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)
I'm Waiting for the Man
David Bowie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Twenty six dollars in my hand
Up to Lexington, One Two Five
So sick and dirty more dead than alive
Hey white boy, what you doing uptown?
Hey white boy, you're chasing all the women around
Oh pardon me sir it's furthest from my mind
I'm just looking for a good friend of mine
I'm waiting for the man
Here he comes, he's all dressed in black
PR shoes, and a big straw hat
He's never early, he's always late
First thing you learn is that you've always got to wait
I'm waiting for the man
Brown stone building and three flights of stairs
Nobody stops you 'cause nobody cares
He's got the works and he gives you sweet taste
But then you've got to split because you've got no time to waste
I'm waiting for the man
Baby don't you holler, darling don't you scream and shout
I'm feeling good, I'm going to work it on out
I'm feeling good, I'm feeling so fine
Until tomorrow but that's just another time
I'm waiting for the man
I'm waiting for the man
Twenty six dollars lying there in my hand
Up to Lexington, One Two Five five
So sick and dirty more dead than alive
I'm waiting for the man
The song "I'm Waiting for the Man" by David Bowie tells the story of a man waiting to meet his drug dealer in New York City's Upper East Side. The first verse displays the man's anticipation and desperation for his fix, as he clutches 26 dollars in his hand and makes his way to Lexington Avenue. The repetition of "I'm waiting for the man" throughout the song emphasizes his eagerness and impatience. The second verse shows an interaction with a passerby who chides him for being uptown and chasing women, to which he replies he is merely searching for a friend, masking his true intentions.
The third verse describes the arrival of the dealer, who is identifiable by his clothing and accessories, as well as his unreliability in showing up on time. The fourth and final verse mentions the location of the exchange, a brownstone building accessible by three flights of stairs, implying secrecy and discretion. The lyrics "he's got the works and he gives you sweet taste, but then you've got to split because you've got no time to waste" emphasize the fleeting pleasure of drug use and the need for quick action to avoid getting caught.
Overall, the song paints a vivid picture of the gritty, drug-filled streets of New York City in the 1960s, and reveals the desperate lengths people go to satiate their addictions.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm waiting for the man
The singer is waiting for a drug dealer to arrive.
Twenty six dollars in my hand
The singer has $26 to exchange for drugs.
Up to Lexington, One Two Five
The location where the drug dealer will arrive.
So sick and dirty more dead than alive
The artist is in a bad state, possibly due to drug addiction.
Hey white boy, what you doing uptown?
The artist is approached by a passerby who questions his presence in a neighborhood where drugs are sold.
Hey white boy, you're chasing all the women around
The passerby accuses the singer of being a womanizer.
Oh pardon me sir it's furthest from my mind
The singer denies the accusation and explains that he is looking for his drug dealer.
I'm just looking for a good friend of mine
The artist refers to his drug dealer as a 'good friend'.
Here he comes, he's all dressed in black
The drug dealer arrives.
PR shoes, and a big straw hat
The drug dealer is described as wearing fancy clothing.
He's never early, he's always late
The drug dealer is always delayed or unreliable.
First thing you learn is that you've always got to wait
Waiting for the drug dealer is a common experience.
Brown stone building and three flights of stairs
The drug exchange occurs in a rundown building.
Nobody stops you 'cause nobody cares
Other people in the building or neighborhood do not interfere with drug transactions.
He's got the works and he gives you sweet taste
The drug dealer has a variety of drugs to sell and provides the buyer with a sample of the drug.
But then you've got to split because you've got no time to waste
The artist needs to leave the location quickly once he has obtained the drugs.
Baby don't you holler, darling don't you scream and shout
The artist encourages a companion to be quiet and not draw attention to themselves.
I'm feeling good, I'm going to work it on out
The singer is feeling the effects of the drugs and is ready to dance or move around.
I'm feeling good, I'm feeling so fine
The singer enjoys the high from the drugs.
Until tomorrow but that's just another time
The effects of the drugs will wear off eventually, but the artist is not concerned about it.
I'm waiting for the man
The song ends where it began, with the artist still waiting for the drug dealer.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LOU REED
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
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