The Man Who Sold the World
David Bowie Tony Visconti Lyrics
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Although I wasn't there, he said I was his friend
Which came as some surprise I spoke into his eyes
I thought you died alone, a long long time ago
Oh no, not me
I never lost control
You're face to face
I laughed and shis hand
and made my way back home
I searched for former land, for years and years I roamed
I gazed a gazely stare at all the millions here
We must have died alone, a long long time ago
Who knows? Not me
We never lost control
You're face to face
With the Man who Sold the World
Who knows? Not me
We never lost control
You're face to face
with the man who sold the world
Aahhh, aaaahhhh
The opening verse of "The Man Who Sold the World" by David Bowie and Tony Visconti is a conversation between two people, one of whom appears to be a long-lost friend of the other. The singer suggests that he was not present when they last spoke, but the other person insists that he was. The singer is then surprised because he had thought that the other person had died a long time ago. This sets up a sense of ambiguity and unease that runs throughout the song.
The chorus of the song, "Oh no, not me, I never lost control, You're face to face, With The Man Who Sold The World," appears to be a declaration of the singer's strength and independence. However, the repetition of "face to face with the Man Who Sold the World" is cryptic and mysterious, leaving the listener with a sense of uncertainty about what it means. The second half of the song features the singer wandering through a desolate landscape, searching for a lost home and staring blankly at the millions of people around him. He concludes that he and the other person he spoke with must have died alone a long time ago, leaving the listener to wonder what this might signify.
Overall, "The Man Who Sold the World" is a haunting and enigmatic song that seems to explore themes of identity, control, and the passage of time. Its lyrics and mysterious imagery have made it a popular and influential song in the rock canon, and its themes continue to resonate with listeners today.
Line by Line Meaning
We passed upon the stair, we spoke of was and when
We encountered each other while walking up the stairs, and talked about the past and what could have been.
Although I wasn't there, he said I was his friend
Even though I wasn't present, he claimed that I was a friend of his.
Which came as some surprise I spoke into his eyes
Hearing him say that was unexpected, so I looked him in the eyes and spoke.
I thought you died alone, a long long time ago
I assumed that you had died long ago and were alone when it happened.
Oh no, not me
No, that's not true for me.
I never lost control
I always remained in control of my life.
You're face to face
We are now directly facing each other.
With The Man Who Sold The World
You are in the presence of a man who has sold the entire world.
I laughed and shis hand
I laughed and shook his hand.
and made my way back home
Then I went home.
I searched for former land, for years and years I roamed
I traveled for many years searching for a place from my past.
I gazed a gazely stare at all the millions here
I looked out with a wide, haunting stare at all the millions of people around me.
We must have died alone, a long long time ago
It's possible that we both died a long time ago and were alone when it happened.
Who knows? Not me
I have no way of knowing for certain.
We never lost control
Despite the uncertainty, we always remained in control.
with the man who sold the world
Being in the presence of the man who sold the entire world was an unforgettable experience.
Aahhh, aaaahhhh
An expression of emotion or feeling.
Contributed by Madelyn W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.