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)
Slip Away
David Bowie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Drags his bones
To see the Yankees play
Bones Boy talks and flickers gray
Oh, they slip away
Once a time
They nearly might have been
No one knew what they could do
Except for me and you
They slip away
They slip away
Don't forget
To keep your head warm
Twinkle twinkle Uncle Floyd
Watching all the world
And war torn
How I wonder where you are
Oo-o
Sailing over
Coney Island
Twinkle twinkle Uncle Floyd
We were dumb
But you were fun, boy
How I wonder where you are
Oo-o
Oogie knew there's never ever time
Some of us will always stay behind
Down in space it's always 1982
The joke we always knew
Oo-oo
What'sa matter with you
C'mon, let's go
Slip away
Oo-o
Don't forget
To keep your head warm
Twinkle twinkle Uncle Floyd
Watching all the world
And war torn
How I wonder where you are
Oo-o
Sailing over
Coney Island
Twinkle twinkle Uncle Floyd
We were dumb
But you were fun, boy
How I wonder where you are
Oo-o
Sailing
David Bowie's song Slip Away is a poignant tribute to two friends, Bones Boy and Oogie, who once had dreams of making it big in the entertainment industry but were ultimately forgotten by the world. The opening lines paint a picture of Oogie as a tired and worn-out man, dragging his bones to see the Yankees play. Bones Boy is described as flickering gray, suggesting that his vitality and energy have also faded away. The phrase "they slip away" is repeated throughout the song, serving as a melancholic reminder that time waits for no one and that even our deepest connections and passions can fade away over time.
The second verse explores the possibility of what could have been for Bones and Oogie. They had the potential to be stars on the silver screen, but their talents went unrecognized by everyone except for the singer and a select few others. Despite their unrealized potential, Bones and Oogie slip away as time marches on. The chorus repeats once again, driving home the message that no matter how hard we try to cling on to those important people and moments in life, they will inevitably slip away.
The final verse references Uncle Floyd, a real-life New York-based comedian and talk show host who was a friend of Bowie's. The singer wonders where Uncle Floyd is now, sailing over Coney Island and pondering the state of the world. The chorus repeats one final time, reinforcing the idea that time and distance can cause even the strongest bonds to slip away, but that we should always hold on to the memories of those we have loved and lost.
Line by Line Meaning
Oogie waits for just another day
Oogie anxiously awaits for a regular day to happen
Drags his bones
He feels physically and emotionally tired
To see the Yankees play
Oogie plans to attend a baseball game by the Yankees team
Bones Boy talks and flickers gray
Oogie speaks with an old and faded friend nicknamed 'Bones Boy'
Oh, they slip away
Their time together fades away with time and life's circumstances
Once a time
At some point in the past
They nearly might have been
They were close to becoming something else
Bones and Oogie on a silver screen
Bones Boy and Oogie almost got their chance in the movies
No one knew what they could do
Most people didn't know their full potential
Except for me and you
Only the artist and the listener knew their abilities
They slip away
Their chances of making it fade away with time and life's circumstances
Don't forget
Remember to
To keep your head warm
To protect yourself from the cold and external factors
Twinkle twinkle Uncle Floyd
Reference to a TV personality from the 70s and 80s
Watching all the world
Observing the world from a distance
And war torn
While it's going through destruction and conflict
How I wonder where you are
The artist misses and longs to know Uncle Floyd's whereabouts
Oo-o
A way to vocalize singing sounds
Sailing over Coney Island
Uncle Floyd metaphorically travels through a fun and vibrant place
We were dumb
We were naive and inexperienced
But you were fun, boy
Uncle Floyd brought joy and amusement to our lives
Oogie knew there's never ever time
Oogie realized that time is limited and never enough
Some of us will always stay behind
Some people will never reach their full potential and will be left behind
Down in space it's always 1982
A reference to the past, where time stopped and didn't progress
The joke we always knew
A recurring joke that only they knew and appreciated
What'sa matter with you
What's wrong with you
C'mon, let's go
Let's move on and make the most of the time we have left
Slip away
Make the most of the time and opportunities you have, as they may slip away
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: David Bowie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
johnny zell
Oogie waits for just another day
Drags his bones
to see the Yankees play
Bones Boy talks and flickers gray
Oh, they slip away
Once a time
they nearly might have been
Bones and Oogie on a silver screen
No one knew what they could do
Except for me and you
They slip away
They slip away
Don't forget
to keep your head warm
Twinkle twinkle Uncle Floyd
Watching all the world
and war torn
How I wonder where you are
Oo-o
Sailing over
Coney Island
Twinkle twinkle Uncle Floyd
We were dumb
but you were fun, boy
How I wonder where you are
Oo-o
Oogie knew there's never ever time
Some of us will always stay behind
Down in space it's always 1982
The joke we always knew
Oo-oo
What'sa matter with you
C'mon, let's go
Slip away
Oo-o
Don't forget
to keep your head warm
Twinkle twinkle Uncle Floyd
Watching all the world
and war torn
How I wonder where you are
Oo-o
Sailing over
Coney Island
Twinkle twinkle Uncle Floyd
We were dumb
but you were fun, boy
How I wonder where you are
Oo-o
Sailing
David Stowell
This song's characters, Uncle Floyd, Oogie and Bones Boy are the vehicle Bowie uses to convey the great heartbreak he felt over the death of his good friend John Lennon. I'm certain that John found the Uncle Floyd show watching TV at the Dakota, and told David about how great the show was. I can imagine them sitting there watching it and laughing like maniacs together.
"We were dumb but you were fun, boy."
WE is Bowie and Lennon. You is Uncle Floyd. You can feel David's wail of sorrow over Lennon's murder in the way he sings the chorus. Beautiful.
Drinka Water
Maybe but didn't Lennon die in 1980? Why the reference to 1982?
The Phillip Carter Show
@Drinka Water perhaps a reference to a future gig they planned but could never complete
Federico Binaglia
A masterpiece that demonstrates Bowie’s genius: the harmonic structure, emphasized by the deep and warm sound of the fretless bass, is incredibly amazing!
And that C#dim chord in the intro and in the verse:charming and suggestive!
lady
I'm convinced this man was holding the fabric of the universe together. So much awfulness has happened since he passed. he is missed.
Caveguy22
Thats why he was the Starman
Dave Hubbard
Starman and liege .for sure
Danièle LE BIAN
I agree, he is by me since I'm 14 ans. I don't miss him because he is still there.
Nechole Cordova
dementium13 miss him everyday and yes we lost a treasure when he passed
Nilbog
jack lacey nah