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)

Hang Onto Yourself
David Bowie Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(One, two)

Ooh, she's a tongue-twisting storm
Come to the show tonight
Praying to the light machine
She wants my honey, not my money
She's a funky-thigh collector
Laying on electric dreams

Well, come on, come on
We've really got a good thing going
Well, come on, well, come on
If you think we're gonna make it, better hang on to yourself

We can't dance, we don't talk much, we just ball and play
But then we move like tigers on Vaseline
Well, the bitter comes out better on a stolen guitar
You're the Blessed, we're The Spiders From Mars

Well, come on, come on
You really got a good thing going
Well, come on, well come on
If you think we're gonna make it, you better hang on to yourself

Come on, oh
Lay it on

Come on, come on
We've really got a good thing going
Well, come on, well, come on
If you think we're gonna make it, you better hang on to yourself

Well, come on, come on
We've really got a good thing going

Well, come on, well, come on
If you think we're gonna make it, better hang on to yourself

Come on, ah, come on, ah
Come on, ah, come on, ah
Come on, ah, come on, ah
Come on, ah, come on, ah
Come on, ah, come on, ah
Come on, ah, come on, ah
Come on, ah, come on, ah
Come on, ah, come on, ah

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to David Bowie's song "Hang Onto Yourself" seem to express a sense of urgency and determination in the face of an uncertain future. The singer acknowledges that they have never had much going for them, but that their current situation feels particularly precarious. Their partner has left them, and they are left to fend for themselves on a radio show. Despite these setbacks, the singer remains confident and even defiant, urging the listener to "hang on to yourself" if they want to make it through.

The repetition of the refrain "come on" throughout the song reinforces this sense of urgency, and the pulsing, driving beat of the music serves to underscore the lyrics' message. The tone of the song is one of determination and even desperation, as the singer seems to be fighting against the odds to make something of their life.

Overall, "Hang Onto Yourself" seems to be a call to action, urging the listener to take control of their own destiny and persevere through difficult times. The lyrics, although somewhat opaque, leave an impression of resilience and a refusal to give up in the face of adversity.

Line by Line Meaning

Never had a good thing going
I have never really had anything that is really good in my life.

And, you know, never had a thing on
I have never been in possession of anything significant or of value.

My baby got out last Monday
My significant other left me only recently.

And me, I'm on a radio show
Despite my personal life issues, I am still appearing on a radio show.

So come on
Let's keep moving forward.

Come on
We can't stop now.

We really got a good thing going
We are doing quite well.

(Well) Come on
We really need to keep pushing forward.

(Well) Come on
Don't give up yet.

If you think we're gonna make it
If you have any hope that things will turn out alright.

You better hang on to yourself
Then you need to stay strong and not let yourself give up hope.

Oh
An expression of emotion, possibly frustration or disappointment.

Alright
An expression of agreement, acknowledging that things are not perfect but they will be okay.

Ha
An expression of joy, laughter or excitement.

Come on
Keep moving forward and don't give up hope.

Ha
An expression of joy, laughter or excitement.

Ha
An expression of joy, laughter, or excitement.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: David Bowie

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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