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David Bowie
David Bowie


Background information
Birth name David Robert Jones
Born January 8, 1947
Born place Brixton, London, England
Genre(s) Rock
Glam Rock
Pop Rock
Art Rock
Blue-eyed soul
Psychedelic Rock
Years active 1964—present
Label(s) RCA Records
Virgin Records
Columbia Records
EMI Group
Rykodisc
Parlophone Records
Associated acts The Riot Squad
Tin Machine
Website Website



Music World  →  Lyrics  →  D  →  David Bowie  →  Albums  →  The Man Who Sold The World

David Bowie Album


The Man Who Sold The World (1971)
1971
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Lightning Frightening (1990 Reissue bonus track)
11.
Holy Holy (1990 Reissue bonus track)
12.
13.
. . .


In the corner of the morning in the past
I would sit and blame the master first and last
All the roads were straight and narrow
And the prayers were small and yellow
And the rumour spread that I was aging fast
Then I ran across a monster who was sleeping by a tree
And I looked and frowned and the monster was me

Well, I said hello and I said hello
And I asked "Why not?" and I replied "I don't know."
So we asked a simple black bird, who was happy as can be
And he laughed insane and quipped "KAHLIL GIBRAN"
So I cried for all the others till the day was nearly through
For I realized that God's a young man too

So I said "So long" and I waved "Bye-bye"
And I smashed my soul and traded my mind
Got laid by a young bordello
I was vaguely half asleep
For which my reputation swept back home in drag
And the moral of this magic spell
Negotiates my hide
When God did take my logic for a ride
(Riding along)

He swallowed his pride and puckered his lips
And showed me the leather belt round his hips
My knees were shaking my cheeks aflame
He said "You'll never go down to the Gods again"
(Turn around,go back!)

He struck the ground a cavern appeared
And I smelt the burning pit of fear
We crashed a thousand yards below
I said "Do it again, do it again"
(Turn around,go back!)

His nebulous body swayed above
His tongue swollen with devil's love
The snake and I, a venom high
I said "Do it again, do it again"
(Turn around, go back!)

Breathe, breathe, breathe deeply
And I was seething, breathing deeply
Spitting sentry, horned and tailed
Waiting for you

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

. . .


Day after day.
They send my friends away
To mansions cold and grey
To the far side of town
Where the thin men stalk the streets
While the sane stay underground.

Day after day.
They tell me I can go
They tell me I can blow
To the far side of town
Where it's pointless to be high
'Cause it's such a long way down
So I tell them that.

I can fly, I will scream, I will break my arm
I will do me harm.
Here I stand, foot in hand, talking to my wall
I'm not quite right at all...am I?

Don't set me free, I'm as heavy as can be
Just my librium and me
And my E.S.T. makes three

'Cause I'd rather stay here
With all the madmen
Than perish with the sadmen roaming free
And I'd rather play here
With all the madmen
For I'm quite content they're all as sane
As me

(Where can the horizon lie
When a nation hides
Its organic minds
In a cellar...dark and grim
They must be very dim)

Day after day
They take some brain away
Then turn my face around
To the far side of town
And tell me that it's real
Then ask me how I feel

Here I stand, foot in hand, talking to my wall
I'm not quite right at all

Don't set me free, I'm as helpless as can be
My libido's split on me
Gimme some good 'ole lobotomy

'Cause I'd rather stay here
With all the madmen
Than perish with the sadmen
Roaming free
And I'd rather play here
With all the madmen
For I'm quite content
They're all as sane as me.

Zane, Zane, Zane
Ouvre le Chien

. . .


Pack a pack horse and rest up here on,
Black Country Rock
You never know, you might find it here on,
Black Country Rock

Some say the view is crazy
But you may adopt another point of view
So if it's much too hazy
You can leave my friend and me with fond adieu.

. . .


Please trip them gently, they don't like to fall, Oh by jingo
There's no room for anger, we're all very small, Oh by jingo
We're painting our faces and dressing in thoughts from the skies
From paradise.
But they think that we're holding a secretive ball.
Won't someone invite them
They're just taller children, that's all, after all.

Man is an obstacle, sad as the clown, Oh by jingo
So hold on to nothing, and he won't let you down, Oh by jingo
Some people are marching together and some on their own
Quite alone.
Others are running, the smaller ones crawl
But some sit in silence, they're just older children
That's all, after all.

I sing with impertinence, shading impermanent chords,
With my words
I've borrowed your time and I'm sorry I called
But the thought just occurred that we're nobody's children at all, after all.

Live till your rebirth and do what you will, Oh by jingo
Forget all I've said, please bear me no ill, Oh by jingo
After all, after all.

. . .


I count the corpses on my left, I find I'm not so tidy
So I better get away, better make it today.
I've cut twenty-three down since Friday
But I-------I can't control it, my face is drawn,
My instinct still emotes it.

I slash them cold, I kill them dead
I broke the gooks, I cracked their heads
I'll bomb them out from under the beds
But now I've got the running gun blues.

It seems the peacefuls stopped the war
Left generals squashed and stifled
But I'll slip out again tonight
Cause they haven't taken back my rifle.
For I------I promote oblivion
And I-----I'll plug a few civilians.

I'll slash them cold, I'll kill them dead
I'll break them gooks, I'll crack their heads
I'll slice them till they're running red,
But now I've got the running gun blues.

. . .


