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)
Width of a Circle
David Bowie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I would sit and blame the master first and last
All the roads were straight and narrow
And the prayers were small and yellow
And the rumour spread that I was aging fast
Then I ran across a monster who was sleeping
By a tree
And I looked and frowned and the monster was me
Well, I said hello and I said hello
And I asked, why not, and I replied, I don't know
So we asked a simple black bird, who was happy as can be
And he laughed insane and quipped Kahlil Gibran
And I cried for all the others till the day was nearly through
For I realized that God's a young man too
Ho
Oh I said so long and I waved bye-bye
And I smashed my soul and traded my mind
Got laid by a young bordello
Who was vaguely half asleep
For which my reputation swept back home in drag
And the moral of this magic spell
Negotiates my hide
When God did take my logic for a ride
(Riding along)
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
He swallowed his pride and puckered his lips
And showed me the leather belt round his hips
My knees were shaking my cheeks aflame
He said you'll never go down to the Gods again
(Turn around, go back)
He struck the ground a cavern appeared
And I smelt the burning pit of fear
We crashed a thousand yards below
I said do it again, do it again
(Turn around, go back)
His nebulous body swayed above
His tongue swollen with devil's love
The snake and I, a venom high
I said do it again, do it again
(Turn around, go back)
Breathe, breathe, breathe deeply
And I was seething, breathing deeply
Spitting sentry, horned and tailed
Waiting for you, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
The lyrics of David Bowie's song "Width of a Circle" are cryptic and surreal, yet they seem to allude to a profound and transformative experience. The first two stanzas describe the singer's disillusionment with a narrow and dogmatic worldview that blames everything on a distant master. However, the encounter with a monster who turns out to be his own reflection prompts the singer to question his assumptions and seek a deeper understanding of life. This quest takes him to a black bird who quotes the mystical poet Kahlil Gibran, and to a bordello where he trades his mind and reputation for pleasure. The consequence of this reckless and self-destructive act is that he falls from grace and ends up in a hellish pit of fear, yet he seems to relish the experience of being close to the devil and longs to repeat it.
The song may be interpreted in many ways, but one possible reading is that it portrays the journey of a seeker who rebels against a repressive and hypocritical society, only to face his own demons and temptations. The monster he sees by the tree could represent his shadow self or his repressed desires, and the black bird could represent his wise and playful spirit guide. The bordello could represent his indulgence in sensual pleasures, but also his willingness to challenge his own morality and conventions. The pit of fear could represent his descent into his own psyche, where he must confront his deepest fears and desires. The concept of "the width of a circle" could represent the vastness and complexity of life, which the singer embraces even at the cost of his own sanity and integrity.
Line by Line Meaning
In the corner of the morning in the past
I used to dwell on the past and blame God for everything.
I would sit and blame the master first and last
I always blamed God for everything and never took any responsibility.
All the roads were straight and narrow
My life was dull and without any excitement.
And the prayers were small and yellow
My prayers were insignificant and never answered.
And the rumour spread that I was aging fast
I was worried that I was getting old and wasting my life.
Then I ran across a monster who was sleeping
I discovered a dark side to myself that was hidden before.
By a tree
It was a sudden realization.
And I looked and frowned and the monster was me
I saw that the monster was actually a reflection of myself.
Well, I said hello and I said hello
I tried to make peace with this darker side of me.
And I asked, why not, and I replied, I don't know
I was still confused and trying to find answers.
So we asked a simple black bird, who was happy as can be
We sought advice from someone who was content with life.
And he laughed insane and quipped Kahlil Gibran
The bird's advice was cryptic and not helpful at all.
And I cried for all the others till the day was nearly through
I felt empathy for others who were also struggling.
For I realized that God's a young man too
I realized that God is always changing and that nothing is set in stone.
Ho
An expression of surprise or realization.
Oh I said so long and I waved bye-bye
I said goodbye to my old way of life.
And I smashed my soul and traded my mind
I underwent a complete personal transformation.
Got laid by a young bordello
I gave in to temptation and had a sexual encounter.
Who was vaguely half asleep
The encounter was not meaningful or fulfilling.
For which my reputation swept back home in drag
My reputation suffered because of my actions.
And the moral of this magic spell
The lesson to be learned from this is.
Negotiates my hide
I have to face the consequences of my actions.
When God did take my logic for a ride
When I thought I had everything figured out, God revealed there was more to life.
(Riding along)
A continuation of the journey to self-discovery and enlightenment.
He swallowed his pride and puckered his lips
I had to humble myself and accept what was to come.
And showed me the leather belt round his hips
I was confronted with the dark and unpleasant aspects of my journey.
My knees were shaking my cheeks aflame
I was filled with fear and embarrassment.
He said you'll never go down to the Gods again
I was warned that I would not be able to return to my old ways.
(Turn around, go back)
An admonition to retrace my steps and make amends.
He struck the ground a cavern appeared
I began to descend into a dark and dangerous place.
And I smelt the burning pit of fear
I was overcome with dread and anxiety.
We crashed a thousand yards below
I hit rock bottom and was forced to confront my demons.
I said do it again, do it again
I was determined to continue on my journey.
His nebulous body swayed above
I had a vision of my spiritual guide hovering above me.
His tongue swollen with devil's love
My guide was speaking in a language I could not understand.
The snake and I, a venom high
I was in a state of spiritual ecstasy and transcended my physical body.
Breathe, breathe, breathe deeply
I was reminded to focus on my breathing to maintain my spiritual ascent.
And I was seething, breathing deeply
I was filled with emotion and focused on my breathing.
Spitting sentry, horned and tailed
The image of my guide was both frightening and awe-inspiring.
Waiting for you, oh
My guide was waiting for me to reach the next level of spiritual enlightenment.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
A repetition of the previous lines to reinforce their message.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
A repetition of the previous lines to reinforce their message.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management
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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