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)
Dancing with the Big Boys
David Bowie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Dancing with the big boys)
You chew your fingers and stare at the floor
(Dancing with the big boys)
One wrong word and you're out of sync
Talking bout a hands on policy
(Big boys)
(Dancing with the big boys)
They weren't bad, they weren't brave
Nothing is embarrassing
(Dancing with the big boys)
There are too many people, too much belief
(Dancing with the big boys)
Where there's trouble there's poetry
(Dancing with the big boys)
Your family is a football team
(Big boys)
This dot marks your location
(Dancing with the big boys)
Loneliness in a free society
(Dancing with the big boys)
(Big boys)
This can be embarrassing
(Big boys)
Dancing with the big boys
(Dancing with the big boys)
(Big boys)
(Big boys)
The lyrics to David Bowie's "Dancing with the Big Boys" seem to describe a sense of apprehension and discomfort with the state of society. The opening lines suggest that there is something going on that is troubling, and the refrain of "dancing with the big boys" implies that one is engaging with the powerful, influential people who are driving these troubling events. The line "one wrong word and you're out of sync" indicates that there is a certain amount of pressure to conform and follow the lead of these powerful individuals, and that failure to do so could result in being cast out. The reference to a "hands on policy" suggests that these people are not passive observers, but actively involved in shaping events.
The following stanza continues to paint a bleak picture. The phrase "death to the trees" is a powerful image of destruction and loss, and the line "they weren't bad, they weren't brave" suggests that this destruction is not motivated by any kind of moral imperative, but rather a thoughtless, senseless act. The line "nothing is embarrassing" is a curious one, suggesting perhaps that the singer is resigned to the state of affairs, or that there is a moral vacuum in which there are no consequences for bad behavior. The next lines continue to emphasize the sense of unease and lack of control, with too many people and too much belief leading to trouble, but also to poetry. The final lines bring the message home, with the image of a family being compared to a football team, and the sense that one's individuality is subsumed into a larger, faceless entity. The repeated refrain of "big boys" serves to reinforce the sense of powerlessness and helplessness that pervades the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Something's going on in society
The current situation in society seems to be peculiar and alarming.
You chew your fingers and stare at the floor
You are clearly uncomfortable and nervous about something that's happening.
One wrong word and you're out of sync
If you say something that doesn't align with the views of the group, you will be ostracized.
Talking bout a hands on policy
The group is discussing an aggressive and intrusive approach to solving a problem.
Death to the trees
The destruction of nature is viewed as acceptable and even desirable by the group.
They weren't bad, they weren't brave
The group doesn't care about the value or qualities of the trees they are destroying.
Nothing is embarrassing
The group is immune to shame, and doesn't feel any embarrassment about their actions or beliefs.
There are too many people, too much belief
The group feels that there is too much diversity and too many different opinions in society.
Where there's trouble there's poetry
The emotions and experiences of difficult situations can inspire artistic expression.
Your family is a football team
The group promotes the idea that family members must be loyal to each other at all times, like a sports team.
This dot marks your location
You are being tracked and monitored by some kind of technology (e.g. GPS).
Loneliness in a free society
Even in a society with many freedoms, some individuals still feel isolated and alone.
This can be embarrassing
The group acknowledges that some of their actions or beliefs may be socially unacceptable or shameful.
Dancing with the big boys
Joining a powerful and influential group, and acting according to their norms and values.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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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