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)
It's No Game
David Bowie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Two
One-two-two
Shiruetto ya kage ga kakumei o miteiru
Mo tengoku no giyu no kaidan wa nai
Silhouettes and shadows
No more free steps to heaven
It's no game
Ore genjitsu kara shime dasare
Nani ga okkote irunoka wakara nai
Doko ni kyokun wa arunoka
Hitobito wa yubi o orareteiru
Konna dokusaisha ni iyashime rareru nowa kanashii
I am bored from the event
I really don't understand the situation
And it's no game
Documentaries on refugees
Couples 'gainst the target
You throw a rock against the road
And it breaks into pieces
Draw the blinds on yesterday
And it's all so much scarier
Put a bullet in my brain
And it makes all the papers to
Nammin no kiroku eiga
Hyoteki o se ni shita koibito tachi
Michi ni ishi o nage reba
Kona gona ni kudake
Kino ni huta o sureba
Kyohu wa masu
Ore no atama ni tama o buchi kome ba
Shinbun wa kaki tateru
So where's the moral
When people have their fingers broken
To be insulted by these fascists
It's so degrading
And it's no game
Shut up!
Shut up!
The opening lines of David Bowie's It's No Game imply a sense of urgency and chaos. The repeated counting of "One, Two, One-Two-Two" sets an anxious rhythm. The song is a mixed bag of Japanese and English lyrics. The opening line "shiruetto ya kage ga kakumei o miteiru" means "Silhouettes and shadows, watch the revolution." Bowie emphasizes that a revolution is taking place but with shadows and silhouettes, which may imply the presence of unidentifiable forces or hidden players, making it hard to tell who is really behind the movement.
As the song progresses, Bowie seems to shift his perspective from an observer's to a participant's. He talks about his detachment from reality when he sings "Ore genjitsu kara shime dasare, nani ga okkote irunoka wakara nai" that means "I am shut out of reality and I don’t know what’s going on." He then sings about the horrors of war and how people are affected by it. In the lines "Documentaries on refugees, Couples 'gainst the target, You throw a rock against the road, And it breaks into pieces" and "Nammin no kiroku eiga, Hyoteki o se ni shita koibito tachi, Michi ni ishi o nage reba, Kona gona ni kudake," Bowie highlights the tragedy of human suffering caused by conflict and war.
Bowie's It's No Game is a song that reflects on the human condition when faced with violence, war, and power struggles. It suggests how social and political issues can cause detachment and disorientation, emphasizing the need for moral and ethical values to lead society.
Line by Line Meaning
One
Counting off the start of the song.
Two
Continuing the count off.
One-two-two
Finishing the count off before the song begins.
Shiruetto ya kage ga kakumei o miteiru
People are watching the political revolution from a distance and in the shadows.
Mo tengoku no giyu no kaidan wa nai
There are no more easy ways to get to heaven; it's no longer guaranteed.
Silhouettes and shadows
Repeating the opening line to emphasize the theme of watching but not being engaged in the revolution.
Watch the revolution
Encouraging people to pay attention to the changes happening around them.
No more free steps to heaven
It's becoming harder and harder to live a good life and get into heaven.
It's no game
The issues being sung about are serious and important; it's not something to be taken lightly.
Ore genjitsu kara shime dasare
The artist is being forced back into reality.
Nani ga okkote irunoka wakara nai
The situation being faced is confusing and not well understood.
Doko ni kyokun wa arunoka
There doesn't seem to be any guidance or direction.
Hitobito wa yubi o orareteiru
People are being forced to conform to certain ideas and beliefs.
Konna dokusaisha ni iyashime rareru nowa kanashii
It's sad that someone who speaks out against this system is ostracized and punished for doing so.
I am bored from the event
The singer is not engaged or interested in the situation.
I really don't understand the situation
The artist lacks clarity about the events taking place.
And it's no game
Once again emphasizing the seriousness of the situation.
Documentaries on refugees
Calling attention to the hardships refugees face through documentary films about their struggles.
Couples 'gainst the target
People in relationships standing together against unfair treatment.
You throw a rock against the road and it breaks into pieces
The situation is fragile and can easily turn bad.
Draw the blinds on yesterday
Forget about the past; focus on the present.
And it's all so much scarier
The reality of the situation is becoming increasingly frightening.
Put a bullet in my brain
Feels so hopeless that the singer would rather die than face the situation.
And it makes all the papers to
The media will report on such an event, adding to the sense of hopelessness and desperation.
Nammin no kiroku eiga
Documentary films about refugees.
Hyoteki o se ni shita koibito tachi
Couples targeted by opposing forces for being together.
Michi ni ishi o nage reba
Throw a rock at the road.
Kona gona ni kudake
Breaking things into smaller pieces.
Kino ni huta o sureba
Yesterday, it was a mere shot.
