11
‘Don’t think you knew you were in this song’
Five years later, I can’t think of anything more appropriate than the best song on my favorite rock and roll album:
David Bowie & Arcade Fire – “Five Years”
Pushing through the market square, so many mothers sighing
News had just come over, we had five years left to cry in
News guy wept and told us, earth was really dying
Cried so much his face was wet, then I knew he was not lying
I heard telephones, opera house, favorite melodies
I saw boys, toys, electric irons and TVs
My brain hurt like a warehouse, it had no room to spare
I had to cram so many things to store everything in there
And all the fat-skinny people, and all the tall-short people
And all the nobody people, and all the somebody people
I never thought I’d need so many people
A girl my age went off her head, hit some tiny children
If the black hadn’t a-pulled her off, I think she would have killed them
A soldier with a broken arm, fixed his stare to the wheels of a Cadillac
A cop knelt and kissed the feet of a priest, and a queer threw up at the sight of that
I think I saw you in an ice-cream parlor, drinking milk shakes cold and long
Smiling and waving and looking so fine, don’t think
You knew you were in this song
And it was cold and it rained so I felt like an actor
And I thought of ma and I wanted to get back there
Your face, your race, the way that you talk
I kiss you, you’re beautiful, I want you to walk
We’ve got five years, stuck on my eyes
Five years, what a surprise
We’ve got five years, my brain hurts a lot
Five years, that’s all we’ve got
We’ve got five years, what a surprise
Five years, stuck on my eyes
We’ve got five years, my brain hurts a lot
Five years, that’s all we’ve got
We’ve got five years, stuck on my eyes
Five years, what a surprise
We’ve got five years, my brain hurts a lot
Five years, that’s all we’ve got
We’ve got five years, what a surprise
We’ve got five years, stuck on my eyes
We’ve got five years, my brain hurts a lot
Five years, that’s all we’ve got
Five years
Five years
Five years
Five years
GoatBoy said,
September 11, 2006 at 15:48
If things go according to this weekend’s precedent, skippy the bush kangaroo will be by shortly to dis Bowie’s self-taught saxophone technique and snark on Travis’ woeful lack of experience in music department practice rooms.
Where were you when the snark bitchfight of ought six began?
Never forget!
Ken Houghton said,
September 11, 2006 at 17:22
Whew. I referenced that song in July and feared no one would use it today.
My faith in the blogsphere is restored.
Otto Man said,
September 11, 2006 at 17:53
Well played.
KnaveRupe said,
September 11, 2006 at 18:55
This song was also blogospherically used with great effect at
http://driftglass.blogspot.com/2006/09/91106.html
Hysterical Woman said,
September 11, 2006 at 18:56
I remember that morning thinking “Nothing happens on Tuesdays”.
I remember I was in my school library when the news came, and everyone came in to watch the television.
I remember one girl cried because she had parents who worked at the Pentagon.
I remember being worried about my father, even though he worked far far underground.
I remember getting tired of the news and reading a book about unicorns.
I remember going on to the forums for Portal of Evil, where people who make fun of furries and cosplayers gave sympathy.
I remember being scared when I heard a jet above.
I remember thinking how this is what bombing must be like, and I didn’t want other people to suffer through it.
flawedplan said,
September 11, 2006 at 18:58
I came here first today to find the tone. Thanks for that, for being decent and reliable.
Travis G. said,
September 11, 2006 at 20:02
Thanks for that link, KnaveRupe.
mikey said,
September 11, 2006 at 20:10
I don’t know the right word. I know I need to remember. I know it’s important. I guess I want to remember, at least to the extent that I don’t want to forget. But I know I don’t want to revisit, or celebrate, or mark the date, except to keep the victims in my heart. I wasn’t alive for Pearl Harbor, I was just a kid for Kennedy’s assassination, so that day, 5 years ago, was the one. Bad, horrible, shaking with anger, with fear, shaken to my core. Calling friends, then being unable to say anything. Wanting to fight back, but there was nothing to fight. Just CNN and that video image. And chimeras come to kill and hurt. Knowing inside that we created this beast that came to devour us on that day, but not wanting to think or say that. Wanting to help, but being thousands of miles away. Stricken by the bright blue beauty of the day, and the black sooty horror underneath. Wanting to understand, but there was no knowledge, no data, no wisdom. Just tears and destruction, death visited upon our cities from the most banal of sources. Another day, and a day the like of which there would never be another.
