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)
Sons of the Silent Age
David Bowie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stand on platforms blank looks and note books
Sit in back rows of city limits
Lay in bed coming and going on easy terms
Sons of the silent age
Pace their rooms like a cell's dimensions
Rise for a year or two then make war
Search through their one inch thoughts
Baby, I'll never let you go
All I see is all I know
Let's find another way down (sons of sound and sons of sound)
Baby, baby, I'll never let you down
I can't stand another sound
Let's take another way in (sons of sound and sons of sound)
Sons of the silent age
Listen to tracks by Sam Therapy and King Dice
Sons of the silent age
Pick up in bars and cry only once
Sons of the silent age
Make love only once but dream and dream
They don't walk, they just glide in and out of life
They never die, they just go to sleep one day
Baby, I won't ever let you go
All I see is all I know
Let's take another way down (sons of sound and sons of sound)
Oh baby, baby, baby, I won't ever let you down
I can't stand another sound
Let's find another way in (sons of sound and sons of sound)
(Sons of sound and sons of sound)
Baby, baby, baby, find another way
The song Sons of the Silent Age by David Bowie is a portrayal of a particular set of people who are detached from the vibrant and happening aspects of the world. These are individuals who lack the initiative to get out of their comfort zone and indulge in experiences that life has to offer. They remain confined within themselves, silently observing the world from a distance. The lines "Sons of the silent age, Stand on platforms blank looks and note books" suggests that these people are often seen lost in their thoughts or engrossed in their books or other trivial activities, failing to live in the moment.
The song further highlights the lack of direction or purpose that these people possess. They do not have any concrete ambition or plans and tend to confine themselves in their rooms, devoid of any inspiration or motivation. While some may take a brief hiatus and engage in war, they eventually give up on their aspirations, unable to find the drive and passion to make a difference.
Bowie goes on to sing about a strong connection that he shares with his lover despite the contrast in their personalities, "Baby, I'll never let you go, All I see is all I know, Let's find another way down", giving listeners a sense of depth and contrast within the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Sons of the silent age
Introductory line referring to people who live their lives in isolation and silence
Stand on platforms blank looks and note books
These people stand around on platforms with an empty gaze, carrying notebooks, constantly observing their surroundings
Sit in back rows of city limits
These people generally stay at the back of the society, living on city limits, avoiding mainstream lifestyles
Lay in bed coming and going on easy terms
They spend most of their time in bed, living an easy lifestyle and not worrying about their future or ambitions
Pace their rooms like a cell's dimensions
They live a constricted life, pacing within limited walls like they are trapped in a prison cell
Rise for a year or two then make war
They try to rise above their mundane lives for a while but soon rebel or end up in a conflict with themselves or the people around them
Search through their one inch thoughts
They introspect, trying to find their meaning in life but remain limited by their one-dimensional ideas
Then decide it couldn't be done
After pondering, they resort to giving up on their aspirations and accept their fate
Listen to tracks by Sam Therapy and King Dice
These people enjoy underground music and are fans of artists who are not well-known or popular
Pick up in bars and cry only once
They occasionally go out to bars and even though they get emotional, they are reluctant to show it or open up to anyone
Make love only once but dream and dream
Though they desire romantic intimacy, they tend to settle down for a single experience but keep dreaming about it more often
They don't walk, they just glide in and out of life
Their existence is effortless and lacks movement, instead they just go with the flow of life, neither enjoying it nor resisting it
They never die, they just go to sleep one day
Their lives are unremarkable and hence they do not leave behind a legacy, and eventually pass away silently
Baby, I'll never let you go
The singer is trying to console his partner, promising that he will always be loyal
All I see is all I know
The singer is saying that his perspective of life is derived from his own experiences and that's all he can offer
Let's find another way down (sons of sound and sons of sound)
The singer and his partner attempt to find new ways to keep their romance alive and to escape their mundane existence
Baby, baby, I'll never let you down
The singer repeats his promise never to betray his partner
I can't stand another sound
The singer expresses his frustration with the noise and chaos of his life
Let's take another way in (sons of sound and sons of sound)
The singer wants to find a new and fresh perspective in his life and in his relationship with his partner
(Sons of sound and sons of sound)
The repetition of this phrase emphasizes the desire for change and for a new direction in life
Baby, baby, baby, find another way
The singer and his partner attempt to search for new opportunities and a new way of life, seeking to escape their monotonous existence
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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
If you like free music and you have google chrome, try this free app .SonicHits .