Opening Titles
David Bowie & Trevor Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The lost and lonely no one can blame you
For walking away but too much rejection?
No love injection
Life can be easy it's not always swell
Don't tell me truth hurts little girl
'cause it hurts like hell
But down in the underground
You'll find someone true
Down in the underground a land serene
A crystal moon ah, ah
It's only forever it's not long at all
The lost and lonely that's underground
Underground
The opening lines of David Bowie's "Underground" speak of rejection and hurt, but they are quickly followed by the promise of acceptance and love. Bowie portrays the underground as a place of escape and healing, a place where those who have been rejected can find someone true. The lyrics suggest that the underground is a serene and mystical place, with a crystal moon and a sense of magic.
Bowie's use of the term "underground" is significant, as it conjures up images of counterculture and rebellion. Throughout his career, Bowie was associated with underground and alternative music scenes, and the idea of finding solace in the underground can be seen as a metaphor for finding acceptance in non-traditional or marginalized communities.
The repeated refrain of "Daddy, daddy, get me out of here" adds a melancholic tone to the song, suggesting a sense of desperation and a desire to escape. However, the final lines of the song, in which Bowie sings "Wanna move underground/Sister, sister, take me too", suggest that the escape being sought is not just from rejection and pain, but also from mainstream society itself.
Line by Line Meaning
No one can blame you for walking away
I understand if you want to leave
But too much rejection, uh-huh
I know it's because you've been rejected too many times
No love injection, nothing
You haven't been shown any love or affection
Life can be easy
Life can be simple
It's not always swell
But it's not always good
Don't tell me truth hurts, little girl
You don't have to tell me the truth hurts
'Cause it hurts like hell
Because I already know how much it hurts
But down in the underground
But if you go down to the underground
You'll find someone true
You'll find someone who is true and honest
A land serene, a crystal moon
A tranquil and beautiful place
It's only forever
It will only last forever
Not long at all
But it won't last very long
Lost and lonely
Feeling lost and alone
That's underground, underground
That's what the underground represents
Daddy, daddy, get me out of here (heard about a place today)
Father, help me escape from this place I heard about
Ha, ha, I'm underground (nothing ever hurts again)
I'm happy and safe in the underground where nothing can harm me
(Nothing ever hurts again) well, I found a place
I've found a place where I won't be hurt anymore
(Daddy, get me out of here) nothing ever hurts again
Please help me leave this place where I'm always hurt
(Hoping for the underground) down and down and get me out of here
I hope to go underground and escape from this place
(Hoping for the underground) ha, ha, I'm underground
To escape, I will go underground and feel happy again
(Get me underground) sister, sister, please take me down
Sister, please help me go underground to escape
Ha, ha, I'm underground (gotta get me out of here)
I'm happy in the underground but I still need to escape this place
Daddy, daddy get me out
Father, please help me escape
Under, under
Underneath
Under, underground
Underneath the ground
Wanna live underground
I want to live in the underground
Wanna move underground
I want to go underground and move away from this place
Sister, sister, take me too
Sister, please help me escape with you
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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