Released: December 17, 1971

Songwriter: David Bowie

Producer: David Bowie Ken Scott

[Verse 1]
Wake up you sleepy head
Put on some clothes, shake up your bed
Put another log on the fire for me
I've made some breakfast and coffee
Look out my window and what do I see
A crack in the sky and a hand reaching down to me
All the nightmares came today
And it looks as though they're here to stay

[Verse 2]
What are we coming to
No room for me, no fun for you
I think about a world to come
Where the books were found by the Golden ones
Written in pain, written in awe
By a puzzled man who questioned what we were here for
All the strangers came today
And it looks as though they're here to stay

[Chorus]
Oh, you Pretty Things
Don't you know you're driving your Mamas and Papas insane?
Oh, you Pretty Things
Don't you know you're driving your Mamas and Papas insane
Let me make it plain
You gotta make way for the Homo Superior

[Verse 3]
Look out at your children
See their faces in golden rays
Don't kid yourself, they belong to you
They're the start of the coming race
The earth is a bitch, we've finished our news
Homo Sapiens have outgrown their use
All the strangers came today
And it looks as though they're here to stay

[Chorus]
Oh, you Pretty Things
Don't you know you're driving your Mamas and Papas insane
Oh, you Pretty Things
Don't you know you're driving your Mamas and Papas insane
Let me make it plain
Gotta make way for the Homo Superior

David Bowie

David Bowie (1947 – 2016) was a British musician, and one of the most iconic rock stars with a widely diverse career where he frequently changed his appearance and musical style, resulting in an acclaimed discography comparable to other stalwarts such as The Beatles and Bob Dylan. Born David Robert Jones, Bowie quickly renamed himself to prevent confusion with The Monkees singer Davy Jones. Enduring many early missteps, he rose to prominence when his most famous song, “Space Oddity,” was played during the coverage of the Apollo 11 moon landing.

Despite this early breakthrough, Bowie remained a cult figure for several years. Even the release of Hunky Dory, his first great album, went largely unnoticed. Bowie only lodged himself firmly in the public consciousness when he announced his bisexuality and created Ziggy Stardust in early 1972. A Martian who combined the debauchery of Iggy Pop with the artistry of Lou Reed, Ziggy was the main character in Bowie’s breakthrough album, and his public persona for eighteen months.

Bowie used his new-found popularity to move to America, and dabble with new musical directions and cocaine. Diamond Dogs and Young Americans continue to divide critics, but Station To Station found Bowie at a new creative peak, despite escalating drug use and related health issues.