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)
Oh! You Pretty Things
David Bowie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Put on some clothes, shake up your bed
Put another log on the fire for me
I've made some breakfast and coffee
Look out my window, what do I see
A crack in the sky and a hand reaching down to me
All the nightmares came today
And it looks as though they're here to stay
What are we coming to?
No room for me, no fun for you
I think about a world to come
Where the books were found by the golden ones
Written in pain, written in awe
By a puzzled man who questioned
What we were here for
All the strangers came today
And it looks as though they're here to stay
Oh, you pretty things (oh, you pretty things)
Don't you know you're driving your
Mamas and papas insane?
Oh, you pretty things (oh, you pretty things)
Don't you know you're driving your
Mamas and papas insane?
Let me make it plain
Gotta make way for the Homo Superior
Look out at your children
See their faces in golden rays
Don't kid yourself, they belong to you
They're the start of the coming race
The earth is a bitch
We've finished our news
Homo Sapiens have outgrown their use
All the strangers came today
And it looks as though they're here to stay
Oh, you pretty things (oh, you pretty things)
Don't you know you're driving your
Mamas and papas insane?
Oh, you pretty things (oh, you pretty things)
Don't you know you're driving your
Mamas and papas insane?
Let me make it plain
Gotta make way for the Homo Superior
The song 'Oh! You Pretty Things' by David Bowie is a psychedelic anthem that highlights the arrival of a new generation of human beings, the Homo Superior, who will replace Homo Sapiens as the dominant species. The lyrics suggest that the human race is gradually becoming obsolete, and only those individuals who adapt to the new order will survive. The song also features a sense of urgency, as if Bowie is warning people to wake up and embrace this change before it's too late.
The opening lines, "Wake up, you sleepy head / Put on some clothes, shake up your bed," are a call to action, urging listeners to prepare for what is to come. Bowie describes a "crack in the sky" and "all the nightmares" coming at once. This could be interpreted as an apocalypse or some kind of societal upheaval. Bowie goes on to suggest that the books of the future will be written by "the golden ones," who have evolved to a higher state of being, and who will lead us to a brighter future.
The chorus repeats the titular refrain of "Oh, you pretty things," and suggests that while the Homo Sapiens may be losing their grip on reality, the Homo Superior will thrive, driving their "Mamas and Papas insane." The song ends with a final plea to "make way for the Homo Superior" and an acknowledgment that the earth is changing.
Overall, 'Oh! You Pretty Things' is a powerful statement on the evolution of humanity and the importance of adapting to changing circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
Wake up, you sleepy head
It's time to stop being idle.
Put on some clothes, shake up your bed
Get dressed and be productive.
Put another log on the fire for me
Please add some fuel to the fire I've started.
I've made some breakfast and coffee
I've prepared some food and drink for us.
Look out my window, what do I see
I see something unexpected outside.
A crack in the sky and a hand reaching down to me
There's a surreal event happening, like a tear in the fabric of reality.
All the nightmares came today
All my worst fears have come true.
And it looks as though they're here to stay
It seems like these nightmares will be permanent.
What are we coming to?
What is happening to us?
No room for me, no fun for you
We're being unfairly constrained and denied enjoyment.
I think about a world to come
I ponder the future of humanity.
Where the books were found by the golden ones
A future society where knowledge is controlled by a privileged few.
Written in pain, written in awe
The knowledge and stories contained within those books would evoke strong emotions.
By a puzzled man who questioned
What we were here for
The author was unsure of humanity's purpose.
All the strangers came today
Unfamiliar people have arrived on the scene.
And it looks as though they're here to stay
It appears they are planning to remain for a while.
Oh, you pretty things (oh, you pretty things)
Don't you know you're driving your
Mamas and papas insane?
The beautiful and attractive young people are causing their parents to become crazy.
Let me make it plain
Gotta make way for the Homo Superior
We need to clear the path for an advanced human species to take over.
Look out at your children
See their faces in golden rays
Observe your offspring and bask in their goodness.
Don't kid yourself, they belong to you
They're the start of the coming race
Don't be fooled, your children are your responsibility and are the beginning of the next generation of humanity.
The earth is a bitch
We've finished our news
The earth is angry and we have caused enough destruction.
Homo Sapiens have outgrown their use
Our species has become obsolete.
All the strangers came today
And it looks as though they're here to stay
Once again, unfamiliar people have arrived and it seems like they will be sticking around for a while.
Oh, you pretty things (oh, you pretty things)
Don't you know you're driving your
Mamas and papas insane?
The attractive and charming youth continue to cause their parents to lose their minds.
Let me make it plain
Gotta make way for the Homo Superior
Reiterating the idea that a more advanced human species will take over and we need to make room for them.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: David Bowie
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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