Artists
Musicians featured in this piece are:
David Bowie – vocals, keyboards
Chuck Hammer – Roland GR-500 guitar synthesizer
Carlos Alomar – guitar
Andy Clark – synthesizer
Roy Bittan – piano
George Murray – bass
Dennis Davis – drums
Tony Visconti – backing vocals
Written by David Bowie. Produced by David Bowie & Tony Visconti, recorded at The Power Station, New York, February 1980, and Good Earth Studios, London, April 1980. Released as the lead single from Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) on 1 August 1980 (RCA Records), becoming Bowie’s second UK No. 1 single; the album followed on 12 September 1980, also hitting No. 1 in the UK.
“Ashes to Ashes” revisits the character of Major Tom from Bowie’s earlier “Space Oddity,” placing him in a bleaker, drug-addled light years later. Its signature choir-like, synthetic texture came from Chuck Hammer, a guitarist Bowie hired after hearing him play with Lou Reed in London the year before, who layered four multi-tracked guitar synthesizers playing opposing chord inversions. The sessions happened to run alongside Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band recording The River in an adjacent studio, which is how pianist Roy Bittan ended up contributing. At the time, its accompanying video — co-directed by Bowie and David Mallet — was the most expensive music video ever made.
David Bowie – Ashes to Ashes Lyrics
Do you remember a guy that’s been
In such an early song
I’ve heard a rumour from Ground Control
Oh no, don’t say it’s true
They got a message from the Action Man
“I’m happy. Hope you’re happy, too.
I’ve loved. All I’ve needed: love.
Sordid details following.”
The shrieking of nothing is killing me
Just pictures of Jap girls in synthesis
And I ain’t got no money and I ain’t got no hair
But I’m hoping to kick but the planet is glowing
Ashes to ashes, funk to funky
We know Major Tom’s a junkie
Strung out in heaven’s high
Hitting an all-time low
Time and again I tell myself
I’ll stay clean tonight
But the little green wheels are following me
Oh, no, not again
I’m stuck with a valuable friend
“I’m happy. Hope you’re happy, too.”
One flash of light
But no smoking pistol
I never done good things
I never done bad things
I never did anything out of the blue,
Want an axe to break the ice
Wanna come down right now
Ashes to ashes, funk to funky
We know Major Tom’s a junkie
Strung out in heaven’s high
Hitting an all-time low
My mama said, “To get things done
You’d better not mess with Major Tom.”
My mama said, “To get things done
You’d better not mess with Major Tom.”
My mama said, “To get things done
You’d better not mess with Major Tom.”
My mama said, “To get things done
You’d better not mess with Major Tom.”
To listen to other songs from the Teleskop 18 program and the full program, click here.