David Bowie (89,96 %)
The Man Who Sold the World (78,77 %)
In collection
Released: 1970-11-04
Type: Studio
Type: Studio
Ranking:
Artist:
12
Year (1970):
9
Decade (1970's):
68
Overall:
349
|
1.
The Width of a Circle
 08:09
|
|
2.
All the Madmen
 05:41
|
|
3.
Black Country Rock
03:36
|
|
4.
After All
03:56
|
|
5.
Running Gun Blues
 03:15
|
|
6.
Saviour Machine
04:29
|
|
7.
She Shook Me Cold
 04:17
|
|
8.
The Man Who Sold the World
 04:00
|
|
9.
The Supermen
03:40
|
|
Album length:
41:03
|
Lyrics |
|
1.
The Width of a Circle
|
|
In the corner of the morning in the past I would sit and blame the master first and last All the roads were straight and narrow And the prayers were small and yellow And the rumour spread that I was aging fast Then I ran across a monster who was sleeping by a tree And I looked and frowned and the monster was me Well, I said hello and I said hello And I asked "Why not?" and I replied "I don't know" So we asked a simple black bird, who was happy as can be And he laughed insane and quipped "KAHLIL GIBRAN" So I cried for all the others till the day was nearly through For I realized that God's a young man too So I said "So long" and I waved "Bye-bye" And I smashed my soul and traded my mind Got laid by a young bordello I was vaguely half asleep For which my reputation swept back home in drag And the moral of this magic spell Negotiates my hide When God did take my logic for a ride (Riding along) He swallowed his pride and puckered his lips And showed me the leather belt round his hips My knees were shaking my cheeks aflame He said "You'll never go down to the Gods again" (Turn around,go back!) He struck the ground a cavern appeared And I smelt the burning pit of fear We crashed a thousand yards below I said "Do it again, do it again" (Turn around,go back!) His nebulous body swayed above His tongue swollen with devil's love The snake and I, a venom high I said "Do it again, do it again" (Turn around, go back!) Breathe, breathe, breathe deeply And I was seething, breathing deeply Spitting sentry, horned and tailed Waiting for you |
|
2.
All the Madmen
|
|
Day after day They send my friends away To mansions cold and grey To the far side of town Where the thin men stalk the streets While the sane stay underground Day after day They tell me I can go They tell me I can blow To the far side of town Where it's pointless to be high 'Cause it's such a long way down So I tell them that I can fly, I will scream, I will break my arm I will do me harm Here I stand, foot in hand, talking to my wall I'm not quite right at all... am I? Don't set me free, I'm as heavy as can be Just my librium and me And my E.S.T. makes three 'Cause I'd rather stay here With all the madmen Than perish with the sad men roaming free And I'd rather play here With all the madmen For I'm quite content they're all as sane as me (Where can the horizon lie When a nation hides Its organic minds In a cellar...dark and grim They must be very dim) Day after day They take some brain away Then turn my face around To the far side of town And tell me that it's real Then ask me how I feel Here I stand, foot in hand, talking to my wall I'm not quite right at all Don't set me free, I'm as helpless as can be My libido's split on me Gimme some good 'ole lobotomy 'Cause I'd rather stay here With all the madmen Than perish with the sad men Roaming free And I'd rather play here With all the madmen For I'm quite content They're all as sane as me Zane, Zane, Zane Ouvre le Chien |
|
3.
Black Country Rock
|
|
Pack a pack horse and rest up here on Black Country Rock You never know, you might find it here on Black Country Rock Some say the view is crazy But you may adopt another point of view So if it's much too hazy You can leave my friend and me with fond adieu |
|
4.
