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Throughout his life, no one ever got to see the real David Bowie. Although he may have been able to show the world different forms of music that no one else had thought of, Bowie tried to keep parts of his private life private, always keeping the introspective side of his personality close to his chest. It was hidden in During his lifetime, many people tried to figure out who “The Starman” was, but when it came to “The Man Who Sold the World,” he implied that the chance to get to know him was wasted.
Before we get into this song, it’s easy to look back at the situation Bowie was in during the production of the album that this song accompanies. After becoming a fanciful songwriter on his debut album in the late 1960s, it was with the single “Space Oddity” that Bowie really hit the pop charts, and fans knew he would transform into later projects. I was able to see the appearance of the Star-Crossed Savior.
When he first tasted fame, the man who sold the world It seemed like a vitriolic response to people trying to figure out his true identity. Aside from the odd folk-tinged number here and there, many of the record’s best moments indulge in heavy metal leanings that sound like glam rock’s answer to contemporary artists like Black Sabbath. It comes from a band that.
Towards the end of the record, Bowie risks everything for the title song, taking the listener on a journey with a mysterious man who claims to have traveled the world. Bowie spoke with the man and wondered if the rumors that he had died were true, but later admitted that he may have written and performed the song himself.
Although he didn’t have a clear answer, Bowie alluded to the fact that the song might have been about him, saying: BBC Radio 1“I think I wrote this song because there was a part of me that I was looking for… For me, that song has always embodyed what it felt like when I was younger and knew there was a part of me that wasn’t there. I really haven’t gotten it together yet. ”
Bowie would eventually have Lulu sing the song, but it wasn’t until the next generation caught up to it that it began to take on its classic form. Nirvana, who went on to become one of the biggest artists on the planet, would eventually bring the song back as part of their setlist during the production of the series. MTV Unplugged.
What did Bowie think of Nirvana’s version?
Bowie’s music was established as a classic long before Nirvana created their version of the song, but he admitted he was shocked by what Nirvana did with the song. When Cobain spoke about the song after he died, Bowie recalled how special it was to hear it, and he said: Cover of “The Man Who Sold the World”. It was a good straight performance and somehow sounded very honest. ”
Compared to what Bowie originally envisioned for the song, Cobain took his words to another level. Since he was known as one of the most popular artists of his generation, the Nirvana version may have been Cobain’s attempt to reconcile with a version of himself that was not visible to others. Bowie’s alter ego may have claimed to have sold the world in the early 1970s, but in his era of alternative rock, everything was being bought and sold again.