We probably could have predicted the path of hate and ugliness, venal exploitation and criminal misdeads that would stretch five years on. But we needed time to find a way to understand and compartmentalize, and by then the monsters were loosed, slouching towards babylon to be born…
mikey
westboro said,
September 11, 2006 at 21:43
Thank Yahweh for his righteous vengeance upon America…9/11 was the most glorious day in the history of modern day America !
Praise be to Yahweh for bringing blood upon your own heads for all the innocent blood you spill ! oh ye children of an infidel Nation.
You filthy nation, land of sodomites and all manner of perverts !
You filthy nation,land of abortion where your capitalist idolatry is made manifest in your multi-million Dollar baby mincing empires !
You filthy,rabid sons of vipers !
Romans 1:18-32 (King James Version)
18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Make your peace and prepare for death…Smell the sulphur ! http://www.godhatesamerica.com
Strategic Executive Assassination (SEA):
The Army of God Will Soon Start Assassinating America’s New Nobility
http://www.Armyofgod.com
http://www.christiangallery.com
Fred Phelps said,
September 11, 2006 at 21:57
I drink horse semen.
Fred Phelps said,
September 11, 2006 at 22:00
Also I wear clothes that would embarass a rave-going gay prostitute on meth (including a dorky hat), and I used to beat my children.
Aryan Superman said,
September 11, 2006 at 22:06
Why’s my pecker so tiny?
g1lgam3sh said,
September 11, 2006 at 22:14
Whoooo, a rush of memories. Reminds of living just off Portobello Road in the mid 70′s.
Used to be a guy spent all day walking around with a shopping trolley*, singing this song on a constant loop. Speak to him though and he was massively intelligent and very widely read, happy too.
Haven’t heard that tune in so long I was straight back there, thanks ;-)
*radical in those days.
Cele|bitchy » Blog Archive » “Remember what’s important today” Links said,
September 11, 2006 at 22:49
[...] – It’s 9/11, remember what’s important today [Tabloid Whore] … because your leaders won’t do it for you [Metadish] – Listen to a meaningful song [Sadly, No!] – Keep an eye out for terrorists [Bob Harris] – Paris Hilton’s “Bottoms Up” costar said she was late and didn’t learn her lines [Celebrific] – Brad Pitt makes fun of Mel Gibson [Wizbang Pop] – Halle Berry shops for tampons [The Bastardly] – The real Lindsay Lohan crotch shot photo [Mollygood] – It’s nice to know there’s room in heaven for Jenna Jameson [Hollywood Tuna] – Kate Hudson seems to be coping fine with her divorce [IDLYITW] – Nicole Richie might finally be getting help for her anorexia [Faded Youth] – Janet Jackson in “Giant” Magazine [Crunk and Disorderly] – ‘Lil Kim looks like a cat [Hollywood Rag] – Brooke Shields eats a booger [I’m Not Obsessed] – Meth will always be Fergie’s first love [DListed] – Moby calls Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes gross [Socialite’s Life] – Ron Jeremy looks like Mario the video game character [cityrag] – Paris breaks her “vow” of celibacy [yeeeah] [...]
fiver said,
September 11, 2006 at 22:56
Thank you, I needed that.
mdhatter said,
September 12, 2006 at 0:04
I never knew he did that with Arcade Fire. I’ll bet that version rocks. To me the AF has great music, but only so so songwriting. That’s a ‘ziggy stardust’ era song, no?
well played, indeed.
Jillian said,
September 12, 2006 at 0:39
I lost people that day.
People I knew….acquaintances, coworkers…not friends. Not family. Not loved ones.
I helped survivors deal with the minutiae of the aftermath….filing the forms and the paperwork and the endless, endless blizzard of paper that trails around even the smallest event in these times.
I don’t like to think about it at all, and it only affected me in the most peripheral of ways. I wonder sometimes how those who bore the full brunt of it manage to bear up under it.
All of these things have passed away now, and the world has become a much more confusing place. I can only hope the confusion lessens – and soon.