Kyohu wa masu
Fear intensifies.
Ore no atama ni tama o buchi kome ba
When a bullet enters my head.
Shinbun wa kaki tateru
The newspapers will write about it.
So where's the moral
What is the lesson to be learned?
When people have their fingers broken
When people try to do something and fail, getting hurt in the process.
To be insulted by these fascists
Being belittled and discriminated against by people who promote fascist ideals.
It's so degrading
It's a terrible feeling to be humiliated and debased.
And it's no game
Once again emphasizing that this is a serious matter with serious consequences.
Shut up!
Ending with a bold command, perhaps to quiet the voices that promote fascist ideas and inaction in the face of difficult situations.
Shut up!
Repeating the previous line for added emphasis.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: David Bowie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@pierrotinturquoise
[Intro]
"1-2, 1-2-2"
Shiruetto ya kage ga kakumei o miteiru
Mo tengoku no giyu no kaidan wa nai
[Verse 1]
Silhouettes and shadows
Watch the revolution
No more free steps to heaven!
[Chorus]
It's no game
Ore genjitsu kara shime dasare
Nani ga okkote irunoka wakara nai
Doko ni kyokun wa arunoka hitobito wa yubi o orareteiru
Konna dokusaisha ni iyashime rareru nowa kanashii
[Verse 2]
I am bored from the event
I really don't understand the situation!
[Chorus]
And it's no game
[Bridge]
Documentaries on refugees
Couples 'gainst the target
You throw a rock against the road
And it breaks into pieces
Draw the blinds on yesterday
And it's all so much scarier
Put a bullet in my brain
And it makes all the papers
Nammin no kiroku eiga
Hyoteki o se ni shita koibito tachi
Michi ni ishi o nage reba kona gona ni kudake
Kino ni huta o sureba kyohu wa masu
Ore no atama ni tama o buchi kome ba
Shinbun wa kaki tateru
[Verse 3]
So where's the moral
When people have their fingers broken?
To be insulted by these fascists
It's so degrading
[Chorus]
And it's no game
[Outro]
Shut up!
Shut u...
@josemcknight8686
One
Two
One-two-two
Shiruetto ya kage ga kakumei o miteiru
Mo tengoku no giyu no kaidan wa nai
Silhouettes and shadows
Watch the revolution
No more free steps to heaven
It's no game
Ore genjitsu kara shime dasare
Nani ga okkote irunoka wakara nai
Doko ni kyokun wa arunoka
Hitobito wa yubi o orareteiru
Konna dokusaisha ni iyashime rareru nowa kanashii
I am bored from the event
I really don't understand the situation
And it's no game
Documentaries on refugees
Couples 'gainst the target
You throw a rock against the road
And it breaks into pieces
Draw the blinds on yesterday
And it's all so much scarier
Put a bullet in my brain
And it makes all the papers to
Nammin no kiroku eiga
Hyoteki o se ni shita koibito tachi
Michi ni ishi o nage reba
Kona gona ni kudake
Kino ni huta o sureba
Kyohu wa masu
Ore no atama ni tama o buchi kome ba
Shinbun wa kaki tateru
So where's the moral
When people have their fingers broken
To be insulted by these fascists
It's so degrading
And it's no game
Shut up!
Shut up
@darrenwalshe8513
Nobody really talks about this album, one of his best ❤
@lizzysimner7715
I actually think this was his really oddball album very different I love it
@gregf.4814
This is from the first Bowie record I bought for myself back in the day when ‘Let’s Dance’ was testing up the charts. I wanted to check out his older material working backwards. This was the previous album, which I bought on cassette. I played this first track and was astonished - the Japanese woman speaking, him shredding his voice almost in the first lyric, Robert Fripp’s other worldly guitar and ending in Bowie screaming “Shut up!” at the end. I was floored. And it’s only track one!
@brianofarrell4982
loop their cart ridge
@plasticwrapcharlie
how is this not a mainstay in every collection? It's punk, it's theatre, it's rock and roll that's abrasive and amazing
it's like drunken burlesque
@0mega.mechan1c.
I WHOLE-HEARTEDLY AGREE. "I am barred from the event. I really don't understand... the situa SHUUUNN! And it's. No.Game"
@ThePaulv12
@Del Stevenson Nice description. To me Robert Fripp is the instrument of Bowie's "drunken burlesque" rampage in no small way. Well done Del!
@Revelwoodie
@ThePaulv12 Bowie had a talent for just "knowing" what guitarists would be a perfect fit for what he was trying to do. And he only worked with the BEST. This would not have been the same album without Fripp. Bowie could just KNOW that. True artist.
@seanp8220
Which collection are you thinking of? One of mad songs - include traffic berkshire poppies then
@Davmicon
It's also 'boys who like girls' etc by Blur