Formed in 1978, Defunkt initially took a danceable approach to jazz. Although their first three albums — Defunkt, Razor's Edge, and Thermonuclear Sweat — made them leaders of New York's radical underground music scene, their inability to achieve commercial expectations led them to disband in 1983, with Bowie retreating to the island of St. Croix.
Reorganized after Bowie's return to New York in 1985, Defunkt recorded an additional six albums, including A Blues Tribute: Jimi Hendrix & Muddy Waters and In America, between 1988-1993.
Beginning in 1996, Bowie sought a way to combine the big band jazz of the 1930s and '40s and the dance rhythms and grooves of the '70s, '80s, and '90s. Expanding Defunkt with the addition of more horn players and background vocalists, Bowie introduced the Defunkt Big Band with a six-week stint at the Knitting Factory in New York.
Illusion
Defunkt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Illusion, just a happiness dream
Illusion, we,, it's just you happiness
Illusion, listen I got dreams
I said I'm riding in my spaceship
Turn into control
Heading for the outer galaxy
Is just you happiness
Illusion, happiness
Illusion, just a happiness dream
Illusion is just your happiness
Illusion
I sleep like that every night
But every morring I come alive
hen you touch me I feel it all the way down
But you kiss me only to put me on the happiness
Illusion the happiness
Illusion, just a happiness dream
Illusion is just you happiness
Illusion
I'm a faceless nigger fro the streets
With his color with his blood
The odds say: you shouldn't be alive
Gettin' away fro it all like a shooting star
It's just you illusion
Tell you what I know
You can hear it in stereo
It's about the world
It's on the news
It's just you happiness
Sleep like that but every morning I come alive
And wen you touch me you can feel it all the way down
You kiss me to put me on
Illusion
Escape in radiation from a burnin' earth
I got dreams of happiness
Turn into control
Headin' for outer space
escape (???)
It's just you happiness
I got dreams
an illusion
Illusion
The song "Illusion" by Defunkt talks about the concept of illusion that we create in our lives to achieve happiness. The song starts with the repetition of the phrase "Illusion is just your happiness" which means that we create illusions to find happiness in our lives. The lyrics explain that these illusions are just dreams and not the reality, but we hold on to them to escape from the harsh reality of our lives.
The singer talks about how he imagines himself riding a spaceship to escape the radiation from the burning earth. It's just an illusion that he created to find happiness. The lyrics also mention the social struggles faced by a faceless individual of color who shouldn't be alive based on the odds. They escape from it all like a shooting star, which is again just an illusion.
The last verse of the song talks about the reality of the world, which is not always happy. The singer says that although he sleeps with these illusions every night, the reality hits him every morning. So, the illusion is temporary and not a permanent solution.
Line by Line Meaning
Illusion is just you happiness
The concept of an illusion is merely a happiness that originates within oneself.
Illusion, just a happiness dream
Illusion is purely a dream about happiness.
Illusion, we,, it's just you happiness
Illusion belongs solely to oneself and is a representation of one's happiness.
Illusion, listen I got dreams
The illusion is significant in my mind because I have dreams.
I said I'm riding in my spaceship
I claimed that I am traveling in my spaceship.
Turn into control
I take control of steering the spaceship in the desired direction.
Heading for the outer galaxy
The spaceship is moving in the direction of the farthest galaxy.
Escaping radiation from a burning earth
The planet Earth is in crisis, and I am escaping from the dangerous radiation.
Is just you happiness
All of this makes me happy.
I sleep like that every night
I always get a restful night's sleep in this manner.
But every morring I come alive
I wake up rejuvenated every morning.
hen you touch me I feel it all the way down
When you touch me, I feel it with my whole being.
But you kiss me only to put me on the happiness
Kissing me is only intended to make me feel better.
Illusion the happiness
The illusion produces the feeling of happiness.
I'm a faceless nigger fro the streets
I am a person of color who blends in with the streets.
With his color with his blood
My ethnicity and blood are part of what determines who I am.
The odds say: you shouldn't be alive
Based on statistical probability, I should not be alive.
Gettin' away fro it all like a shooting star
I am escaping everything rapidly like a shooting star.
It's just you illusion
The illusion is the only thing causing this rapid escape.
Tell you what I know
Allow me to inform you of what I am aware of.
You can hear it in stereo
This information is readily available for everyone to hear.
It's about the world
This information is related to worldly affairs.
It's on the news
This information is found in mainstream media outlets.
It's just you happiness
The happiness that arises from this information is only within oneself.
Sleep like that but every morning I come alive
I sleep soundly like this every night, and I wake up feeling alive every morning.
And wen you touch me you can feel it all the way down
When you touch me, you can sense it in your entire being.
You kiss me to put me on
You kiss me to make me feel better.
Escape in radiation from a burnin' earth
I am evading radiation devastation on a burning Earth.
I got dreams of happiness
I am yearning for a pleasant future.
an illusion
This future that I am envisioning is an illusion.
Illusion
All of this is simply an illusion.
Writer(s): Barry Alan Gibb, Maurice Ernest Gibb, George Robert Bitzer, Robin Hugh Gibb
Contributed by Riley R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@rasmushansencom
I never get tired of this... The best funk ever made, thank you DEFUNKT
@colinthorn514
Agree. Never gets old ...
@TheGroumpfy
I understand why these guys are the RHCP's favorite band... AWESOME!
@XEpikurX
..one of the best groove-bands ever!!! Pure jazz-funk!!!!
@anderol
Insanely good drums
@bertrandrussell3808
That guitar tho...and them horns...😎
@geminirhythmspirit2573
i saw this band play in Sheffield England back in the 80s the energy was really amazing i fell in love with Kim Clarke the bass player
@edwinhurwitz6792
Kim is amazing. I used to see them regularly with her back then and she was always willing to hang out and talk (I even provided her with a bass amp one night). Not only an amazing player and a very sweet person, but an absolute badass. She was touring with Defunkt, playing with Art Blakey, all the while studying for an advanced degree. She was such an inspiration to an up and coming bass player. Powerful, but very humble. And man, can she play.
@Pelagius69
Awesome.. I love this tune & haven't heard it in ages nowTHANKS!!@revolutronic
a great live band!