One of Bowie’s more obscure oldies, and one of my Top 10 favorites, is a song called Silly Boy Blue. I previously blogged on how I originally came to hear the song and some other stuff. However, I’m into the lyrics now and I didn’t touch them then. So, here goes:
Here is the Music Player. You need to installl flash player to show this cool thing!
Mountains of Lhasa are feeling the rain
People are walking the Potala lanes
Preacher takes the school
One boy breaks a ruleSilly Boy Blue, blue
Silly Boy BlueYak butter statues that melt in the sun
Cannot dissolve all the work you’ve not done
A chela likes to feel
That his overself pays the billSilly Boy Blue, Blue
Silly Boy BlueYou wish and wish, and wish again
You’ve tried so hard to fly
You’ll never leave your body now
You’ve got to wait to dieLa la la la la , la la , la la la la
La la la la la , la la , la la la la
La la la , la la
La la la , la la
Silly Boy Blue, blue
Silly Boy BlueChild of Tibet, you’re a gift from the sun
Reincarnation of one better man
The homeward road is long
You’ve left your prayers and songSilly Boy Blue , blue
Silly Boy Blue
Silly Boy Blue
Silly Boy Blue
Once again, a song that requires a LOT of reading to figure out. Bowie toys with Hindu Buddhism in this one. First, he sets the imagery
The Lhasa Mountains surrounding Potala are some of the most rugged in the world. They look harsh and intimidating. In the midst of that harsh environment, you find the “Child of Tibet, a gift from the sun”. One of the most serene images on Earth are the young Buddhist monks in monasteries of those harsh mountains of Tibet. The “Child of Tibet, a gift from the sun” is the Dali Lhama, who fled Tibet in the early 1950′s to never return. I think Bowie feels that by leaving his environment, the Dali Lhama left his “prayer and song”, in other words, the true inspiration for his convictions.
It’s a quick and simple song, and I love the music to it. Now that I’ve made it complicated, click here and sing along with it. It has one of my favorite Bowie melodies. It just sounds simple and somewhat forlorn. Like a boy who’s lost his home should. Excellent song and possibly the most under-appreciated Bowie song there is.
Thanks for bringing Silly boy blue
to everyone’s attention. it’s one
of my favorite early Bowie songs.
I love the way he puts things that he is thinking about out there and leaves
it to make US think. What a consept !!
I love this song. It’s whimsical but deep. I think you are really proving that Bowie should be taken very seriously for his lyrics like a good novelist. Music fans can be a bit sniffy when it comes to intelligent lyrics. Not evrything has to be about sex and bling.
Really liked your summary about Crowley. I think you are right that Bowie was attracted to him as they are alike.
Have you heard the Billy Fury version of SBB. Its not half bad. As you probably know it will be coming out soon on a covers album of Bowie music. I think this month (in UK anyway).
No, I haven’t heard Billy Fury’s version. Didn’t even know it existed. I’ll obviously have to find it real quick now. The fact he even DID such an obscure Bowie song merits mention here. I’m slipping apparently. Thanks for the head’s up!
And, I tired of songs about body functions when I was real, real young. The brain can give you a boner, but, dicks don’t have brains. Should tell ya something right there. And, I’ve never really liked songs that talk about things I can do myself. Music’s my escape. I want it to take me somewhere that life can’t.