Once in a while, along comes a celebrity or really, a legend- so monumental and seemingly immortal that when you hear of his/her passing, all you can do is stare at the news, jar dropped in shock. This happened to me this morning when I learned about the death of David Bowie. When I read that he had died, first I thought it must’ve been a mistake or misprint in my newsfeed. But that quickly led to feelings of absolute shock and utter sadness. Why is that? I never met him personally- he was no more a friend to me than any other superstar in the galaxy. But there was something about him that really resonated with me and with so many others in my generation. His music, of course, was particularly phenomenal. He was a brilliant musician, songwriter and vocalist. I listened to his music growing up and today, all day long, I couldn’t get his songs out of my head. And his songs were they so, so good. His lyrics opened the door for the most poetic and creative imagery possible in popular music. His sentiments were more than just a voice for a generation- it was as if his words spoke to each one of us individually. Whether he was sharing a microphone with Bing Crosby, Mick Jagger, Freddy Mercury or singing all by himself, his artistry managed to span all genres, sexes, demographics and musical persuasions. He also seemed like a genuinely good guy.
He not only was ahead of his time, but he also effortlessly changed with the times so he always stayed relevant. Especially during a time in which musical superstars didn’t enjoy too long of a cultural shelf life, David Bowie was always there yet, remarkably never stale and always part of the conversation. He could be anyone he wanted to be and that always seemed to totally OK because when you’re as talented an artist as he was, who’s going to stop him? What publicity machine is going to prevent David Bowie from being or doing anything he happened to be inspired to do at any given moment in time? Who’s going to anchor down and bottle up that kind of creativity? So many rock stars today undoubtedly can point to David Bowie as their inspiration and the one who made it possible for them to succeed. All the outlandish outfits, behavior, performances and theatricality that seem almost quaint and somewhat commonplace today, likely has roots in the early days of David Bowie. He was the first.
So, today is a sad day. We mourn a man most of us have never met yet we celebrate what a legacy of incredible music and bravery he left behind. Thank you, David Bowie. Your genius will always live on.
There’s a starman waiting in the sky
He’d like to come and meet us
But he thinks he’d blow our minds
There’s a starman waiting in the sky
He’s told us not to blow it
’Cause he knows it’s all worthwhile
He told me
Let the children lose it
Let the children use it
Let all the children boogie
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