Covid Island Discs

Day 70: 1984 By David Bowie

Wow another milestone. This completes my David Bowie trilogy with the last 1984 themed-based song from his Diamond Dogs album. I remember really wanting to have a New Years’ Eve party because wouldn’t it have been great to play this song at midnight on the dawn of 1984 (just as good as playing Prince’s 1999 at turn of the Millennium: man what a disastrous night that was, do you remember David E Coleman).

Needless to say, I did not get my wish because the Benson family were on holiday (can’t remember where now maybe Lake Macquarie Julie Cummings ??) so it was just a quiet night in for me as a then young 17 year old teenager who put the song on his car cassette radio near midnight so he could pretend and imagine what it would be like to play this song at that unique date in human history.

This song really is great in its musical intensity.

Someday they won’t let you, now you must agree
The times they are a-telling, and the changing isn’t free
You’ve read it in the tea leaves, and the tracks are on tv
Beware the savage jaw of 1984

They’ll split your pretty cranium, and fill it full of air
And tell that you’re eighty, but brother, you won’t care
You’ll be shooting up on anything, tomorrow’s never there
Beware the savage jaw of 1984