The Rise And Fall Of

David Bowie The Rise And Fall Of Lyrics
1.Five Years

Lyrics:David Bowie
Music:David Bowie

Pushing thru the market square, so many mothers sighing
News had just come over, we had five years left to cry in
News guy wept and told us, earth was really dying
Cried so much his face was wet, then I knew he was not lying
I heard telephones, opera house, favourite melodies
I saw boys, toys electric irons and T.V.'s
My brain hurt like a warehouse, it had no room to spare
I had to cram so many things to store everything in there
And all the fat-skinny people, and all the tall-short people
And all the nobody people, and all the somebody people
I never thought I'd need so many people

A girl my age went off her head, hit some tiny children
If the black hadn't a-pulled her off, I think she would have
killed them
A soldier with a broken arm, fixed his stare to the wheels of a
Cadillac
A cop knelt and kissed the feet of a priest, and a queer
threw up at the sight of that
I think I saw you in an ice-cream parlour, drinking milk shakes
cold and long
Smiling and waving and looking so fine, don't think
you knew you were in this song
And it was cold and it rained so I felt like an actor
And I thought of Ma and I wanted to get back there
Your face, your race, the way that you talk
I kiss you, you're beautiful, I want you to walk

We've got five years, stuck on my eyes
We've got five years, what a surprise
We've got five years, my brain hurts a lot
We've got five years, that's all we've got


2.Soul Love

Lyrics:David Bowie
Music:David Bowie

Stone love - she kneels before the grave
A brave son - who gave his life to see the slogan
That hovers between the headstone and her eyes
For they penetrate her grieving

New love - a boy and girl are talking
New words - that only they can share in
New words - a love so strong it tears their hearts
To sleep - through the fleeting hours of morning
Love is careless in its choosing - sweeping over cross a baby
Love descends on those defenseless
Idiot love will spark the fusion
Inspirations have I none - just to touch the flaming dove
All I have is my love of love - and love is not loving

Soul love - the priest that tastes the word and
Told of love - and how my God on high is
All love - though reaching up my loneliness evolves
By the blindness that surrounds him

Love is careless in its choosing - sweeping over cross a baby
Love descends on those defenseless
Idiot love will spark the fusion
Inspirations have I none - just to touch the flaming dove
All I have is my love of love - and love is not loving


3.Moonage Daydream

Lyrics:David Bowie
Music:David Bowie

I'm an alligator, I'm a mama-papa coming for you
I'm the space invader, I'll be a rock 'n' rollin' bitch for you
Keep your mouth shut, you're squawking like a pink monkey bird
And I'm busting up my brains for the words

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!

Don't fake it baby, lay the real thing 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!
(repeat x3)

Freak out, far out, in out


4.Starman

Lyrics:David Bowie
Music:David Bowie

Didn't know what time it was and 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 (repeat)


5.It Ain't Easy

Lyrics:Ron Davies
Music:Ron Davies

When you climb to the top of the mountain
Look out over the sea
Think about the places perhaps, where a young man could be
Then you jump back down to the rooftops
Look out over the town
Think about all of the strange things circulating round

CHORUS
It ain't easy, it ain't easy
It ain't easy to get to heaven when you're going down

Well all the people have got their problems
That ain't nothing new
With the help of the good Lord
We can all pull on through
We can all pull on through
Get there in the end
Sometimes it'll take you right up and sometimes down again

CHORUS

Satisfaction, satisfaction
Keep me satisfied
I've got the love of a Hoochie Koochie woman
She calling from inside
She's a-calling from inside
Trying to get to you
All the woman really wants you can give her something too

CHORUS (x2)


6.Lady Stardust

Lyrics:David Bowie
Music:David Bowie

People stared at the makeup on his face
Laughed at his long black hair, his animal grace
The boy in the bright blue jeans
Jumped up on the stage
And lady stardust sang his songs
Of darkness and disgrace

CHORUS
And he was alright, the band was altogether
Yes he was alright, the song went on forever
And he was awful nice
Really quite out of sight (second time: really quite paradise)
And he sang all night long

Femme fatales emerged from shadows
To watch this creature fair
Boys stood upon their chairs
To make their point of view
I smiled sadly for a love I could not obey
Lady stardust sang his songs
Of darkness and dismay

CHORUS

Oh how I sighed when they asked if I knew his name

CHORUS


7.Star

Lyrics:David Bowie
Music:David Bowie

Tony went to fight in Belfast
Rudi stayed at home to starve
I could make it all worthwhile as a rock & roll star
Bevan tried to change the nation
Sonny wants to turn the world, well he can tell you that he
tried

