Observations placeholder
Bowie, David - 2002 Heathen
Identifier
019611
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
Heathen was the 22nd studio album by Bowie, released in 2002. Heathen marked the return of record producer Tony Visconti, who co-produced (with David Bowie himself) several of Bowie's classic albums. The last album Visconti had co-produced was Scary Monsters in 1980.
" Bowie released "Heathen" (2002), a record that reflected a spiritual crisis brought on by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Bowie, his wife-- the model Iman--and their daughter, Alexandria, who was born in 2000, lived less than a mile from Ground Zero. He spoke movingly about the impact of that day and its aftermath.
A description of the experience
David Bowie - Heathen (acoustic)
"Heathen" was written as a deeply questioning album. Of course, it had one foot astride that awful event in September. So that was quite a traumatic album to finish.
[September 11] did affect me and my family very much. We live down here. My wife and child were there. I was up in Woodstock making the album. It was just unbearable that day--well, actually the next two or three days, coming back down and coming up against the cordon around that part of town. I had to get my wife to come to the barricades with a passport, so I could show the guy that I lived there. He said, "I'm sorry, I know who you are, but I have to see.," and all that. It was really weird. And that fine silt dust everywhere.
I think there's a new awareness in New York about our isolationist stance in the rest of the world. There is a realization that even though this is one of the most important cities in the world, others are watching us. I don't think we ever felt that before. There's a slight unease. We really felt freewheeling and that "tomorrow belongs to us," anything can happen. Now, there's not quite that swaying surge of hopefulness.
Steel on the skyline
Sky made of glass
Made for a real world
All things must pass
Ooo
Waiting for something
Looking for someone
Is there no reason?
Have I stared too long?
Ooo, ooo
You say you'll leave me
And when the sun is low
And the rays high
I can see it now
I can feel it die
Ooo, ooo