More recently, its principal conductors have included Pierre Monteux (1961–64), Istvan Kertesz (1965–68), André Previn (1968–79) and Claudio Abbado (1979–88). From 1988-1995, the American Michael Tilson-Thomas took over, and in 1995, became principal guest conductor. Sir Colin Davis served as the LSO's Principal Conductor from 1995-2006, and in 2007 took the post of President of the orchestra. On 1 January 2007, Valery Gergiev became the LSO's Principal Conductor. Previn holds the title of Conductor Laureate. In 2006, Daniel Harding became the co-principal guest conductor alongside Tilson Thomas. Richard Hickox is the Associate Guest Conductor of the LSO.
The LSO became the first British orchestra to play overseas when it went to Paris in 1906. The LSO was due to sail on the RMS Titanic for a concert in New York in April 1912 but fortunately had to change the booking at the last minute. It was also the first to play in the United States, in 1912, and in 1973 it was the first to be invited to take part in the Salzburg Festival. It continues to make tours around the world.
In 1966 the London Symphony Chorus (LSC) was formed to complement the work of the LSO. with more that two hundred amateur singers, the LSC maintains a close association with the LSO; however it has developed an independent life, which allows it to partner other leading orchestras.
The LSO has long been considered the most extraverted of the London orchestras. For most of its life it refused to allow women to become members, ostensibly on the grounds that women would affect the sound of the orchestra (there has been a similar controversy at the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra). There is an air of youthful high spirits to much of its music-making that is shown off in performances of such composers as Berlioz and Prokofiev. The LSO has often had internationally-known players as wind soloists, including such artists as James Galway (flute), Gervase de Peyer (clarinet), Roger Lord (oboe), Osian Ellis (harp), John Georgiadis (violin) and Barry Tuckwell (horn). Like most ensembles, the orchestra has a great ability to vary its sound, producing very different tone colours under such diverse conductors as Stokowski (with whom it made a series of memorable recordings), Adrian Boult, Jascha Horenstein, Georg Solti, André Previn, George Szell, Claudio Abbado, Leonard Bernstein, John Barbirolli, and Karl Böhm, who developed a close relationship with the orchestra late in his life. Böhm and Bernstein each held the title of LSO President in their later years.
Clive Gillinson, a former cellist with the orchestra, served as the LSO's Managing Director from 1984 to 2005, and is widely credited with bringing great stability to the LSO's organization after severe fiscal troubles.[1] Since 2005, Kathryn McDowell is the Managing Director of the LSO.[2]
Life On Mars
London Symphony Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To the girl with the mousy hair
But her mummy is yelling, "No!"
And her daddy has told her to go
But her friend is nowhere to be seen
Now she walks through her sunken dream
To the seat with the clearest view
And she's hooked to the silver screen
But the film is a saddening bore
For she's lived it ten times or more
She could spit in the eyes of fools
As they ask her to focus on
Sailors fighting in the dance hall
Oh man!
Look at those cavemen go
It's the freakiest show
Take a look at the Lawman
Beating up the wrong guy
Oh man! Wonder if he'll ever know
He's in the best selling show
Is there life on Mars?
It's on America's tortured brow
That Mickey Mouse has grown up a cow
Now the workers have struck for fame
'Cause Lennon's on sale again
See the mice in their million hordes
From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads
Rule Britannia is out of bounds
To my mother, my dog, and clowns
But the film is a saddening bore
'Cause I wrote it ten times or more
It's about to be writ again
As I ask you to focus on
Dring-dring-dring
The lyrics to "Life On Mars" by the London Symphony Orchestra depict a young girl's struggle to escape from her mundane life and immerse herself in the world of Hollywood movies. Despite her parents' disapproval, she walks through her "sunken dream" to a seat with the clearest view of the silver screen. However, the movie she's watching is a "saddening bore," something she's already lived ten times before, and she's indifferent to the sailors fighting in the dance hall and the cavemen in the freakiest show. Instead, she pities the fools who ask her to focus on such trivialities.
The next verse of the song switches to an entirely different scene, where the workers have gone on a strike to gain fame and Lennon's on sale again. The writer, David Bowie, uses this verse to satirize the society of his time, where pop culture icons like Mickey Mouse and Lennon have emerged as commercial trademarks. He reminds us that while we chase after fame and fortune, we leave behind traditions like Rule Britannia, memories of our mothers and our dogs, and people who make us smile, like clowns. The song ends abruptly with the sound of a telephone ringing, leaving the listeners to contemplate its significance.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a god-awful small affair
This situation is terrible and insignificant
To the girl with the mousy hair
This is happening to a specific young woman with unremarkable features
But her mummy is yelling, "No!"