After All
|
|
Please trip them gently, they don't like to fall, Oh by jingo There's no room for anger, we're all very small, Oh by jingo We're painting our faces and dressing in thoughts from the skies, from paradise But they think that we're holding a secretive ball. Won't someone invite them They're just taller children, that's all, after all Man is an obstacle, sad as the clown, Oh by jingo So hold on to nothing, and he won't let you down, Oh by jingo Some people are marching together and some on their own Quite alone Others are running, the smaller ones crawl But some sit in silence, they're just older children That's all, after all I sing with impertinence, shading impermanent chords, With my words I've borrowed your time and I'm sorry I called But the thought just occurred that we're nobody's children at all, after all Live your rebirth and do what you will, Oh by jingo Forget all I've said, please bear me no ill, Oh by jingo After all, after all |
|
5.
Running Gun Blues
|
|
I count the corpses on my left, I find I'm not so tidy So I better get away, better make it today I've cut twenty-three down since Friday But I can't control it, my face is drawn My instinct still emotes it I slash them cold, I kill them dead I broke the gooks, I cracked their heads I'll bomb them out from under the beds But now I've got the running gun blues It seems the peacefuls stopped the war Left generals squashed and stifled But I'll slip out again tonight Cause they haven't taken back my rifle For I promote oblivion And I'll plug a few civilians I'll slash them cold, I'll kill them dead I'll break them gooks, I'll crack their heads I'll slice them till they're running red But now I've got the running gun blues |
|
6.
Saviour Machine
|
|
President Joe once had a dream The world held his hand, gave their pledge So he told them his scheme for a Saviour Machine They called it the Prayer, its answer was law Its logic stopped war, gave them food How they adored till it cried in its boredom 'Please don't believe in me, please disagree with me Life is too easy, a plague seems quite feasible now Or maybe a war, or I may kill you all Don't let me stay, don't let me stay My logic says burn so send me away Your minds are too green, I despise all I've seen You can't stake your lives on a Saviour Machine I need you flying, and I'll show that dying Is living beyond reason, sacred dimension of time I perceive every sign, I can steal every mind Don't let me stay, don't let me stay My logic says burn so send me away Your minds are too green, I despise all I've seen You can't stake your lives on a Saviour Machine |
|
7.
She Shook Me Cold
|
|
We met upon a hill, the night was cool and still She sucked my dormant will Mother, she blew my brain, I will go back again My God, she shook my cold I had no time to spare, I grabbed her golden hair And threw her to the ground Father, she craved my head, Oh Lord, the things she said My God, she should be told I was very smart, broke the gentle hearts Of many young virgins I was quick on the ball, left them so lonely They'd just give up trying Then she took my head, smashed it up Kept my young blood rising Crushed me mercilessly, kept me going around So she didn't know I crave her so-o-o I'll give my love in vain, to reach that peak again We met upon a hill Mother, she blew my brain, I will go back again My God, she shook me cold |
|
8.
The Man Who Sold the World
|
|
We passed upon the stair, we spoke of was and when Although I wasn't there, he said I was his friend Which came as some surprise I spoke into his eyes I thought you died alone, a long long time ago Oh no, not me I never lost control You're face to face With the man who sold the world I laughed and shook his hand, and made my way back home I searched for form and land, for years and years I roamed I gazed a gazely stare at all the millions here We must have died along, a long long time ago Who knows? Not me We never lost control You're face to face With the man who sold the world Who knows? Not me We never lost control You're face to face With the man who sold the world |
|
9.
The Supermen
|
|
When all the world was very young And mountain magic heavy hung The supermen would walk in file Guardians of a loveless isle And gloomy browed with super fear their tragic endless lives Could heave nor sigh In solemn, perverse serenity, wondrous beings chained to life Strange games they would play then No death for the perfect men Life rolls into one for them So softly a super god cries Where all were minds in uni-thought Power weird by mystics taught No pain, no joy, no power too great Colossal strength to grasp a fate Where sad-eyed mermen tossed in slumbers Nightmare dreams no mortal mind could hold A man would tear his brother's flesh, a chance to die To turn to mold. Far out in the red-sky Far out from the sad eyes Strange, mad celebration So softly a super god cries Far out in the red-sky Far out from the sad eyes Strange, mad celebration So softly a super god dies |