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)
Fashion
David Bowie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That people from bad homes do again and again
It's big and it's bland full of tension and fear
They do it over there but we don't do it here
Fashion!
Turn to the left
Fashion!
Oooh, fashion!
We are the goon squad and we're coming to town
Beep-beep, beep-beep
Listen to me, don't listen to me
Talk to me, don't talk to me
Dance with me, don't dance with me, no
Beep-beep
There's a brand new talk, but it's not very clear
Oh bop
That people from good homes are talking this year
Oh bop, fashion it's loud and tasteless and I've heard it before
Oh bop
You shout it while you're dancing on the ole dance floor
Oh bop, fashion
Fashion!
Turn to the left
Fashion!
Right
Fashion!
We are the goon squad and we're coming to town
Beep-beep
Beep-beep
Listen to me, don't listen to me
Talk to me, don't talk to me
Dance with me, don't dance with me, no
Beep-beep
Beep-beep
Oh, bop, do do do do do do do do
Fa-fa-fa-fa-fashion
Oh, bop, do do do do do do do do
Fa-fa-fa-fa-fashion
La-la la la la la la-la
Oh, bop, do do do do do do do do
Fa-fa-fa-fa-fashion
Oh, bop, do do do do do do do do
Fa-fa-fa-fa-fashion
La-la la la la la la-la
Oh, bop, do do do do do do do do
Fa-fa-fa-fa-fashion
Oh, bop, do do do do do do do do
Fa-fa-fa-fa-fashion
La-la la la la la la-la
Oh, bop, do do do do do do do do
Fa-fa-fa-fa-fashion
Oh, bop, do do do do do do do do
Fa-fa-fa-fa-fashion
La-la la la la la la-la
In David Bowie's song Fashion, the singer is commenting on the emptiness of the trendsetting culture of the time. He's stating that there are new dances and new trends that are being practiced by people from 'bad homes' and fashionable people are copying them, but they don't even know the names of these trends. This reflects how masses blindly follow every new trend without really understanding their significance. Bowie is implying through these lines that they've been influenced by others, and they don't even know the origin or the meaning of the trend. He further adds, with the chorus of the song, that they are the goon squad and they are coming to town, indicating that they are the ones who are setting the trends, and the people from 'good homes' or fashion followers are blindly following them.
In the second verse, Bowie states that there is new talk, but it's not very clear, indicating that new trends are being talked about, but nobody seems to understand their meaning. The fashion is loud, tasteless, and he has heard it before, indicating that there's nothing new about following the latest trend. This entire song is a commentary on the emptiness of fashion culture and how people blindly follow their favorite trendsetters without really understanding their significance. The chorus further reinforces this idea by repeating the lines 'Fashion! Turn to the left, fashion! Turn to the right, fashion! We are the goon squad and we're coming to town.' Overall, the song criticizes the superficiality of fashion culture and the blind following of new trends without proper understanding.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a brand new dance but I don't know its name
A new trend has emerged, but even though it's popular among people from less fortunate backgrounds, it's not well known or understood by others.
That people from bad homes do again and again
Those who grew up in unfavorable conditions tend to engage in this new dance repeatedly.
It's big and it's bland full of tension and fear
The dance is ubiquitous and unremarkable, yet it's characterized by anxiety and apprehension.
They do it over there but we don't do it here
The dance may be common in certain areas, but it's not embraced by everyone and may be rejected or looked down upon in other places.
Fashion!
The style or trend in question is referred to as 'fashion' throughout the song.
Turn to the left
As a directive, 'turn to the left' connotes a sense of conformity, as if everyone is expected to behave or move in a certain way.
Turn to the right
The corresponding 'turn to the right' reinforces the notion of obedience and the idea that people are conforming to a set of rules.
Oooh, fashion!
The refrain 'oh, fashion!' is repeated multiple times, serving as a kind of chorus.
We are the goon squad and we're coming to town
A group of people, perhaps with some level of power or influence, are about to arrive in a certain location.
Beep-beep, beep-beep
The beeping sound effect may indicate the arrival of something important or significant.
Listen to me, don't listen to me
This series of imperatives is meant to convey conflicting messages and create a sense of disorientation or uncertainty.
Talk to me, don't talk to me
Similarly, the contradictory command to speak but also not to speak reinforces the idea that no clear rules or norms are being established.
Dance with me, don't dance with me, no
The same tension between opposing forces is reiterated with the command to dance and also not to dance, both punctuated by the definitive 'no.'
Oh bop
The exclamation 'oh bop' seems to serve little purpose beyond adding a certain rhythm or emphasis to the song.
There's a brand new talk, but it's not very clear
Another new trend or idea has emerged, but it's not well explained or understood.
That people from good homes are talking this year
Unlike the new dance, this trend seems to be coming from a more privileged sector of society.
It's loud and tasteless and I've heard it before
The artist finds this new talk to be garish and unappealing, as well as repetitive and uninspiring.
You shout it while you're dancing on the ole dance floor
The new idea or trend is so pervasive that it's hard to ignore, and even permeates the popular dance floor where it's shouted about.
La-la la la la la la-la
The gradual fade-out of nonsensical syllables suggests some kind of finality or closure to the song, even as it continues to repeat key phrases and concepts.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network
Written by: David Bowie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@John-hq5sc
There's a brand new dance
but I don't know its name
That people from bad homes
do again and again
It's big and it's bland
full of tension and fear
They do it over there but we don't do it here
[CHORUS]
Fashion! Turn to the left
Fashion! Turn to the right
Oooh, fashion!
We are the goon squad
and we're coming to town
Beep-beep
Beep-beep
Listen to me - don't listen to me
Talk to me - don't talk to me
Dance with me - don't dance with me, no
Beep-beep
There's a brand new talk,
but it's not very clear
That people from good homes
are talking this year
It's loud and tasteless
and I've heard it before
You shout it while you're dancing
on the whole dance floor
Oh bop, fashion
[CHORUS]
Listen to me - don't listen to me
Talk to me - don't talk to me
Dance with me - don't dance with me, no
Beep-beep
Beep-beep
Oh, bop, do do do do do do do do
Fa-fa-fa-fa-fashion
Oh, bop, do do do do do do do do
Fa-fa-fa-fa-fashion
La-la la la la la la-la
@drugtaken
He had best cheekbones in entire world
@alysiamerdavid-wasser9165
@Unicorns are my best friends
It's a Capricorn thing. Before you dismiss me, i'm quoting BOWIE: "I love the hills, I'm like a goat, I AM a Capricorn, so I love to hike up on the mountain." Capricorns have marvelous bone structure, so they age backward 'til about 65/70. i watch his 80s videos & can't tell if he's 20 or 40. 😍✌💞
@laurasturgeon6464
That's true
@-norsecode-
His cheekbones could cut a bitch.
@samanthalewin4397
Alysia Mer David-Wasser
Other capricorns can relate...
@alysiamerdavid-wasser9165
F32
😂😂 He knew it! His good friend Gary Oldman said of DB's cancer diagnosis, that "David called me & said: Well, I have Good News & Bad News: The Bad News is, i've been on drugs bc I've been fighting Liver Cancer. The Good News is: My Cheekbones are back!" 😅
#AintThatJustLikeMe 💗
@pensadordomediterraneo2073
His haircut was so nice in this video
@GravityBoy72
Best Bowie hair.... close call to the Reality Tour.
@danielwood4808
He always had a nice haircut.
@riverzin666
Você tem razão meu caro