The David Bowie Albums

4 years ago today

“Four years”

my brain does hurt a lot

Is it because it is like a warehouse, or is it the concrete all around?

It just occurred to me that while Bowie could be personal, funny or profound as a lyricist, sometimes accidentally so, he never really tries to be clever, does he?

Which is a good thing, I hope

Now the workers have struck for fame
Because Lennon's on sale again

Yeah, I think that whole weird verse is trying to be clever.

https://i.imgur.com/AtKx7nM.jpg
Keep boxing clever.

I totally think it's a good thing he never really tries to be clever. Jut surprising, given he's smart, pretentious, ambitious, etc. that he never really seemed tempted to show off lyrically. If anything he went the opposite direction. Automatic writing, cut-ups, stream of consciousness, etc.

I don't know how you're defining 'trying to be clever' tbh.

For instance...

"I'm closer to the Golden Dawn
Immersed in Crowley's uniform
Of imagery
I'm living in a silent film
Portraying Himmler's sacred realm
Of dream reality"

... is that trying to be clever?

There's quite a lot of that sort of stuff pre-Ziggy!

Yeah, I don't think of that as clever, just evocative. I'm thinking more of the, yeah, Elvis Costello vein, of couplets and quips and tricky wordplay.

Right, get you, no he did not, thank God!

he definitely did it sometimes, but i agree that it's good he largely avoided it and in any case the examples that come to mind (including the one i posted) rarely come off as smug or obnoxious

He doesn't go much for rhymes, which precludes a lot of opportunities cleverness.

Last two posts otm.