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Slow Burn
David Bowie Lyrics


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Here shall we live in this terrible town
Where the price for our minds
shall squeeze them tight like a fist
And the walls shall have eyes
And the doors shall have ears
But we'll dance in their dark
And they'll play with our lives

Like a Slow Burn
Leading us on and on and on
Like a Slow Burn
Turning us round and round and round Hark who are we
So small in times such as these
Slow Burn
Slow Burn

Oh, these are the days
These are the strangest of all
These are the nights
These are the darkest to fall
But who knows?
Echoes in tenement halls
Who knows?
Though the years spare them all

Like a Slow Burn
Leading us on and on and on
Like a Slow Burn
Twirling us round and round
and upside down
There's fear overhead
There's fear overground
Slow Burn
Slow Burn
Like a Slow Burn
Leading us on and on and on
Like a Slow Burn
Turning us round and round and
'Round And here are we
At the center of it all
Slow Burn
Slow Burn
Slow Burn

Overall Meaning

David Bowie's Slow Burn is a melancholic and eerie song from his 2002 album Heathen. The lyrics depict a place where people live in fear, where walls have eyes, doors have ears, and the price for one's mind is too high. Despite the bleak situation, people in this place still find the courage to dance in the dark and live their lives, but they're always at the mercy of the slow burn, a feeling of being led on and turned round and round like a carousel. It's a metaphor for the never-ending cycles of pain and fear that grip us in moments of chaos and uncertainty.


The song symbolizes a world that's full of fear, and Bowie describes it as the "terrible town." Yet, even in a world like this, there is still something that keeps us going. Bowie sings, "Echoes in tenement halls, who knows? Though the years spare them all," suggesting that the memories of people who have lived in such places before us still linger, even long after they are gone. The fear in the song manifests in different ways, from the walls and doors keeping watch to the fear that hovers overhead and underground. However, despite this, the people living in this world still find the strength to persevere and hope for a brighter future beyond the slow burn.


In summary, Slow Burn is a haunting song that speaks to Bowie's insights into the human psyche. It's a sober reminder of how fear can slowly consume us, but also how we can still find hope in the most terrible of living situations.


Line by Line Meaning

Here shall we live in this terrible town
We are stuck in a terrible place where our minds will be suffocated and the streets have eyes and ears to watch our every move.


Where the price for our minds shall squeeze them tight like a fist
The oppressive environment will suffocate our minds and make it hard to think clearly.


And the walls shall have eyes
The walls can spy on us and invade our privacy.


And the doors shall have ears
Not even the doors are safe from listening in on our conversations.


But we'll dance in their dark
Despite the oppressive environment, we will find ways to thrive and be happy in our own way.


And they'll play with our lives
We are not in control of our own lives and are at the mercy of those in power.


Like a Slow Burn Leading us on and on and on
The oppressive atmosphere is a slow burn that we cannot escape from.


Turning us round and round and round
The oppressive forces keep us trapped in a never-ending cycle of fear and uncertainty.


Hark who are we So small in times such as these
We are powerless in the grand scheme of things and are at the mercy of those in power.


Oh, these are the days These are the strangest of all These are the nights These are the darkest to fall
These are times of great uncertainty and fear, where darkness pervades every aspect of our lives.


But who knows? Echoes in tenement halls Who knows? Though the years spare them all
We are all doomed to suffer in this oppressive atmosphere, but even in the darkest of places, there may be glimmers of hope.


There's fear overhead There's fear overground
Fear is ever-present and inescapable in this oppressive environment.


And here are we At the center of it all
We are trapped in the midst of the oppressive forces and unable to escape its grasp.


Slow Burn Slow Burn Slow Burn
The oppressive atmosphere is a slow burn that will never fully end or go away.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DAVID BOWIE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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