Showbiz
Bethan McKernan
Jan 11, 2016
One year ago today, legendary singer David Bowie died after a heroic 18-month battle with lung cancer.
The 69-year-old icon had just released his 25th album Blackstar and a music video for the song 'Lazarus', which shows him wrapped in bandages on a hospital bed.
In honour of his talent and the contribution he made to music, film and art we have put together 13 of his most famous and moving lyrics from a career that spanned decades and spoke to several generations:
1.
Time takes a cigarette, puts it in your mouth
'Rock 'n' Roll Suicide' from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars (1972)
2.
For years and years I roamed, I gazed a gazeless stare
'The Man Who Sold the World' from The Man Who Sold the World (1970)
3.
Spend some time together/
So hologramic, oh my T V C one five /
My baby's in there someplace /
Love's rating in the sky
'TVC 15' from Station to Station (1976)
4.
And these children that you spit on/
As they try to change their worlds/
Are immune to your consultations/
They're quite aware of what they're going through
'Changes', from Hunky Dory (1971)
5.
The sun machine is coming down/
and we're gonna have a party
'Memory of a Free Festival' from David Bowie (1969)
6.
There's a starman waiting in the sky/
He'd like to come and meet us/
But he thinks he'd blow our minds
'Starman' from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars (1972)
7.
News guy wept when he told us Earth was really dying/
Cried so much that his face was wet/
Then I knew he was not lying
'Five Years', from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars (1972)
8.
Let's dance put on your red shoes and dance the blues
'Let's Dance' from Let's Dance (1983)
9.
It's big and it's bland full of tension and fear/
They do it over there but we don't do it here
'Fashion' from Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) (1980)
10.
I'm not a prophet or a stone aged man/
Just a mortal with potential of a superman/
I'm living on
'Quicksand' from Hunky Dory (1971)
11.
This is Major Tom to Ground Control/
I'm stepping through the door/
And I'm floating in a most peculiar way/
And the stars look very different today
'Space Oddity' from David Bowie (1969)
12.
So what you wanna know Calamity's child, Where'd you wanna go? What can I do for you? Looks like you've been there too
'Rebel Rebel' from Diamond Dogs (1974)
13.
Look up here, I'm in heaven/
I've got scars, that can't be seen
'Lazarus', from Blackstar (2016)
RIP David Bowie, 1947-2016.
Image by: https://www.mimihavingfun.com/
More: Fifty years of David Bowie's style, in one gif
More from The Independent: David Bowie dead: Singer dies after 18-month battle with cancer
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