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)
Suffragette City
David Bowie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey man, oh Henry, get off the phone, I gotta
Hey man, I gotta straighten my face
This mellow thighed chick just put my spine out of place
Hey man, my schooldays insane
Hey man, my work's down the drain
Hey man, well she's a total blam-blam
She said she had to squeeze it but she then she
Oh don't lean on me man, 'cause you can't afford the ticket
I'm back on Suffragette City
Oh don't lean on me man
'Cause you ain't got time to check it
You know my Suffragette City
Is outta sight she's all right
Hey man, oh Henry, don't be unkind, go away
Hey man, I can't take you this time, no way
Hey man, droogie don't crash here
There's only room for one and here she comes, here she comes
Oh don't lean on me man, 'cause you can't afford the ticket
I'm back on Suffragette City
Oh don't lean on me man
'Cause you ain't got time to check it
You know my Suffragette City
Is outta sight she's all right
Oh hit me
Oh don't lean on me man, 'cause you can't afford the ticket
I'm back on Suffragette City
Oh don't lean on me man
'Cause you ain't got time to check it
You know my Suffragette City
Oh don't lean on me man, 'cause you can't afford the ticket
I'm back on Suffragette City
Don't lean on me man "cause you ain't got time to check it
You know my Suffragette City
Is outta sight she's all right
A Suffragette City, a Suffragette City
I'm back on Suffragette City, I'm back on Suffragette City
Ooo, Sufraggete city, ooo, Suffragette City
Oooh-how, Sufragette City, oooh-how, Sufragette City
Ohhh, wham bam thank you ma'am
A Suffragette City, a Suffragette City
Quite all right
A Suffragette City
Too fine
A Suffragette City, ooh, a Sufragette City
Oh, my Sufragette City, oh my Suffragette City
Oh, Suffragette
Suffragette
The song "Suffragette City" by David Bowie is a high-energy rock anthem that tells the story of a wild night out with a mysterious woman. The song opens with the singer telling his friend Henry to get off the phone so he can straighten his face. He's just been distracted by a "mellow thighed chick" who put his spine out of place. The rest of the song recounts the singer's adventures in a place called "Suffragette City," which is described as being "outta sight" and "all right." The lyrics are full of slang and wordplay, with lines like "she's a total blam-blam" and "oh wham bam thank you, ma'am."
Interpretations of the song vary widely, but most agree that "Suffragette City" is a celebration of freedom, excess, and rebellion. "Suffragette" is a term that originally referred to women who fought for the right to vote, and some have speculated that the song may have been inspired by the feminist movement. However, Bowie himself stated in interviews that the title was simply a play on words, and had nothing to do with the suffragette movement.
Overall, "Suffragette City" is a fast-paced, catchy rock song that captures the spirit of rock and roll in the 1970s. With its memorable riffs, lyrics, and high-energy performance, it remains a fan favorite and a classic of Bowie's discography.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey man, oh leave me alone you know
The singer is requesting that the person they are addressing stop bothering them and give them some space.
Hey man, oh Henry, get off the phone, I gotta
The singer is interrupting someone named Henry who is on the phone, indicating they need something urgently and can't wait.
Hey man, I gotta straighten my face
The singer needs to adjust their expression to appear more serious or composed.
This mellow thighed chick just put my spine out of place
The artist is describing how a woman they just encountered caused them to feel weak in the knees or aroused.
Hey man, my schooldays insane
The artist reflects on a past experience that they associate with craziness or instability.
Hey man, my work's down the drain
The singer is lamenting that their efforts have been for nothing, that their work has failed.
Hey man, well she's a total blam-blam
The singer is commenting on the woman described earlier, indicating that she is very attractive.
She said she had to squeeze it but she then she
The meaning of this line is unclear, it could be intentionally unintelligible or a nod to sexual innuendos.
Oh don't lean on me man, 'cause you can't afford the ticket
The artist is telling someone not to rely on them because they can't provide support or resources.
I'm back on Suffragette City
The artist is returning to a place they associate with liberation and freedom.
Oh don't lean on me man 'Cause you ain't got time to check it
The singer is again telling someone to not depend on them, now because the person they are addressing is too busy.
