A song is never just a song. Not the good ones. Not classics like David Bowie’s “Heroes.” Songs like that are special. They sound different. They hit on a different level. Why? What makes them stand out? Everything. From the artist to the producer and all points in between.
So let’s deconstruct “Heroes” and see what we can see. How did they do that? This behind the scenes video is worth every second. It’s a lesson in risk, experimentation and artists allowed to be artists.
(RELATED: ‘Hip to Be the Sandman’ – James Hetfield and the News. Mash-ups as Art. [VIDEO])
The results are amazing. As is the story of how “Heroes” came to be. We love it.
One Bowie song that I think was full of ‘hidden’ warning was ‘Fashion.’
I saw a TV show where very fashionable people were dancing to it. They were your liberal Studio 24 types, well-dressed, ‘fashionable,’ trendy and righteous, and they liked mirrors, to snort cocaine and to watch themselves when they were dancing. As they stomped back and forth, I was struck by the zombie-like look they had.
Well, these folks are no longer on the dance floor; now they’re in Washington and they are our government, and they are singing, not ‘fashion,’ but ‘fascist,’ which is what they are. If you want a more sensual sense of what I’m talking about, watch a video of Fashion. And they lyrics say it all. All Bowie had to do to club you over the head with it would have been to turn ‘fashion’ in the chorus into ‘Fascist.’
I’ll put the lyrics here and make that change.
There’s a brand new dance but I don’t know its name
That people from bad homes do again and again
It’s big and it’s bland, full of tension and fear
They do it over there but we don’t do it here
[Pre-Chorus]
Fascist! Turn to the left
Fascist! Turn to the right
Ooh, Fascist!
We are the goon squad and we’re coming to town
Beep-beep
Beep-beep
[Chorus]
Listen to me – don’t listen to me
Talk to me – don’t talk to me
Dance with me – don’t dance with me, no
Beep-beep
[Verse 2]
There’s a brand new talk but it’s not very clear
That people from good homes are talking this year
It’s loud and tasteless and I’ve heard it before
You shout it while you’re dancing on the dance floor
Oh bop, Fascist!
Yes, Fascism has come to America, from people from good homes and colleges. And they are very good, and they want to make sure you know it.