Suffragette City
David Bowie The Spiders From Mars Lyrics
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Hey man, oh Henry, get off the phone, I gotta
Hey man, I gotta straighten my face
This mellow thighed chick just put my spine out of place
Hey man, my schooldays insane
Hey man, my work's down the drain
Hey man, well she's a total blam-blam
She said she had to squeeze it but she then she
Oh don't lean on me man, 'cause you can't afford the ticket
I'm back on Suffragette City
Oh don't lean on me man
'Cause you ain't got time to check it
You know my Suffragette City
Is outta sight she's all right
Hey man, oh Henry, don't be unkind, go away
Hey man, I can't take you this time, no way
Hey man, droogie don't crash here
There's only room for one and here she comes, here she comes
Oh don't lean on me man, 'cause you can't afford the ticket
I'm back on Suffragette City
Oh don't lean on me man
'Cause you ain't got time to check it
You know my Suffragette City
Is outta sight she's all right
Oh hit me
Oh don't lean on me man, 'cause you can't afford the ticket
I'm back on Suffragette City
Oh don't lean on me man
'Cause you ain't got time to check it
You know my Suffragette City
Oh don't lean on me man, 'cause you can't afford the ticket
I'm back on Suffragette City
Don't lean on me man ''cause you ain't got time to check it
You know my Suffragette City
Is outta sight she's all right
A Suffragette City, a Suffragette City
I'm back on Suffragette City, I'm back on Suffragette City
Ooo, Sufraggete city, ooo, Suffragette City
Oooh-how, Sufragette City, oooh-how, Sufragette City
Ohhh, wham bam thank you ma'am
A Suffragette City, a Suffragette City
Quite all right
A Suffragette City
Too fine
A Suffragette City, ooh, a Sufragette City
Oh, my Sufragette City, oh my Suffragette City
Oh, Suffragette
Suffragette
The lyrics of David Bowie’s Suffragette City present a conversation between two friends or acquaintances, “Hey man” and “Henry”. The singer starts by asking to be left alone as he wants to “straighten [his] face” after a “mellow thighed chick” hurt his back. He then continues to lament about his school and work being insane and down the drain, respectively. The singer finally turns to talk about a girl he had a sexual encounter with, who he describes as a “total blam-blam”. The girl wanted him to “squeeze it” but he then stops mid-sentence, leaving the listener to wonder what she actually did.
The chorus of the song is a repetition of “Oh don’t lean on me man, ‘cause you can’t afford the ticket/I’m back on Suffragette City”, with slight variations towards the end. Here, the singer is telling Henry not to bother him and not to expect explanations from him. The “Suffragette City” he refers to is probably a metaphor for someplace where one can enjoy oneself without being judged or hindered by societal norms. The repetition of the phrase “Suffragette City” further reinforces this notion, as the listener is invited to join the party.
Overall, the lyrics of Suffragette City can be read as a celebration of youthful abandon and sexual liberation, coupled with a hint of nihilism and rebellion against authority figures.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey man, oh leave me alone you know
I need some space and time to myself, please respect that
Hey man, oh Henry, get off the phone, I gotta
I need you to stop bothering me and let me focus
Hey man, I gotta straighten my face
I need to compose myself and act more serious
This mellow thighed chick just put my spine out of place
This attractive woman has really caught my attention and I'm feeling a bit disoriented
Hey man, my schooldays insane
My school experience was really crazy and intense
Hey man, my work's down the drain
My job isn't going well and I feel like a failure
Hey man, well she's a total blam-blam
She's a really exciting and wild woman
She said she had to squeeze it but she then she
She talked about wanting to have sex, but then changed her mind
Oh don't lean on me man, 'cause you can't afford the ticket
Don't rely on me for help or support, you can't handle it
I'm back on Suffragette City
I'm back to feeling confident and in control
Oh Henry, don't be unkind, go away
I don't appreciate your attitude, please leave me alone
Hey man, I can't take you this time, no way
I can't deal with you right now, I need to focus on myself
Hey man, droogie don't crash here
I don't want you staying at my place, it's just for me and this woman
There's only room for one and here she comes, here she comes
Only this woman can stay with me, she's on her way
Oh don't lean on me man 'cause you ain't got time to check it
I don't have time for your problems or questions, deal with them yourself
Is outta sight she's all right
This woman is really cool and amazing
Oh hit me
I'm feeling excited and energized
Oh wham bam thank you ma'am
A quick and enjoyable sexual encounter
Quite all right
Everything is going well and I'm feeling good
Too fine
Things are even better than expected, she's amazing
Oooh-how, Sufragette City
Celebrating the excitement and energy of this city
Oh Suffragette
A rallying cry for female empowerment and independence
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID BOWIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind