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)
Up The Hill Backwards
David Bowie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the possibilities it seems to offer
It's got nothing to do with you, if one can grasp it
It's got nothing to do with you, if one can grasp it
A series of shocks - sneakers fall apart
Earth keeps on rolling - witnesses falling
It's got nothing to do with you, if one can grasp it
Yeah, yeah, yeah - up the hill backwards
It'll be alright, ooh
While we sleep they go to work
We're legally crippled it's the death of love
It's got nothing to do with you, if one can grasp it
It's got nothing to do with you, if one can grasp it
More idols then realities, ooh
I'm OK, you're so-so, ooh
Yeah, yeah, yeah - up the hill backwards
It'll be alright ooh
In David Bowie's song "Up the Hill Backwards," he reflects on the concept of freedom and how it affects society. He compares the arrival of freedom to a vacuum, suggesting that freedom has created a void in society that must be filled. The possibilities that come with freedom can be daunting, and Bowie acknowledges that this doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the individual, stating, "It's got nothing to do with you, if one can grasp it." He highlights the series of shocks that occur as society navigates newfound freedom, such as sneakers falling apart and witnesses falling.
Bowie then introduces a comforting refrain, repeating "up the hill backwards, it'll be alright." This suggests that even though society may be facing challenges and obstacles as they move towards freedom, everything will eventually work out in the end. Bowie then shifts to the idea of society's divide between the working and non-working class, stating that while we sleep, they go to work, emphasizing the struggles of the labor force. He recognizes the difficulty of living in a world where love is dying and people are more obsessed with their idols than living in reality, stating "More idols than realities." Bowie acknowledges that people's emotional state is not at their best either, saying "I'm okay, you're so-so."
Overall, "Up the Hill Backwards" is a reflection on the challenges of societal change in the face of newfound freedom. Bowie is empathetic towards society's struggles, but ultimately optimistic that everything will eventually be okay.
Line by Line Meaning
The vacuum created by the arrival of freedom
The emptiness left behind after someone has gained their freedom
And the possibilities it seems to offer
The potential opportunities that freedom presents
It's got nothing to do with you, if one can grasp it
If one can understand it, they will realize that it doesn't pertain to them
It's got nothing to do with you, if one can grasp it
The same as the previous line, repeated for emphasis
A series of shocks - sneakers fall apart
Unexpected incidents and bad luck occur
Earth keeps on rolling - witnesses falling
Life carries on, even when people are suffering
Yeah, yeah, yeah - up the hill backwards
An expression of frustration or exasperation
It'll be alright, ooh
Everything will be fine
While we sleep they go to work
People are toiling and struggling while others sleep
We're legally crippled it's the death of love
We are held back by societal constraints and limitations, leading to the demise of love
It's got nothing to do with you, if one can grasp it
Once again, emphasizing that these issues do not concern the listener
It's got nothing to do with you, if one can grasp it
Repeating the same idea
More idols then realities, ooh
We focus on unrealistic idols rather than confronting the true realities of life
I'm OK, you're so-so, ooh
I may be doing well, but you are only doing okay
Yeah, yeah, yeah - up the hill backwards
Once again, expressing frustration or annoyance
It'll be alright ooh
Reassuring that everything will be fine in the end
Lyrics © EMI MUSIC PUBLISHING, TINTORETTO MUSIC,
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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