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)

Don't be Afraid
David Bowie Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Don't be afraid to reveal what you know
Don't be afraid to conceal what you show
Oh darling
Don't be afraid
Oh darling
I said, don't be afraid to ray what you need
Don't be afraid
What you feel about me

Oh oh oh darling

Count me lucky I don't follow you
Don't be afraid of me feeling so blue
Oh darling
Lucky forever
Oh darling
I said, don't be afraid to ray what you need
Don't be afraid
What you feel about me
Oh oh oh darling

Don't be afraid to reveal what you know
Don't be afraid to conceal what you show
Oh darling
Don't be afraid
Oh darling
I said, don't be afraid to ray what you need
Don't be afraid
What you feel about me
Oh oh oh darling
Oh darling
Oh oh oh darling
Oh darling
Oh oh oh darling
Oh darling
Oh oh oh darling

Oh darling
Oh oh oh darling

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of David Bowie's "Don't Be Afraid" convey a sense of encouragement towards self-expression and honesty. The repetition of the phrase "don't be afraid" emphasizes the importance of overcoming the fear and hesitation that often hold people back from expressing themselves openly. The first verse encourages people to share their knowledge and emotions with others, without fear of judgment or rejection. The second verse seems directed towards Bowie himself, as he reminds himself not to feel discouraged or disheartened by the people who do not support him. Ultimately, the song's chorus emphasizes the importance of honesty and openness in relationships as people should not be afraid to communicate their true feelings and emotions to others.

The verses use contrasting images to illustrate the idea of openness and concealment. The first line of each verse contrasts "reveal" and "conceal," while the second line of each verse contrasts "know" and "show." This contrast highlights the inner conflict experienced by people when deciding what to express to others. The chorus repeats the phrase "don't be afraid," cementing the idea and emphasizing the importance of openness.

Interestingly, while the song's message is one of emotional encouragement, the music itself is not grand or grandiose. Instead, the gentle and intimate tone of the song adds a poignant quality to Bowie's message. Overall, "Don't Be Afraid" is a gentle reminder that honesty and openness can be both difficult and rewarding, yet are essential to building and maintaining meaningful relationships.

Line by Line Meaning

Don't be afraid to reveal what you know
You should not hesitate to share your knowledge openly.

Don't be afraid to conceal what you show
You should not hesitate to hide your true emotions and motives.

Oh darling
The singer addresses someone he cares about fondly.

Don't be afraid
The singer encourages someone to not be afraid or hesitant.

I said, don't be afraid to ray what you need
The singer specifies the importance of verbalizing one's needs and desires without fear.

What you feel about me
The singer asks the listener to express their feelings towards him.

Count me lucky I don't follow you
The singer feels fortunate to not be influenced by the listener's behavior or ideas.

Don't be afraid of me feeling so blue
The singer wants to assure the listener that they should not fear making him feel upset.

Lucky forever
The singer expresses his good fortune.

Oh oh oh darling
The singer repeats his affectionate address to the listener.

Oh darling
The singer repeats his affectionate address to the listener.