CHORUS (x2)
I could make a transformation as a rock & roll star
So inviting - so enticing to play the part
I could play the wild mutation as a rock & roll star
(second time: Get it all yeah!)
I could do with the money
I'm so wiped out with things as they are
I'd send my photograph to my honey - and I'd c'mon like a
regular superstar

I could fall asleep at night as a rock & roll star
I could fall in love all right as a rock & roll star


8.Hang Onto Yourself

Lyrics:David Bowie
Music:David Bowie

Well she's a tongue twisting storm, she will come to the show
tonight
Praying to the light machine
She wants my honey not my money she's a funky-thigh collector
Layin' on 'lectric dreams

CHORUS
So 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

We can't dance, we don't talk much, we just ball and play
But then we move like tigers on vaseline
Well the bitter comes out better on a stolen guitar
You're the blessed, we're the spiders from Mars

CHORUS (x3)

Come on, ah, come on, ah (repeat ad inf.)


9.Ziggy Stardust

Lyrics:David Bowie
Music:David Bowie

Ziggy played guitar, jamming good with Weird and Gilly
The spiders from Mars. He played it left hand
But made it too far
Became the special man, then we were Ziggy's band

Ziggy really sang, screwed up eyes and screwed down hairdo
Like some cat from Japan, he could lick 'em by smiling
He could leave 'em to hang
Came on so loaded man, well hung and snow white tan.

So where were the spiders while the fly tried to break our balls
Just the beer light to guide us,
So we bitched about his fans and should we crush his sweet
hands?

Ziggy played for time, jiving us that we were voodoo
The kids were just crass, he was the nazz
With God given ass
He took it all too far but boy could he play guitar

Making love with his ego Ziggy sucked up into his mind
Like a leper messiah
When the kids had killed the man I had to break up the band.

Oh yeah
Ooooooo
Ziggy played guitaarrrrrr


10.Suffragette City

Lyrics:David Bowie
Music:David Bowie

Hey man, oh leave me alone you know
Hey man, oh Henry, get off the phone, I gotta
Hey man, I gotta straighten my face
This mellow thighed chick just put my spine out of place

Hey man, my schooldays insane
Hey man, my work's down the drain
Hey man, well she's a total blam-blam
She said she had to squeeze it but she... then she...

(CHORUS)
Oh don't lean on me man, cause you can't afford the ticket
I'm back on Suffragette City
Oh don't lean on me man
Cause you ain't got time to check it
You know my Suffragette City
Is outta sight...she's all right

Hey man, Henry, don't be unkind, go away
Hey man, I can't take you this time, no way
Hey man, droogie don't crash here
There's only room for one and here she comes, here she comes

CHORUS

Oh hit me!

CHORUS

A Suffragette City, a Suffragette City
I'm back on Suffragette City, I'm back on Suffragette City
Ooo, Sufraggete city, ooo, Suffragette City
Oooh-how, Sufragette City, oooh-how, Sufragette City, oooh-how
Sufragette

Ohhh, Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am!

A Suffragette City, a Suffragette City
Quite all right
A Suffragette City
Too fine
A Suffragette City, ooh, a Sufragette City
Oh, my Sufragette City, oh my Suffragette City
Oh, Suffragette
Suffragette!


11.Rock 'N' Roll Suicide

Lyrics:David Bowie
Music:David Bowie

Time takes a cigarette, puts it in your mouth
You pull on your finger, then another finger, then your
cigarette
The wall-to-wall is calling, it lingers, then you forget
Ohhh, you're a rock 'n' roll suicide

You're too old to lose it, too young to choose it
And the clocks waits so patiently on your song
You walk past a cafe but you don't eat when you've lived too
long
Oh, no, no, no, you're a rock 'n' roll suciide

Chev brakes are snarling as you stumble across the road
But the day breaks instead so you hurry home
Don't let the sun blast your shadow
Don't let the milk float ride your mind
They're so natural - religiously unkind

Oh no love! you're not alone
You're watching yourself but you're too unfair
You got your head all tangled up but if I could only make you
care
Oh no love! you're not alone
No matter what or who you've been
No matter when or where you've seen
All the knives seem to lacerate your brain
I've had my share, I'll help you with the pain
You're not alone

Just turn on with me and you're not alone
Let's turn on with me and you're not alone
Let's turn on and be not alone
Gimme your hands cause you're wonderful
Gimme your hands cause you're wonderful
Oh gimme your hands.


12.John, I'm Only Dancing

Lyrics:David Bowie
Music:David Bowie

Well, Annie's pretty neat, she always eats her meat
Joe is awful strong, bet your life he's putting us on
Oh lordy, oh lordy, you know I need some loving
I'm moving, touch me!

