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've Got Lightning
David Bowie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll give you back my right to be free
I've got moon, I've got sun
Lightning, lightning, lightning
I've got me, I've got you
Frightening, frightening, frightening
I'll give you back my farm and I'll give you back my house
I'll give you back my right to be free
I'll give you back my farm and I'll give you back my house
I'll give you back my right to be free
I've got moon, I've got sun
(I've got) Lightning, lightning, lightning
I've got me, I've got you
(It's) Frightening, frightening, frightening
The lyrics to David Bowie's "Lightning Frightening" appear to be about personal liberation and the power of nature. The first two lines suggest that the singer is willing to give up material possessions in order to gain a sense of freedom. This could be interpreted as a rejection of societal norms and a desire to live on one's own terms. The repeated refrain of "lightning" and "frightening" create a sense of energy and danger, perhaps alluding to the idea that true freedom involves embracing risk and uncertainty.
When the singer says "I've got moon, I've got sun," they may be suggesting that they have everything they need in the natural world. The juxtaposition of these metaphors, which are typically seen as opposing forces, suggests that the singer has found balance between different aspects of themselves. Additionally, the use of personal pronouns ("I've got me, I've got you") suggests that the singer has found a sense of connection with another person, which further reinforces the idea that freedom is not something that can be achieved alone. Overall, the lyrics to "Lightning Frightening" seem to be about the importance of embracing risk and struggle in order to achieve personal liberation.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll give you back my farm and I'll give you back my house
I am willing to give up material possessions to right past wrongs
I'll give you back my right to be free
I recognize my past actions have restricted your freedom, and I am willing to make amends and give you control over your own life
I've got moon, I've got sun
I have power and influence over both the light and darkness in your life
Lightning, lightning, lightning
My power and influence can strike suddenly and unexpectedly
I've got me, I've got you
I acknowledge our relationship and the role we play in each other's lives
Frightening, frightening, frightening
The intensity of our relationship and the power dynamics at play can be both thrilling and terrifying
Contributed by Alexandra K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@thenicklas615
This song is so friggin' awesome I love it.
@pobbard
Great clean-up - sounds terrific. I wish this would get an official release (in this quality!)
@mister3566
It wouldn't get anywhere in the charts which is dominated by fantastic music
@jeanmori3579
Love it
@johnheppenstall4904
Considering how the UK was flirting with different sounds in 70/71, this could have been a hit, one of those unusual 'is it rock, is it pop?' things. Whatever, it's a hit for me in '22.
@nicosbomba
Nice
@Joshualuv13
Omg 😍I never ever get tired of looking at that beautiful face .
@kathrynblasdel3675
Sounds a lot like T Rex's Bang a Gong. It's got a groove that made me hum it after one listen. Yep, coulda been a hit!
@thenicklas615
Is Ronson on lead guitar on this?
@beatlz76539
That would have been nice if Hunky Dory would have used that track