David Bowie

Released: January 8, 2021

Songwriter: Bob Dylan

Producer: David Bowie

[Verse 1: David Bowie]
The air is getting hotter
There's a rumbling in the sky
I've been wading through the high muddy water
With heat rising through my eyes
Every day, your memory grows dimmer
It doesn't hurt me like it did before
I've been walking through the middle of nowhere
Tryin' to get to Heaven before they close the door
Oh, hey, yeah

[Verse 2: David Bowie]
Oh, when I was in Missouri
They would not let me be
I had to leave there in a hurry
I only saw what they let me see
They broke the heart that loved you
Now you can seal up the book and not write anymore
I've been walking that lonesome valley
Tryin' to get to Heaven before they close the door
Oh, oh, yeah

[Chorus: David Bowie & Gail Ann Dorsey]
Ooh, tryin' to get to Heaven
Before they close the door
Ooh, tryin' to get to Heaven
Before they close the door

[Verse 3: David Bowie]
Oh, people on the platforms
Waiting for the trains
I can hear their hearts are beatin'
Like pendulums swingin' on a chain
When you think you lost everything
You find out you can lose a little more
I, I'm just going down the, that road feeling bad
Tryin' hard to get to Heaven before they close the door

[Chorus: David Bowie & Gail Ann Dorsey]
Ooh, tryin' to get to Heaven
Before they close the door
Ooh, tryin' to get to Heaven
Before they close the door

[Bridge: David Bowie & Gail Ann Dorsey]
Ooh
Oh-oh-oh

[Chorus: David Bowie & Gail Ann Dorsey]
Ooh, tryin' to get to Heaven
Before they close the door
Ooh, tryin' to get to Heaven
Before they close the door

[Verse 4: David Bowie]
I'm going down the river
Going down to New Orleans
They tell me everything's gonna be alright
But I don't know what alright even means
I close my eyes and I wonder, boys
If everything is as hollow as it seems
I've been to Sugar Town, oh, shook the sugar down
Tryin' to get to Heaven before they close the door, hey

[Chorus: David Bowie & Gail Ann Dorsey, David Bowie]
Ooh, tryin' to get to Heaven (Tryin' to get there)
Before they close the door (Woo, door)
Ooh, tryin' to get to Heaven (Tryin' to get to Heaven)
Before they close the door (And relive my dreams there)
Ooh, tryin' to get to Heaven
Before they close the door (I've been all around the world, boys)
Ooh, tryin' to get to Heaven
Before they close the door

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.

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