David Bowie passes away at age 69

[Bricktop]

Well, for once you got a reference correct.

[Anonymous]

"According to Wikipedia it was co-written by David Bowie and Iggy Pop, inspired by Iggy's obsession with a Vietnamese woman he knew.



Now read it again, only every time it says "China girl", say "Heroin".



China White was a street name for α-Methylfentanyl, which was a popular recreational drug in the 1970s, similar to Heroin but much more potent. The song is about the effects of addiction to the drug, personified as a girl. Bowie and Iggy both had serious and well publicized drug problems during the 1970s and this song is more than likely inspired by their experience.



The part about "visions of swastikas" may be a veiled apology for Bowie's brief flirtation with Nazi imagery and ideas. He'd attracted considerable negative publicity for pro-Nazi comments in interviews, apparently giving a Nazi salute to fans outside a train station in the UK and was stopped at the Russian-Polish border for posessing Nazi paraphernalia. He later confessed that his judgement at the time was impaired by his drug addiction.



So no, it's not racist, because the "China Girl" of the title is a personification of the drug the singer is addicted to, and not really anything to do with China or the Chinese people.

Written 31 Dec 2013 • "   my bad....it was iggy pop who talked it somewhere. I'll have to look.

You got this opinion from Quora. It's just a guess.

[Bricktop]

Not its not!!! Its common knowledge.



Dumbass.

[Bricktop]

[Anonymous]

Not its not!!! Its common knowledge.



Dumbass.

Hey, don't be so hard on Dove. She fell for an urban legend, that's all.

[Anonymous]

Not its not!!! Its common knowledge.



Dumbass.

Hey, don't be so hard on Dove. She fell for an urban legend, that's all.

 I know the song. I know what iggy pop said. And I know it makes far more sense in the context of drug use than some infatuation. But you are free to think it's about whatever you want it to be about. It's open for a reason.

[Renee]

I thought this is supposed to be a thread marking the he passing of a great talent. I dont think it was meant to be peverted into an argumentative debate regarding the messages found in the artist's work. There are plenty of places on this forum for that.



Give it a rest, the guy is barely cold.

[Anonymous]

I thought this is supposed to be a thread marking the he passing of a great talent. I dont think it was meant to be peverted into an agrumentive debate regarding the messages found in the artist's work. There are plenty of places on this forum for that.



Give it a rest, the guy is barely cold.

I agree Renee, arguing about the meaning of a song was not what I had in my mind with this thread.

[Anonymous]

Not its not!!! Its common knowledge.



Dumbass.

Hey, don't be so hard on Dove. She fell for an urban legend, that's all.

 I know the song. I know what iggy pop said. And I know it makes far more sense in the context of drug use than some infatuation. But you are free to think it's about whatever you want it to be about. It's open for a reason.

Unless you can prove otherwise, I think you should accept what the writers of the song say it is about.

[Bricktop]

I thought this is supposed to be a thread marking the he passing of a great talent. I dont think it was meant to be peverted into an agrumentive debate regarding the messages found in the artist's work. There are plenty of places on this forum for that.



Give it a rest, the guy is barely cold.

I agree Renee, arguing about the meaning of a song was not what I had in my mind with this thread.

SHE started it!!!!



 

[Bricktop]

Anyone here seen him live?



I've seen him twice. The Serious Moonlight tour in the early 80's, and the final, Reality, tour in 2004. While Serious Moonlight was a stadium concert with a lot of stage effects, Reality was indoors and trimmed down considerably to just the band and music.



Setlist for 1983:



1 Look Back In Anger

2 "Heroes"

3 What In The World

4 Golden Years

5 Fashion

6 Let's Dance

7 Breaking Glass

8 Life On Mars

9 Sorrow

10 Cat People

11 China Girl

12 Scary Monsters

13 Rebel Rebel

14 White Light White Heat

15 Station To Station

16 Cracked Actor

17 Ashes To Ashes

18 Space Oddity

19 Fame



Encore

20 Star

21 Stay

22 The Jean Genie

23 Modern Love



2004



REBEL REBEL

NEW KILLER STAR

FAME

CACTUS (Pixies cover)

REALITY

TRY SOME, BUY SOME (George Harrison cover)

ALL THE YOUNG DUDES

CHINA GIRL

THE LONELIEST GUY

THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD (Highlight of the show)

HALLO SPACEBOY

SUNDAY

UNDER PRESSURE

LIFE ON MARS?

LOOKING FOR WATER

QUICKSAND

DAYS

WHITE LIGHT WHITE HEAT (Velvet Underground cover)

ASHES TO ASHES

I'M AFRAID OF AMERICANS

"HEROES"

HEATHEN (THE RAYS)

FIVE YEARS

HANG ON TO YOURSELF

ZIGGY STARDUST

[Renee]

Sorry, never had the privilege.

[J0E]

This is my favorite song David Bowie sung/took part in:

[Anonymous]

I thought this is supposed to be a thread marking the he passing of a great talent. I dont think it was meant to be peverted into an agrumentive debate regarding the messages found in the artist's work. There are plenty of places on this forum for that.



Give it a rest, the guy is barely cold.

I agree Renee, arguing about the meaning of a song was not what I had in my mind with this thread.

These things happen.