I have not really listened to any music from David Bowie for quite some time (The Let's Dance cover by Chic feat Nile Rodgers in Clockenflap 2015 doesn't count). Now I have been looping whatever I have on hand for almost a week.
To be honest, I can hardly be considered a big Bowie fan. With a musical career spanned almost 50 years, I was only born in the middle of it. I'm not really capable to catch up with all his stuff.
But I'm a big fan of the Ziggy and Hunky Dory albums, no questions.
Looping some of his music all this week, it brought me back quite a lot of memories. Not about certain connections to any events of my personal life, but how I have learned my life lessons with his music. It's pretty scary how I have almost forgotten all these.
His music surely taught me something musical. But what I'm talking about here is, not what I have learned about music from his music; it's what I have learned through his music.
Days ago, I read my very own writings about Space Oddity, I wrote it when I was 24, right before my 25th birthday, almost 10 years from now. (It's a bit of embarrassing to read it words by words now. I gave it a quick read nevertheless. After all, everyone should hate your naive younger self. You are a narcissist otherwise) But then I realized how much Space Oddity gave me a chance to really think about what suicide is (With a little help by the novel The Sorrows of Young Werther, too), instead of being told. Also, how artistically Bowie might not want to reveal the demise of Major Tom in Ashes To Ashes... etc.
What else? The uncompromising pursuit of love in "Heroes". The fact about confusion between liking and loving (or, having sex) in Drive in Saturday. The honesty to your own incompetence in Absolute Beginners. The warning of deceiving by your self believing in Quicksand. The nothingness of ones being different to the norm in Lady Stardust... and many more.
There were so many inspirations I have really got from Bowie's music. His music shaped me unquestionably, which I have almost forgotten, unforgivably. I'm almost a bit of angry of myself. Dude, how dare you?
Now everything has come back to me. I am really graceful for all the beautiful music and all the inspirations I have received from Bowie.
And there's one line of lyrics in Let's Dance I simply cannot get rid of for the whole week.
"Because my love for you, would break my heart in two."
It brings tears to my eyes literally. I mean, it's bringing.
Thank you and rest in peace, David Bowie.