You know my Suffragette City Is outta sight she's all right
The artist is emphasizing how great Suffragette City is, reinforcing their sense of liberation and empowerment.
Hey man, oh Henry, don't be unkind, go away
The singer again addresses someone named Henry, requesting that they leave without being rude.
Hey man, I can't take you this time, no way
The singer is refusing to provide something to the person they are addressing.
Hey man, droogie don't crash here
The singer is addressing someone named 'droogie', telling them not to stay in their current location.
There's only room for one and here she comes, here she comes
The artist is indicating that only they and perhaps the woman from earlier can fit in the space they are in, and she is about to arrive.
Oh hit me
This line is unclear in meaning, it may be an invitation to someone, or an expression of frustration.
Oh don't lean on me man, 'cause you can't afford the ticket
The singer repeats their warning earlier, to not rely on them.
A Suffragette City, a Suffragette City
The singer repeats the name of the place they are in, emphasizing its importance and meaning to them.
I'm back on Suffragette City, I'm back on Suffragette City
The artist is again stating that they have returned to Suffragette City, reinforcing its importance.
Ooo, Sufraggete city, ooo, Suffragette City
The artist repeats the name of the place they are in again, emphasizing its importance and positive associations.
Oooh-how, Sufragette City, oooh-how, Sufragette City
Again, the artist repeats the name of the place they are in, adding more emotional emphasis with a moan-like sound.
Ohhh, wham bam thank you ma'am
The singer is describing a sexual encounter in which they quickly finished and left, pleasing their partner with minimal effort.
A Suffragette City, a Suffragette City
Repeating the name of the place again, the artist reinforces their sense of shifting to an empowering and empowering place.
Quite all right
The singer is indicating that everything is fine or satisfactory.
A Suffragette City
Repeating the name one last time, the singer is wrapping up their association with the place and the song as a whole.
Too fine
The singer is indicating that they had a great experience in Suffragette City, perhaps emphasizing that it was more than just 'fine.'
A Suffragette City, ooh, a Sufragette City
The artist is again repeating the name of the place, providing a final flourish before the end of the song.
Oh, my Sufragette City, oh my Suffragette City
The artist repeats the name of the place multiple times with added emotional emphasis, indicating a deep connection with the associated experience.
Oh, Suffragette
The singer breaks down the name of the place into a simpler form, potentially emphasizing their comfort and familiarity with it.
Suffragette
Repeating the broken down name, the singer is providing a final note to end the song.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: David Bowie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@stardaimon66
@@suedavis1781
I didn"t know the detail but found information as follows.
<Tokyo tour Members (at 1978 Dec )>
Carlos Alomar / Rhyth Mguit
Adrien Belew / Lead Guitar
Dennis Davis / Percussion
Simon House / Electric Violin
Sean Mayes / Keyboards
George Murray / Bass
Roger Powell / Synthesizer
@sexycatslam
1978 versions of S.C. are, in my opinion, the best versions of this song. They were faster than on previous tours and absolutely berserk. I also like how he doesnt jump on to the verses right away and allows for an extra build up after the breaks.
@michelegephart2906
I was just 5 old when David performed this, I love this song, it gets me fired fired up 🔥
up. I was so sad 😥 to hear of David's passing , but I know in my heart he would want me to keep going and I will do so!
@spkanava
City
@briandiadem
There's something to be said about the earliest incarnations of it, but the late 70's versions are so punk. Fast and raw. Amazing song!
@waynenorthspacebuoy3529
Great Artists supporting David ... Its been great covering his songs as Space Boy on YT ... sometimes its OK ... then my performance goes completely pants ... sorry David.
@shtbyfrnd
good observation
@deadoralive6320
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@jaaloi
That move toward the end, which I always associated with Blue Jean, was fun to watch. Thanks Nacho for yet another great start to the weekend!
@michelegephart2906
Dang; I love this song and I saw another performance to this in 1972 the year before I was born and now this performance in 1978 when I was just 5 years old. You were a great musicion, David! I was sad 😥 to hear of your passing, but your spirit it and music, especially this song will be in my heart for ever. 🙏
@Jaelle234
in 78 I'd seen him the first time live - in cologne - just in this clothes! Never forget the fascination when he appears on the stage... I was enchantd by his personality!