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)
Hotel
David Bowie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't be holding back from me
We're living from hour to hour down here
And we'll take it when we can
It's a kind of living which recognizes
The death of the odourless man
When nothing is vanity nothing's too slow
It's not Eden but it's no sham
There is no shame
There is no hell
Like an old hell
There is no hell
And it's lights up, boys
Lights up boys
Explosion falls upon deaf ears
While we're swimming in a sea of sham
Living in the shadow of vanity
A complex fashion for a simple man
And there is no hell
And there is no shame
And there is no hell
Like an old hell
There is no hell
And the silence flies on its brief flight
A razor sharp crap shoot affair
And we light up our lives
And there's no more of me exploding you
Re-exposing you
Like everybody do
Re-exploding you
I don't know what to use
Make somebody move
Me exploding
Me exploding you
The lyrics of David Bowie's song Hotel are a commentary on the nature of modern life, particularly life in the city. The "safety zone" that Bowie refers to could be interpreted as a metaphor for the comfort and security that many people seek in their daily lives. However, instead of finding happiness and contentment in this safety zone, Bowie suggests that many people are merely "living from hour to hour down here." This idea is reinforced by the line "we'll take it when we can," which suggests that people are simply trying to survive in the face of the constant pressures and uncertainties of modern life.
The death of the odourless man is a particularly striking image in the song, symbolizing the loss of individuality and the erosion of the human soul under the weight of society's demands. The phrase "nothing is vanity, nothing's too slow" highlights the frenetic pace of modern life, where even the pursuit of leisure and pleasure is subsumed by the need to constantly keep up with the demands of work and social life.
The repeated refrain of "there is no hell, there is no shame" emphasizes Bowie's belief that the problems of modern life are not the result of personal failings or moral inadequacy but rather the inevitable consequence of living in a fundamentally flawed society. This idea is reinforced by the line "there is no hell like an old hell," which suggests that the problems of modern society have deep roots that go back to the very foundations of civilization.
Overall, Hotel is a powerful critique of modern life, offering a bleak but honest assessment of the challenges we face as individuals and as a society.
Line by Line Meaning
For we're living in a safety zone
We're living in a comfortable and predictable environment.
Don't be holding back from me
Don't hesitate to share your thoughts and feelings with me.
We're living from hour to hour down here
We're living day-by-day without any long-term plans or goals.
And we'll take it when we can
We'll embrace any opportunities that come our way.
It's a kind of living which recognizes
It's a way of life that acknowledges
The death of the odourless man
The fact that we're mortal beings who will eventually die.
When nothing is vanity nothing's too slow
When we don't care about superficial things, taking things slowly is fine.
It's not Eden but it's no sham
Our life isn't perfect, but it's not fake or artificial.
There is no hell
There is no place of eternal punishment after death.
There is no shame
There is no need to feel guilty about our past.
There is no hell
Like an old hell
There is no suffering worse than what we've already experienced.
And it's lights up, boys
Lights up boys
It's time to celebrate and enjoy life.
Explosion falls upon deaf ears
Our actions and words may not be acknowledged or appreciated.
While we're swimming in a sea of sham
While we're surrounded by deceit and falsehoods.
Living in the shadow of vanity
Living in a world where appearances matter more than substance.
A complex fashion for a simple man
A complicated world for someone who just wants a simple life.
And the silence flies on its brief flight
Moments of silence don't last long.
A razor sharp crap shoot affair
Life is unpredictable and risky.
And we light up our lives
We find joy and happiness in our own way.
And there's no more of me exploding you
I won't cause harm or hurt you anymore.
Re-exposing you
I won't reveal or expose your secrets or vulnerabilities again.
Like everybody do
Like most people tend to do.
Re-exploding you
I won't hurt you again.
I don't know what to use
I'm not sure what approach to take.
Make somebody move
Inspire someone to take action or make a change.
Me exploding
Me exploding you
Me causing harm or hurting you.
Lyrics © OBO 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
If you like free music and you have google chrome, try this free app .SonicHits .