(CHORUS)
John, I'm only dancing
She turns me on, but I'm only dancing
She turns me on, don't get me wrong
I'm only dancing

Oh shadow love was quick and clean, life's a well thumbed
machine
I saw you watching from the stairs, you're everyone that ever
cared
Oh lordy, oh lordy, you know I need some loving
I'm moving, touch me!

CHORUS (x2)

Dancing, won't someone dance with me?
Touch me! Ohhh!


13.Velvet Goldmine

Lyrics:David Bowie
Music:David Bowie

You got crazy legs, you got amazin' head
You got rings on your fingers and your hair's hot red
You got the width of my tongue name on the sun
I clutch you close to my breast
Cause you're the only one, who uses school to pleasure

You make me act real gone, you make me troll along
I had to ravish your capsule, suck you dry
Feel the teeth in your bones, heal ya head with my own
Why if I don't have you whole, is that your final love?
Here all together

CHORUS
Velvet goldmine, you stroke me like the rain
Snake it, take it, panther princess you must stay
Velvet goldmine, naked on your chain
I'll be your king volcano right for you again and again
My velvet goldmine

You're my taste, my trip, I'll be your master zip
I'll chop your hair off for kicks, you'll make me jump to my
feet
So you'll give me your hand, give me your sound
Let my sea wash your face, I'm falling, I can't stand
Oooh! Clutch your makeup!

CHORUS

Oh
Shoot you down, bang bang

CHORUS

(hum) Velvet Goldmine (repeat)


14.Sweet Head

Lyrics:David Bowie
Music:David Bowie

I tried to break away from you
From the spics and blacks and the gum you chew
Where the posters are torn by the muggin' gangs
By the faggy parks and the burnt out vans
I've got ninety-nine years of laying in the dark and I'm far too
young to lie
I've got ninety-nine ways to play my guitar it's going to pay me
before I die

CHORUS
So bob your sweet head
Brother Ziggy going to play
I'm just about the best you can hear
Gonna rock it in your head
Shazam! and come ball
With my guitar and me soprano
We can give you sweet head

I'm tough as glass and clean as night
Well if looks can love we can love all right
I'm your rubber peacock angelic whore
I'm a wrought iron face upon the wall
I had ninety-nine years of murder called life and I'm running
away from it all
I got a bedroom, every mirror in town they're going to claim me
if I fall

CHORUS

Sweet head, give you sweet head
(spoken: while ya down there)

See my eyes of blocked emotion, see my tremble, see my fall
Traumatics thick and fast, your faith in me can last
Besides I'm known to lay you, one and all

Look south the way your mother dwells
If she knew what's going down, she'd give you hell
I'm the kind of man she warned me of
Till there was rock, you only had god

You and I have a mutual vow
We both like young, and we both like loud
I got pretty shoes, and I'm kid and proud
I'm street side out with my ear to the crowd

CHORUS

Move along, sir!


15.Ziggy Stardust

Lyrics:David Bowie
Music:David Bowie

Ziggy played guitar, jamming good with Weird and Gilly
The spiders from Mars. He played it left hand
But made it too far
Became the special man, then we were Ziggy's band

Ziggy really sang, screwed up eyes and screwed down hairdo
Like some cat from Japan, he could lick 'em by smiling
He could leave 'em to hang
Came on so loaded man, well hung and snow white tan.

So where were the spiders while the fly tried to break our balls
Just the beer light to guide us,
So we bitched about his fans and should we crush his sweet
hands?

Ziggy played for time, jiving us that we were voodoo
The kids were just crass, he was the nazz
With God given ass
He took it all too far but boy could he play guitar

Making love with his ego Ziggy sucked up into his mind
Like a leper messiah
When the kids had killed the man I had to break up the band.

Oh yeah
Ooooooo
Ziggy played guitaarrrrrr


16.Lady Stardust

Lyrics:David Bowie
Music:David Bowie

People stared at the makeup on his face
Laughed at his long black hair, his animal grace
The boy in the bright blue jeans
Jumped up on the stage
And lady stardust sang his songs
Of darkness and disgrace

CHORUS
And he was alright, the band was altogether
Yes he was alright, the song went on forever
And he was awful nice
Really quite out of sight (second time: really quite paradise)
And he sang all night long

Femme fatales emerged from shadows
To watch this creature fair
Boys stood upon their chairs
To make their point of view
I smiled sadly for a love I could not obey
Lady stardust sang his songs
Of darkness and dismay

CHORUS

Oh how I sighed when they asked if I knew his name

CHORUS