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Friday March 12th 2010

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All The Madmen – David Bowie [Song Review & Lyrics]

#3: All The Madmen – David Bowie



"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 sadmen 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 sadmen
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

Bowie said that this song was written about his brother; an inmate at Crane-Hill Mental Institution. (Who appears on the cover of the album)

It is a world deep inside the mind of an inmate; a twisted view of the world, and one of the most poetic songs, I know.

I once read a book called: ‘The High House’ by ‘James Stoddard’, and every time I listen to this song, it brings back the feelings of reading that book, and the imagery to match. It is more than a bleak world that this song conjours, but a sense of loneliness, and a vast world that is too large to comprehend.

The opening notes of the song draw me down into that world, of broken hopes, and the men who tear life away piece; by agonizing piece.

At the end, this tortured soul is so agonized, that he begs for a lobotomy.

Listening to the song gives me a small piece of that feeling, and I relish the sweet splinter under my skin.

-Ezra Hilyer

 

 

The Man Who Sold the World – David Bowie (Buy On Amazon)

<<All The Madmen – Article On Wikipedia>>

<<Back To 100 Poetic Songs List

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2 Responses to “All The Madmen – David Bowie [Song Review & Lyrics]”

  1. Tanner! says:

    Ezra! I have two suggestions for you. In my opinion one of the most beautifully poetic songs ever written is These Days by Jackson Browne. However, he never recorded it. Instead he produced a cover of it by Nico on the album Chelsea Girl. I highly recommend it. My second suggestion is Suzanne by Leonard Cohen. The man is a poet, author, songwriter, and actor. Suzanne is just the most fluid piece of music ever.

    • Ezra Hilyer says:

      Hey Tanner, thanks for taking the time to reply, and for the suggestions, I do think that Suzanne is very good, and will include it in this list.
      I have Cohens’ Hallelujah on the list. (though the Jeff Buckley version), and I am downloading The Nico Album Chelsea girl right now, to give it a listen. I love exploring new music!
      -Ezra

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