Starman! Main Menu Home Page Listening to "Starman" Bowie, Homosexuality, and Society Influence Across Time Superstar Bibliography

Introduction

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“Starman” by David Bowie is an iconic song that speaks of a rockstar enlightening the people of Earth after descending from space. David Bowie, similarly, is widely regarded to have become a true rockstar following the release of the song, with his own alien-like differently-sized pupils that were received from a schoolyard fight (Sweeting 2016). The parallels present are quite curious, aren’t they? Are the two personas the same man? Well, fear not—this project is an amalgamation of various analyses and discussions about “Starman,” with special emphasis on the man (men?) behind the song. I delve into aspects like the musical qualities, historical contexts, and impacts on the future. Though it may seem insignificant to look at all these little factors about a single song, they provide insight into larger ideas—whether that be the effect music has on our emotions while listening to it, the attitude of people during different time periods, or how hope still lives on in the modern age. “Starman” is a telescope lens that provides insight into its surrounding context.

What inspired me to explore the complexities of this melodic yet funky song was wanting to know the whats and whys of Bowie’s creative thought process and beyond, past what he would have intended for the song to do. What instruments are included and what purpose does each musical segment serve? What was going on at the time of the release of “Starman” and how did the song contribute to the time period’s general attitude? What long-term impacts did the song have and how do we still see them today? There are, of course, many more possible questions that can be explored through such a richly complex song. I aim to address as many as I can, showcasing the story of “Starman” and why it matters. 

At their cores, songs are pieces of music—combinations of instruments, lyrics, melodies, rhythms, etc. Yet, each musical aspect is chosen with a sense of purpose and a set of tangible effects. “Starman” likewise contains purposeful musical elements. In fact, it even excels at this idea due to its sheer complexity. The song kicks off with a rather dry drum sound that has no reverb or effects attached (Page 2022). This creates a more authentic, down-to-earth vibe, perfect for Bowie’s alien character to create a trusting bond with. On the other hand, one of Bowie’s band members plays the Mellotron throughout the song, along with providing the string arrangement, guitar, and backing vocals (Page 2022). This is strange since the Mellotron is an electric synth instrument—completely different from the effect-free drum sound. Perhaps Bowie intended for this dichotomy to represent the alien and what it represents. There is a futuristic icon (Mellatron) who connects to the simplistic Earth-dwellers (drums) and enlightens them. Though existing understandings (Page 2022) touch on the instrumentation of “Starman,” there are few in-depth analyses of it. I seek to further unpack the complexities of the song's instrumentation. In “Listening to ‘Starman,’” I discuss Bowie’s 12-string guitar, the music, the story, and the larger context. In “Influence Across Time,” I explore how past sounds purposefully swayed the sound of “Starman.” After all, a song is, fundamentally, a piece of music.

However, songs are also artifacts, representative of the time periods they existed in. The historical context behind “Starman,” in particular, contains the societal implications of the 1970s. Bowie, with his flaming red hair and colorful outfit, performed “Starman” on the TV show Top of the Pops and shook society. People were aghast, exhilarated, and conflicted by the seemingly blatant display of gender nonconformity (which they believed was synonymous with homosexuality). Those who were homosexual themselves or were questioning felt safe in the space that Bowie had created (by making classically queer styles mainstream) (Brooker 2017, 134). On the other hand, the older generation believed that Bowie was evil and infecting their children with his homosexuality (Brooker 2017, 136). “Bowie, Homosexuality, and Society” explores the many other reactions that people had to Bowie’s striking performance during this time. I have also provided other artifacts of this time period in "Influence Across Time," with songs from Freddie Mercury and T. Rex (artists who had similar relationships with the discussion of homosexuality). History is embedded into these songs. 

But the past always affects the future. With how iconic “Starman” was and is, many impacts are bound to be felt. Bowie affected the entire genre of glam rock as a whole, the music that came after him, and modern popular culture. One of the prominent manifestations of “Starman” in popular culture is the “Superman Starman trend” on social media, which I explore in "Superstar." The trend of short videos displaying positive acts of humanity with the soundtrack of “Starman” reinforces the need for hope in our modern era. Bowie becomes the medium for a positive shift from cynicism to optimism. Another way that "Starman" manifests the past influencing the future is by being a musical influence on Siouxsie Sioux, a popular music artist who felt revolutionized by the Top of the Pops performance. Bowie also impacted glam rock so much that he is known, alongside T. Rex, as the creator of glam rock. 

Overall, it is clear that “Starman” is a very nuanced song that tells us about larger contexts. The rest of this project will continue discussing the themes of musical elements, context, and impact in greater detail. The next page, “Listening to ‘Starman,’” talks about the musical aspect of the song.
 

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