Grand Poobah Jinky said,
September 12, 2006 at 1:13
You know you’ve made it when Westwhoro Phelpsbaptist e-protests on your blog.
Congratulations!
Neal Horsley said,
September 12, 2006 at 1:40
I drink mule semen. It’s even better than horse semen.
Ted said,
September 12, 2006 at 1:51
When do I get my Two Minute Townhall?
mikey said,
September 12, 2006 at 3:00
Olbermann just tore bush and cheney a new one. And made me cry. He needs a fucking medal….
mikey
Mary Jones said,
September 12, 2006 at 3:14
Five years. Hell yeah. I put that album on recently, and it gave me chills. Who knew songs about alien rock stars would resonnate with today? I didn’t when I bought a used record at a farmer’s market, 13 years ago.
Henry Holland said,
September 12, 2006 at 7:00
I went to the Polyphonic Spree show last night (they were amazing) and pre-show, they played Rock n’ Roll Suicide. I love this bit of the lyrics and it’s how I feel about politics these days:
Oh no love! you’re not alone
You’re watching yourself but you’re too unfair
You got your head all tangled up
But if I could only make you care
Oh no love! you’re not alone
No matter what or who you’ve been
No matter when or where you’ve seen
All the knives seem to lacerate your brain
I’ve had my share, I’ll help you with the pain
Youre not alone
Twisted_Colour said,
September 12, 2006 at 11:11
Pheh!!!!!!!
Alvin Alcibiades said,
September 13, 2006 at 6:23
David Bowie was very important to me when I was in high school in the early 1970s. Although he was almost universally derided by my peers (as I, myself was), his work made me realize that I wasn’t alone and that it was okay to be different.
The song “Rock ‘n Roll Suicide” had a great impact on me, although it failed to prevent at least one attempt of my own. To this day I can still hear the voices of people I knew laughing, literally laughing, at that song…
Ziggy Stardust was extraordinary, groundbreaking stuff. I said so at the time, and most people I knew thought I was a fool.
So it is very sweet to be vindicated in this manner. I’m thrilled to see that Bowie’s music still touches a younger generation and still makes a difference. Thank you for this post. You’ve brought a tear to an old man’s eye.
Realist said,
September 14, 2006 at 0:56
My favorite Bowie tune:
And so the story goes they wore the clothes
They said the things to make it seem improbable
The whale of a lie like they hope it was
And the Goodmen Tomorrow
Had their feet in the wallow
And their heads of Brawn were nicer shorn
And how they bought their positions with saccharin and trust
And the world was asleep to our latent fuss
Sighing, the swirl through the streets
Like the crust of the sun
The Bewlay Brothers
In our Wings that Bark
Flashing teeth of Brass
Standing tall in the dark
Oh, And we were Gone
Hanging out with your Dwarf Men
We were so turned on
By your lack of conclusions
I was Stone and he was Wax
So he could scream, and still relax, unbelievable
And we frightened the small children away
And our talk was old and dust would flow
Thru our veins and Lo! it was midnight
Back o’ the kitchen door
Like the grim face on the Cathedral floor
And the solid book we wrote
Cannot be found today
And it was Stalking time for the Moonboys
The Bewlay Brothers
With our backs on the arch
In the Devil-may-be-here
But He can’t sing about that
Oh, And we were Gone
Real Cool Traders
We were so Turned On
You thought we were Fakers
Now the dress is hung, the ticket pawned
The Factor Max that proved the fact
Is melted down
And woven on the edging of my pillow
Now my Brother lays upon the Rocks
He could be dead, He could be not
He could be You
He’s Chameleon, Comedian, Corinthian and Caricature
“Shooting-up Pie-in-the-Sky”
The Bewlay Brothers
In the feeble and the Bad
The Bewlay Brothers
In the Blessed and Cold
In the Crutch-hungry Dark
Was where we flayed our Mark
Oh, and we were Gone
Kings of Oblivion
We were so Turned On
In the Mind-Warp Pavilion
Lay me place and bake me Pie
I’m starving for me Gravy
Leave my shoes, and door unlocked
I might just slip away
Just for the Day, Hey!
Please come Away, Hey!
Alvin Alcibiades said,
September 16, 2006 at 23:41
You know who I really miss? Mick Ronson. Geeze, could that man play guitar.
RIP, musician.
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