David Bowie - Jerusalem

While Kurt kicked on his moped, slings me his colored draws
Painting hung behind me is presented to the whores
By a man who plays his guitar on a Monday afternoon
In the washroom while his typist collects percentages from the moon
It's an ordinary diary extract photo stack from life
Of the murderous companion and his wife
And he's a long way from Jerusalem by now
He's a film scriptor himself
His mom will tell you why
He blew his mind on Churchill
Just before the age of five
And the school looked so much better
While he gunned the fifth year, poof
He profiteered on the nearest mead
By selling most of himself
He won't stand competition in any sight, shape, right or form
But he'd let you beside the cold stir 'round his nose
And you can stop off at Jerusalem for a blow
He could organize a food morsel in seven years from now
If you tell him it's for the hot liquor of Mecca's sacred cow
And he'll probably unbutton what is left in half a fly
He'll show you inside information plus the green upon his thigh
It's the phone number of someone who said he'd be prepared to die
If the man would give him bubble gum and rice
And the waiter says, "The cavalry is nice"
His life is celebration and his habits very rare
Both his eyes were made by Disney and sex of his fortune chair
Is determined by the comics that he read the night before
So be sure to take a candle and be prepared to lock the door
Although the sergeants on patrol outside his lavatory hall
His father says it's likely to be fun, fun, fun, fun
They've installed electric jewels in Jerusalem
So if you've got the time to spare
Be bold and as gay as you can be
And race him to the poster stuck on Eden's panic tree
Where a face that you might know stares out across a bloody ground
And the caption reads, "A false beard and a raincoat have been found"
All the leaves will try to buy you and the fruit are awful stud
And he eats the apples with his cancerous teeth, yeah, yeah
At a quick glance you could take him for a thief
Do do do do do

David Bowie (1947 – 2016) was a British musician, and one of the most iconic rock stars with a widely diverse career where he frequently changed his appearance and musical style, resulting in an acclaimed discography comparable to other stalwarts such as The Beatles and Bob Dylan. Born David Robert Jones, Bowie quickly renamed himself to prevent confusion with The Monkees singer Davy Jones. Enduring many early missteps, he rose to prominence when his most famous song, “Space Oddity,” was played during the coverage of the Apollo 11 moon landing.

Despite this early breakthrough, Bowie remained a cult figure for several years. Even the release of Hunky Dory, his first great album, went largely unnoticed. Bowie only lodged himself firmly in the public consciousness when he announced his bisexuality and created Ziggy Stardust in early 1972. A Martian who combined the debauchery of Iggy Pop with the artistry of Lou Reed, Ziggy was the main character in Bowie’s breakthrough album, and his public persona for eighteen months.

Bowie used his new-found popularity to move to America, and dabble with new musical directions and cocaine. Diamond Dogs and Young Americans continue to divide critics, but Station To Station found Bowie at a new creative peak, despite escalating drug use and related health issues.

Moving back to Europe helped Bowie reach even greater musical heights. He recorded his iconic “Berlin Trilogy” – Low, “Heroes”, and Lodger, with Brian Eno and Tony Visconti (despite the name, only Heroes was recorded in Berlin), and produced Iggy Pop’s first two solo albums. This was followed by the hard-rocking Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps), and disco-influenced Let’s Dance.

Bowie entered a period of critical apathy during the 1980s, as albums like Tonight and Never Let Me Down fell relatively flat. These were his Tin Machine days, and they paved the way for a renaissance of huge proportions, with albums such as 1. Outside, Earthling, Heathen, and Reality reclaiming his status as a number one pop star. Radio silence then ensued for much of the 2000s, until he surprisingly issued 2013’s The Next Day, recorded in secret and released to critical acclaim.

David Bowie passed away on January 10, 2016, two days after his 69th birthday and the release of his last album, Blackstar.