President Joe once had a dream
The world held his hand, gave their pledge
So he told them his scheme for a Saviour Machine

They called it the Prayer, its answer was law
Its logic stopped war, gave them food,
How they adored till it cried in its boredom,

'Please don't believe in me, please disagree with me
Life is too easy, a plague seems quite feasible now,
or maybe a war, or I may kill you all.

Don't let me stay, don't let me stay.
My logic says burn so send me away
Your minds are too green, I despise all I've seen
You can't stake your lives on a Saviour Machine

I need you flying, and I'll show that dying
Is living beyond reason, sacred dimension of time
I perceive every sign, I can steal every mind

Don't let me stay, don't let me stay
My logic says burn so send me away
Your minds are too green, I despise all I've seen
You can't stake your lives on a Saviour Machine.

. . .


We met upon a hill, the night was cool & still
She sucked my dormant will
Mother, she blew my brain. I will go back again
My God, she shook my cold.

I had no time to spare, I grabbed her golden hair
And threw her to the ground.
Father, she caved my head. Oh Lord, the things she said
My God, she should be told.

I was very smart, broke the gentle hearts
Of many young virgins
I was quick on the ball, left them so lonely
They'd just give up trying.
Then she took my head, smashed it up,
Kept my young blood rising,
Crushed me mercilessly, kept me going around
So she don't know I crave her so

I'll give my love in vain, to reach that peak again
We met upon a hill
Mother, she blew my brain, I will go back again
My God, she shook me cold.

. . .


We passed upon the stair, we spoke of was and when
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
With The Man Who Sold The World

I laughed and shook his hand, and made my way back home
I searched for form and land, for years and years I roamed
I gazed a gazeless stare and we marked the millions years
We must have died along, 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


. . .


When all the world was very young
And mountain magic heavy hung
The supermen would walk in file
Guardians of a loveless isle
And gloomy browed with superfear their tragic endless lives
Could heave nor sigh
In solemn, perverse serenity, wondrous beings chained to life

Strange games they would play then
No death for the perfect men
Life rolls into one for them
So softly a supergod cries

Where all were minds in uni-thought
Power weird by mystics taught
No pain, no joy, no power too great
Colossal strength to grasp a fate
Where sad-eyed mermen tossed in slumbers
Nightmare dreams no mortal mind could hold
A man would tear his brother's flesh, a chance to die
To turn to mold.

Far out in the red-sky
Far out from the sad eyes
Strange, mad celebration
So softly a supergod cries

Far out in the red-sky
Far out from the sad eyes
Strange, mad celebration
So softly a supergod dies


. . .


I'll give you back my farm and I'll give you back my house
I'll give you back my right to be free
I've got moon, I've got sun
Lightning, lightning, lightning
I've got me, I've got you
Frightening, frightening, frightening

I'll give you back my farm and I'll give you back my house


I'll give you back my right to be free
I'll give you back my farm and I'll give you back my house
I'll give you back my right to be free
I've got moon, I've got sun
(I've got) Lightning, lightning, lightning
I've got me, I've got you
(It's) Frightening, frightening, frightening

. . .


Listen Lady, let me lie low, lie low with you
To be lie-high-high-high-high-high, my! Oh my!
Slowly, we get too good and too holy
Helping one another, just a righteous brother
Night time, get me back in the night time
I don't want to be angel, just a little bit evil
I feel the devil in me

Holy, holy
Hold on to anyone, hold on to anyone
But just let me be
Holy, holy
Hold on to anyone, hold on to anyone
Let go of me

Listen Lady, let me lie low, lie low with you
To be a lie-high-high-high-high-high, my! Oh my!

Holy, holy
Hold on to anyone, hold on to anyone
But just let me be
Holy, holy
Hold on to anyone, hold on to anyone
Let go of me

. . .


Come on strong girl, lay the heavy trick on me
The church of man, love, is such a holy place to be
Make me baby, make me know you really care
Make me jump into the air

Keep your 'lectric eye on me babe
Put your ray gun to my head
Press your space face close to mine, love
Freak out in a moonage daydream oh yeah!

Alright ah
Come on you ?
Far out

Keep your mouth shut, but listen to the world inside
Keep your head on, but open up your eyes real wide
Keep the change strong, let the things you torn aside
You messing any road to high

Keep your 'lectric eye on me babe
Put your ray gun to my head
Press your space face close to mine, love
Freak out in a moonage daydream oh yeah!

Keep your 'lectric eye on me babe
Put your ray gun to my head
Press your space face close to mine, love
Freak out in a moonage daydream oh yeah!

Take it out take it out
Oh
Oh
Ready

. . .


Thought we had a good thing going, and you know and Mama had a thing on
My baby got out last monday and me I'm on a radio show

So come on, come on, we've really got a good thing going
Come on, Come on, if you think we're gonna make it
You better hang on to yourself

My Father had a good thing going, and you know Mother had a thing on the street
My baby got out last monday and me I'm on a radio show

So come on, so come on, we've really got a good thing going
Well come on, well come on, if you think we're gonna make it
You better hang on to yourself

Well come on, come on, we've really got a good thing going
Come on, come on, if you think we're gonna make it
You better hang on to yourself

Well come on, come on, we've really got a good thing going
Well come on, well come on, if you think we're gonna make it
You better hang on to yourself

Ah, Alright, Alright, Come on, He, Come on
He, Come on, He, Come on, He, Come on, He
Come on, He, Come on, He, Come on, He,
Come on, He, Come on, He, Come on, He,
Come on, He, Come on, He, Come on, He,
Come on, Come on, Come on, He, Come on,
He, Come on, He, Come on, Come on, Come
on

. . .


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