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)
God Knows I_m Good
David Bowie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And a cash machine was spitting by my shoulder
And I saw the multitude of faces, honest, rich and clean
As the merchandise exchanged and money roared
And a woman hot with worry slyly slipped a tin of stewing steak
Into the paper bag at her side
And her face was white with fear in case her actions were observed
Crying
"God knows I'm good
God knows I'm good
God knows I'm good
God may look the other way today
God knows I'm good
God knows I'm good
God knows I'm good
God may look the other way today"
Then she moved toward the exit clutching tightly at her paper bag
Perspiration trickled down her forehead
And her heart it leapt inside her as the hand laid on her shoulder
She was led away bewildered and amazed
Through her deafened ears the cash machines were shrieking on the counter
As her escort asked her softly
For her name
And a crowd of honest people rushed to help a tired old lady
Who had fainted to the whirling
Wooden floor
Crying
"God knows I'm good
God knows I'm good
God knows I'm good
Surely God won't look
The other way
God knows I'm good
God knows I'm good
God knows I'm good
Surely God won't look
The other way"
The lyrics of David Bowie's song "God Knows I'm Good" tell the story of a woman who is struggling financially and resorts to stealing food from a national store. As she walks through the busy store, she sees the faces of the people exchanging money for goods and feels isolated in her actions. She puts the tin of stewing steak into her paper bag and tries to keep a low profile, closing her eyes to avoid feeling guilty. The chorus "God knows I'm good" reflects her inner turmoil as she struggles with her conscience, feeling the weight of her actions. She hopes that God might look the other way and forgive her for her sin.
As she leaves the store, she is stopped by an attendant who puts his hand on her shoulder. She is led away and questioned, feeling bewildered and amazed at the situation she's found herself in. In the background, the sound of the cash machines ringing can be heard, representing the consumerism and greediness of society. The song ends with the woman fainting to the whirling wooden floor, and the crowd of honest people coming together to help her.
The lyrics have been interpreted to represent the societal pressures and struggles of the working-class in modern capitalist societies. The woman may represent the struggles of the working-class, who are sometimes forced to resort to desperate measures to survive in a capitalist economy.
Line by Line Meaning
Was walking through the counters of a national concern
I was walking through a busy store
And a cash machine was spitting by my shoulder
And a nearby cash machine was making noise
And I saw the multitude of faces, honest, rich and clean
I saw many people from different walks of life
As the merchandise exchanged and money roared
As people bought and sold things and cash was flowing
And a woman hot with worry slyly slipped a tin of stewing steak
A nervous lady quietly stole some food
Into the paper bag at her side
And put it in her bag
And her face was white with fear in case her actions were observed
She was scared someone might see what she was doing
So she closed her eyes to keep her conscience blind
So she tried to ignore her guilty conscience
Crying
"God knows I'm good
"I know what I did was wrong
God knows I'm good
But I hope God can see my good intentions
God knows I'm good
I know deep down that I'm not a bad person
God may look the other way today
Maybe God will forgive me this time
God knows I'm good
God knows I'm good
God knows I'm good
God may look the other way today"
Then she moved toward the exit clutching tightly at her paper bag
She tried to leave while holding her stolen food
Perspiration trickled down her forehead
She was sweating from the stress
And her heart it leapt inside her as the hand laid on her shoulder
She panicked when someone touched her shoulder
She was led away bewildered and amazed
She was surprised and confused when security took her away
Through her deafened ears the cash machines were shrieking on the counter
As she was being taken away, the noise from the cash machines was loud and distracting
As her escort asked her softly
The security guard asked her gently
For her name
To identify her
And a crowd of honest people rushed to help a tired old lady
At the same time, some kind people helped an elderly woman who had fainted
Who had fainted to the whirling
She had passed out on the spinning
Wooden floor
Floor.
