Today is a very special day for me. No, for the world. And do you know why it’s such a special, wonderful, glorious day? It’s because on this day, 65 years ago, David Bowie was born. On this day in 1947, the universe gave us the most beautiful gift we could have ever hoped to receive. And it would be a crime not to celebrate that.
It’s hard for me to describe what David Bowie means to me, because really, it’s just so much. I had some rough times growing up. I’m not talking some horrendous abuse or anything like that, thank goodness, I’m talking more like getting pushed in the dirt on the playground because of my lazy eye or hearing my parents fight over and over because they found weed in my brother’s room and they didn’t know what to do about it. But, as I’m sure some of you have been able to gather, I’m a sensitive person, and those were my issues, and they bothered me a lot. But no matter what the kids said to me at school and no matter what family issues I was having, I could always put in my trusty VHS copy of Labyrinth and have a good time.
I used to pretend that the Goblin King came to take me away, and that my backyard was the labyrinth. When I went with my mom to the grocery store, I was pretending that I was riding into the Goblin City. Then, a few years later when high school and hormones and becoming a teenager absolutely kicked my ass, when every kid called me a nerd or a bookworm or fat or gross or worthless, I had Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane to keep me company. And, you guys, they were such good company.
That’s why I like to celebrate today, at least a little. Where the country dedicates holidays to figures who were so important to the people as a whole, I like to acknowledge the people who have been so important to me as an individual. And David Bowie is definitely, definitely someone important.
Now let’s celebrate through song!
I’m going to go ahead and share with you some of my absolute favorite Bowie tunes, does that sound good? You can add yours in the comments, of course, but here are mine:
A lot of times when people ask what my favorite song is, I usually just say “I don’t know, something by Bowie.” But when people ask what my favorite Bowie album is, a lot of times I say Space Oddity, and “Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud” is probably my favorite song from that album. So sometimes this is my favorite song ever. Also, “All the Young Dudes” and “Oh! You Pretty Things” are really good songs as well.
Do I really need to explain “Life on Mars?”
Ziggy Stardust is unbelievable, and that is in no way a secret. I think “Starman” might be my favorite track from the whole album, but it’s really hard to tell when every single song is magical.
The last verse, the verse about dreaming? It absolutely kills me.
Diamond Dogs is my other answer to “what’s your favorite Bowie album?” Well, and also Ziggy.
His face, you guys. His face and the saxophone, how am I not supposed to love this?
There are, of course, many, many more songs that I love and cherish – I am, by far, a 70’s Bowie girl, but then there’s Labyrinth, and I really enjoyed “Never Let Me Down,” and Hours and Outside were amazing, and Heathen has a special place in my heart, natch – but it’s late and I’ve got to get to celebrating!
To make up for it, how about you let me know what your favorite Bowie songs are?
hey emily, just went in your blog and saw your pic (cause the whole life story felt so real) and i think you’re beautiful!
now onto david…fav song is probably win, the lyrics are everything!
Thank you so much, that means a lot to me! And “Win” is an excellent, excellent choice!
Happy Birthday Mr Bowie! I have an effed up eye just like his, and knowing I had Bowie eyes as a kid made me feel a hell of a lot better about it :)
Thank you so much Emily. This is just what I needed this evening. So so so many favorite songs for all kinds of reasons. I played Kooks when I was having my son and I still tear up when I hear it. My son is 11.
True story: when my oldest nephew was a little wee baby, he had little wee baby mood swings, and the only thing that could calm him down when he cried was “Starman”. He loved Bowie in general, but when he was crying, he would only stop for “Starman”.
(His brothers have similar good taste in music: the middle one would only calm down to HIM’s “Wings of a Butterfly” and the baby would whine until we put on Ludo’s “Love Me Dead”, but really, they are all Bowie babies.)
There are so many reasons why I love you, and this post is just another reason to heap onto the pile. :)
thanks, emily, i knew you would have a great post about bowie.
i have a very similar relationship to him :) picking a song is soooo hard.. i love heroes, velvet goldmine, life on mars, suffragette city, modern love, drowned girl….well, any bowie song really. :)
oh he is wonderful, thanks for posting. I am slowly but surely building up my Bowie collection and always love it when I discover an unknown song that suddenly fills up my soul. So many times, especially recently during a traumatic time, I have found his music healing and calming. What I wouldn’t give to him live….
“As the World Falls Down”