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)
What in the World
David Bowie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never mind, say something
Wait until the crowd cries
Oh, wait until the crowd cries
You're just a little girl with grey eyes
So deep in your room,
You never leave your room
Yearning deep inside of me
Talking through the gloom
What in the world can you do
What in the world can you do
I'm in the mood for your love
For your love
For your love
For your love
I'm just a little bit afraid of you
'Cause love won't make you cry
But, wait until the crowd goes
Oh, wait until the crowd goes
I'm just a little bit afraid of you
So deep in your room,
You never leave your room
Something deep inside of me
Yearning deep inside of me
Talking through the gloom
What in the world can I do
What in the world can I do
I'm in the mood for your love
For your love (for your love)
For your love (for your love)
Oh, what you gonna say?
Oh, what you gonna do?
Ah, what you gonna be?
To the real me
To the real me
Under the cool, under the cool and under having a ball
What you gonna say to the real me, to the real me?
Ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh
Ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh
Ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh
Ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh
The lyrics of David Bowie's song What in the World are a mix of desperation and longing for connection. The song seems to be addressed to a girl who is described as "just a little girl with grey eyes" and who seems to be isolated and detached from the world around her. In the first verse, Bowie sings "Wait until the crowd cries" as if anticipating that the girl will eventually open up and make a connection with him. But he also admits to being "just a little bit afraid of you" because love can hurt and bring tears.
The chorus "So deep in your room, you never leave your room, something deep inside of me, yearning deep inside of me, talking through the gloom" describes the girl's isolation and Bowie's longing to reach out to her. The repetition of "What in the world can you do" and "What in the world can I do" seems to express a sense of helplessness and frustration at not being able to bridge the gap between them.
In the second verse, Bowie admits that he is "just a little bit afraid of you" because of the vulnerability that comes with opening up to someone. The line "love won't make you cry" suggests that Bowie wants to make a connection with the girl based on love but is aware that love can also bring pain. The song ends with Bowie asking "what you gonna say to the real me" and it seems to be a plea for authenticity and honesty in their relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
You're just a little girl with grey eyes
It seems like you are too young and inexperienced
Never mind, say something
Don't be afraid, speak your mind
Wait until the crowd cries
Be patient until you receive approval from others
Oh, wait until the crowd cries
Reiterating the need for approval from others
So deep in your room,
You seem to confine yourself to your private space a lot
You never leave your room
You hardly venture out and explore new things
Something deep inside of me
A feeling or desire within me that's hard to ignore
Yearning deep inside of me
This feeling is intense and makes me crave for something
Talking through the gloom
This is a voice that's trying to make sense of everything despite being confused
What in the world can you do
What can you possibly do to alleviate the feeling of confusion?
I'm in the mood for your love
I am ready to give and receive love
I'm just a little bit afraid of you
You are a mystery to me and that makes me apprehensive
'Cause love won't make you cry
Love will not cause you pain – that's a reassurance
So deep in your room,
You still reside in that same space without venturing out
You never leave your room
You still haven't tried to explore your possibilities
What in the world can I do
I am still struggling with the same feeling of confusion
Oh, what you gonna say?
What response will you have for me?
Oh, what you gonna do?
What actions will you take?
Ah, what you gonna be?
What kind of person will you become?
To the real me
How will you respond to the genuine, authentic version of me?
Under the cool, under the cool and under having a ball
This line seems to suggest being under the influence and enjoying oneself.
What you gonna say to the real me, to the real me?
Being persistent in the request for authenticity
Ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh
A vocalization that can mean anything and nothing
Ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh
A repeated vocalization without much meaning
Ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh
Another instance of the same vocalization
Ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh
A final iteration of the vocalization
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAVID BOWIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
arturleaorf
Thanks for posting a high quality version of this!
Ed
My favorite Bowie song
Dusty the 2nd
losif, really? How great that is! as many songs as he has this is the one you pick. Love it too.
Ed
@Dusty the 2nd Yes, but it's hard to choose one hehe
Dusty the 2nd
@Ed Yes it truly is. He has done so much for the past 50 almost years, God it tough to pick just 1 song. :) Dusty the 2nd.
Jose Gomez
First comment: Awesome song!
Kenneth Scott
100 per cent. ♥.
Jose Gomez
#throwbackthursday
Iwharper
Iggy on backing vocals? Great lyric video thankyou
Caveguy22
"The song also features Iggy Pop on backing vocals. Mr Pop's album The Idiot was recorded back-to-back with Low at the same facility, was produced by Bowie, and featured many of the same musicians." Interesting tidbit from Wikipedia