Her mother disagrees or disapproves
And her daddy has told her to go
Her father is telling her to leave or move on from something
But her friend is nowhere to be seen
Her friend is not present or not acting supportive
Now she walks through her sunken dream
She moves through her complicated or difficult inner world
To the seat with the clearest view
She tries to find perspective or clarity in her situation
And she's hooked to the silver screen
She's using media or entertainment to escape or distract herself
But the film is a saddening bore
The media is unsatisfying and depressing
For she's lived it ten times or more
She's experienced this before and is getting tired of it
She could spit in the eyes of fools
She's angry and frustrated with people who don't understand her situation
As they ask her to focus on
Other people are trying to get her to pay attention to something she doesn't care about
Sailors fighting in the dance hall
This is a chaotic situation with people engaging in physical conflict
Oh man! Look at those cavemen go
The people involved seem primitive or uncivilized
It's the freakiest show
This is an unusual, perhaps even disturbing, spectacle
Take a look at the Lawman
There's someone involved in this situation who holds legal or authoritative power
Beating up the wrong guy
There's an injustice happening here
Oh man! Wonder if he'll ever know
It's unclear if the perpetrator understands they're in the wrong
He's in the best selling show
This is the most popular or widely-consumed spectacle around
Is there life on Mars?
The situation is so surreal or confusing, it makes her question the nature of reality itself
It's on America's tortured brow
This situation is taking place in the US, which is facing significant strife or turmoil
That Mickey Mouse has grown up a cow
Even beloved, childhood symbols are getting twisted or corrupted
Now the workers have struck for fame
Ordinary people are pushing back against systems or industries that exploit them
'Cause Lennon's on sale again
Even revered or legendary figures are being commodified or exploited
See the mice in their million hordes
There are masses of people or entities involved in this situation
From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads
This situation is happening in a wide range of geographic locations
Rule Britannia is out of bounds
Traditional systems of power or influence no longer apply or hold sway here
To my mother, my dog, and clowns
This situation is beyond comprehension, even for those who are close or important in her life
Dring-dring-dring
Unknown or ambiguous noise, perhaps signifying something unexpected or disconcerting
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG Rights Management
Written by: David Bowie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Max
It's a God-awful small affair
To the girl with the mousy hair
But her mummy is yelling, "No"
And her daddy has told her to go
But her friend is nowhere to be seen
Now she walks through her sunken dream
To the seat with the clearest view
And she's hooked to the silver screen
But the film is a saddening bore
For she's lived it ten times or more
She could spit in the eyes of fools
As they ask her to focus on
Sailors fighting in the dance hall
Oh man, look at those cavemen go
It's the freakiest show
Take a look at the lawman
Beating up the wrong guy
Oh man, wonder if he'll ever know
He's in the best selling show
Is there life on Mars?
It's on America's tortured brow
That Mickey Mouse has grown up a cow
Now the workers have struck for fame
'Cause Lennon's on sale again
See the mice in their million hordes
From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads
Rule Britannia is out of bounds
To my mother, my dog, and clowns
But the film is a saddening bore
'Cause I wrote it ten times or more
It's about to be writ again
As I ask you to focus on
Sailors fighting in the dance hall
Oh man, look at those cavemen go
It's the freakiest show
Take a look at the lawman
Beating up the wrong guy
Oh man, wonder if he'll ever know
He's in the best selling show
Is there life on Mars?
Petros Papageorgiou
Hearing his songs played by a full orchestra, excellently arranged, brings home even more clearly the genius behind them... RIP Mr Bowie... you and your music will never be forgotten... for generations.... great music.. great songs...a lovely soundtrack to our lives...we were so lucky to have had the joy of listening to you...
Suzie Tschirsch
read your comment today and tearing up again......feel still sad.........
Andrew Smith
my dad has this album, and 25 years ago this was my introduction to Bowie.
Gam Gammerz
And Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, Rolling Stone's Paint It Black, Procol Harum's A Whiter Shade Of Pale... oh hell, all of the titles!
gerald hone
I used to go into my Dad's house... he was 82 years of age...and he'd have this blasting!! The windows were rattling! He loved this one...and Bohemian Rhapsody... 1,00 decibels!! ha ha ha
Budi Rahardjo
yes, this album is a masterpiece ...
cyro reis
Simplesmente maravilhosa performance de uma das mais belas músicas de David Bowie, nosso lendário camaleão!!!
__
Way to make an entry, that brass section hit like a truck! Brilliant job
Emma L
This instrumental version is amazing :D as a huge Bowie fan, i am going to be using this for my dance at college :D a tribute to a legend!
Rainman
Thanks for Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross from 'Watchmen' for introducing such an awesome piece of art