It's No Game
David Bowie Lyrics


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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!

Overall Meaning

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
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@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



All comments from YouTube:

@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

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