Starman - David Bowie, 1972

Didn't know what time it was the lights were low
I leaned back on my radio
Some cat was layin' down some rock 'n' roll 'lotta soul,
he said

Then the loud sound did seem to fade
Came back like a slow voice on a wave of phase
That weren't no D.J. that was hazy cosmic jive


[CHORUS]
There's a starman waiting in the sky
He'd like to come and meet us
But he thinks he'd blow our minds
There's a starman waiting in the sky
He's told us not to blow it
Cause he knows it's all worthwhile
He told me:
Let the children lose it
Let the children use it
Let all the children boogie


I had to phone someone so I picked on you
Hey, that's far out so you heard him too!
Switch on the TV
we may pick him up on channel two
Look out your window I can see his light
If we can sparkle he may land tonight
Don't tell your poppa or he'll get us locked up in fright


[CHORUS (x2)]


La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

---

David Jones was first introduced to popular music in the late 50's by way of early America Rock 'n Roll stars such as Chuck Berry and Little Richard. After hearing Tutti Frutti for the first time, he apparently reported later, "I had heard God". David experimented with various styles, and bands, going by the stage name Davie Jones... however, a member of a fairly successful band known as The Monkees was already using that name. To avoid confusion, he changed his name to David Bowie (after the Texas frontiersman & his knife) in 1966.

Change was nothing new to Bowie's career, however - personas such as The Thin White Duke, and my favourite, Ziggy Stardust kept his music dynamic. The album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars was a concept album containing the song Starman. The story is based on the idea of a Martian coming down to earth to liberate humanity from its banality...

Bowie's list of albums and movies would be far too long to list here. He has been, without a doubt, one of the most influential forces in pop culture over the past four decades. Check out more about David Bowie here .

Connections: David Bowie collaborated with Queen on the 1981 song, Under Pressure. Also, Bowie shared the 1969 Ivor Novello Award with Peter Sarstedt. Finally, check out The Monkees to find out what happened to the other Davy Jones.