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)
Quicksand
David Bowie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Immersed in Crowley's uniform
Of imagery
I'm living in a silent film
Portraying Himmler's sacred realm
Of dream reality
I'm frightened by the total goal
Drawing to the ragged hole
No, I ain't got the power anymore
I'm the twisted name on Garbo's eyes
Living proof of Churchill's lies, I'm destiny
I'm torn between the light and dark
Where others see their targets, divine symmetry
Should I kiss the viper's fang?
Or herald loud the death of Man
I'm sinking in the quicksand of my thought
And I ain't got the power anymore
Don't believe in yourself, don't deceive with belief
Knowledge comes with death's release
Aah-aah, aah-aah, aah-aah, aah-aah
I'm not a prophet or a stone-age man
Just a mortal with the potential of a superman
I'm living on
I'm tethered to the logic of Homo Sapien
Can't take my eyes from the great salvation
Of bullshit faith
If I don't explain what you ought to know
You can tell me all about it on the next Bardo
I'm sinking in the quicksand of my thought
And I ain't got the power anymore
Don't believe in yourself, don't deceive with belief
Knowledge comes with death's release
Aah-aah, aah-aah, aah-aah, aah-aah
Don't believe in yourself, don't deceive with belief
Knowledge comes with death's release
Aah-aah, aah-aah, aah-aah, aah-aah
David Bowie's "Quicksand" is a song full of existential ponderings and obscure references. In the first verse, Bowie refers to being "closer to the Golden Dawn," which refers to a secret society involved in the occult. He also mentions "Crowley's uniform of imagery," which is a reference to the infamous British occultist Aleister Crowley. Bowie seems to be immersed in a dreamlike state, as if he's living in a "silent film portraying Himmler's sacred realm of dream reality."
In the second verse, Bowie mentions being torn between light and dark, and the idea of the "death of Man." These cryptic references are a nod to the philosophy of Nietzsche, who wrote extensively about the tension between the Dionysian and Apollonian forces in human nature, and the concept of the "death of God."
Bowie seems to be grappling with the limits of knowledge and belief, questioning the idea of faith and the nature of truth. He concludes with the line "I'm sinking in the quicksand of my thought, and I ain't got the power anymore," which suggests a sense of helplessness and a lack of control over his own mind.
Overall, "Quicksand" is a dense and introspective song that touches on themes of spirituality, mortality, and the nature of reality itself.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm closer to the Golden Dawn Immersed in Crowley's uniform Of imagery
I am drawn to the mystical Golden Dawn, and I am deeply immersed in the symbols and beliefs of the occultist Aleister Crowley.
I'm living in a silent film Portraying Himmler's sacred realm Of dream reality
My life feels like a movie but without sound, showcasing the sinister and fascinating world of Heinrich Himmler's vision, where dreams and reality are intertwined.
I'm frightened by the total goal Drawing to the ragged hole And I ain't got the power anymore No, I ain't got the power anymore
I'm scared of the ultimate goal I'm moving towards and the abyss that awaits me, and I feel powerless to stop it.
I'm the twisted name on Garbo's eyes Living proof of Churchill's lies, I'm destiny
I exist like the distorted reflection in actress Greta Garbo's eyes, serving as proof of the falsehoods propagated by Winston Churchill. My fate feels predetermined.
I'm torn between the light and dark Where others see their targets, divine symmetry
I'm caught in a struggle between good and evil, while others seem to see a divine or fated order in their lives.
Should I kiss the viper's fang? Or herald loud the death of Man I'm sinking in the quicksand of my thought And I ain't got the power anymore
I'm at a crossroads, unsure if I should embrace danger and temptation or warn others of humanity's downfall. My thoughts consume me and I feel powerless.
Don't believe in yourself, don't deceive with belief Knowledge comes with death's release Aah-aah, aah-aah, aah-aah, aah-aah
Do not trust blindly in your own beliefs, as true knowledge only comes in death. (This refrain repeats throughout the song)
I'm not a prophet or a stone-age man Just a mortal with the potential of a superman I'm living on
I am not a wise seer or a primal human. I am only a person with the potential for greatness, still trying to survive.
I'm tethered to the logic of Homo Sapien Can't take my eyes from the great salvation Of bullshit faith
I am bound by the reasoning and ways of humans, and yet I cannot look away from the promise of fake religious beliefs that offer salvation.
If I don't explain what you ought to know You can tell me all about it on the next Bardo I'm sinking in the quicksand of my thought And I ain't got the power anymore
If I fail to give you the answers you need, you can inform me in the afterlife. My thoughts still consume me and I have no control anymore.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, 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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