Crying
"God knows I'm good
God knows I'm good
God knows I'm good
Surely God won't look
I hope God won't judge me too harshly
The other way
For what I did today
God knows I'm good
God knows I'm good
God knows I'm good
Surely God won't look
The other way"
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, TINTORETTO MUSIC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAVID BOWIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
pietro cocco
I was walking through the counters of a national concern
And a cash machine was spitting by my shoulder
And I saw the multitude of faces, honest, rich and clean
As the merchandise exchanged and money roared
And a woman hot with worry slyly slipped a tin of stewing steak
Into the paper bag at her side
And her face was white with fear in case her actions were observed
So she closed her eyes to keep her conscience blind
Crying
"God knows I'm good
God knows I'm good
God knows I'm good
God may look the other way today
God knows I'm good
God knows I'm good
God knows I'm good
God may look the other way today"
Then she moved toward the exit clutching tightly at her paper bag
Perspiration trickled down her forehead
And her heart it leapt inside her as the hand laid on her shoulder
She was led away bewildered and amazed
Through her deafened ears the cash machines were shrieking on the counter
As her escort asked her softly
for her name
And a crowd of honest people rushed to help a tired old lady
Who had fainted to the whirling
wooden floor
Crying
"God knows I'm good
God knows I'm good
God knows I'm good
Surely God won't look
the other way
God knows I'm good
God knows I'm good
God knows I'm good
Surely God won't look
the other way"
Max R.
Stavo camminando tra i banchi di un’impresa nazionale
E un registratore di cassa stava sputacchiando alle mie spalle
E vidi la moltitudine di facce, oneste, ricche e pulite
Come la merce scambiata e i soldi pagati
E una donna piena di tormento fece scivolare furtivamente un barattolo di stufato
Nella borsa di carta al suo fianco
E la sua faccia era bianca di paura che i suoi gesti fossero osservati
Così chiuse gli occhi per rendere cieca la sua coscienza
Piangendo
“Dio sa che sono buona
Dio sa che sono buona
Dio sa che sono buona
Oggi Dio può guardare da un’altra parte
Dio sa che sono buona
Dio sa che sono buona
Dio sa che sono buona
oggi Dio può guardare da un’altra parte”
Poi si mosse verso l’uscita stringendo forte la borsa di carta
Il sudore le colava dalla fronte
E il cuore sobbalzò quando la mano le si posò sulla spalla
E venne portata via confusa e imbarazzata
Nelle sue orecchie assordate i registratoni di cassa stridevano sui banchi
Quando la sua scorta le chiese sottovoce come si chiamava
E una folla di persone oneste corse ad aiutare una vecchia signora stanca
Che era svenuta sul turbinante pavimento di legno
Piangendo
“Dio sa che sono buona
Dio sa che sono buona
Dio sa che sono buona
certamente Dio non guardera’
da un’altra parte
Dio sa che sono buona
Dio sa che sono buona
Dio sa che sono buona
certamente Dio non guardera’
da un’altra parte”
Nessi
The definition of "underrated". Heck, the whole album is underrated, but especially this one.
The Fakey Cake Maker
I am unashamedly obsessed with it.
Igal Flint
This album has never been "underrated"!
salvador hernandez
This song makes me cry every time. The way our society has grown is great, but also terrifying. Every day I put myself in miserable states to push myself into trying to change my surroundings. It may sound self damaging, but this is what is getting me through school. I plan to join the U.N. and make a difference however small. We need to be good to our friends, family, and neighbours. Sorry if this message upsets you in any way...
Jon Raths
+salvador hernandez This song always makes me cry also. Very under rated song by David Bowie! This is actually one of his best ever, in my opinion.
Tony Corden
+salvador hernandez Un abrazo Salvador. Tienes el mismo nombre com Allende de Chile
Star Tsar
Joining the UN ain't gonna do shit!
Andrea Prodan
I'm afraid you may discover the U.N. is quite a different institution to what it seems, extarnaly.
Try something smaller and more 'true'.
dragondog 59
No upset. God Bless .
The Fakey Cake Maker
This song in the style of Dylan with a clear social message. Honestly I cannot help but be moved to tears at this. I always imagine a woman in somewhere like Soviet Russia, starving, stealing just to get a meal and yet torn by her conscious. This song has made me cry a lot today.