal world" where boys look like "baby-faced girls" and girls look like "baby-faced boys", which is a metaphor for a world where gender roles and identities are blurred, and where people are not what they appear to be.
On a deeper level, the song could be seen as a commentary on the nature of identity and the masks we wear to get what we want. The woman in the song may represent a certain type of person who is willing to do whatever it takes to get ahead, even if it means lying, cheating or tricking others. The singer may be someone who has seen through her façade and is no longer willing to be a part of her scheme.
Line by Line Meaning
You never told me of your other faces
You hid parts of yourself, and didn't share them with me or anyone else
You were the widow of a wild cat
You were once attached to someone or something wild, and now that person/thing is gone
And now I know about your special kisses
I know about your intimate actions and behaviors
And I know you know where that's at
I know you're fully aware of the impact of those actions
I guess I recognize your destination
I realize your ultimate goal and what you're trying to achieve
I think I see beneath your makeup
I believe I understand who you truly are, beyond the surface level
What you want is so separation
You desire to be away from others and have a sense of individuality
This is no ordinary
This is no ordinary
Whatever this is, it is not typical or average
What a criminal world
The boys are like baby-faced girls
The world is full of deceitful people, and even the seemingly innocent ones can be dangerous
What a criminal girl
She'll show you where to shoot your gun
This girl will lead you to trouble and teach you how to do bad things
What a typical mother's son
The only thing that she enjoys
Is a criminal world
Even the children of good people can end up getting involved in a criminal lifestyle
Where the girls are like baby-faced boys
Even the girls in this world are deceitful and dangerous
You've got a very heavy reputation
People think you're notorious and have a lot of baggage
But no-one knows about your low-life
Despite that reputation, there are still things about you that most people don't know
I know a way to find a situation
And hold a candle to your high-life disguise
I have a way to expose your true self and reveal the lies you tell others about your life
You caught me kneeling at your sister's door
That was no ordinary stick-up
You caught me doing something I shouldn't have been doing, and it was not a typical or casual occurrence
I'm well aware just what you're looking for
I know what you're searching for and what motivates your actions
I am no ordinary
I am no ordinary
I am not like everyone else in this world
Baby-faced boys
Baby-face
Even the seemingly pure-hearted boys can be corrupted in this world
What a criminal world
What a criminal
Criminal
This world is full of darkness and immorality
What a criminal world
This world is full of deceit and malice
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DUNCAN JOHN BROWNE, PETER GODWIN, SEAN MICHAEL LYONS
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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