The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars

It was 40 years ago this month that David Bowie's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars was released. It's one of my favorite albums of all time, and surely one of the best of the 1970s, and also one of the best examples of the genre called "glam rock."

I've had this on vinyl for years, but picked up a used CD about a week ago and have been reacquainting myself with its greatness. I've also been reading about what the album is supposed to mean--I must admit it's not readily apparent on listening to the songs, though it's clearly a concept album concerning a fictional rock star (and alter ego for Bowie) named Ziggy Stardust.

Reading the lyric sheet as I listened today, it's a little clearer. The first song, "Five Years," indicates that there is only five years left on Earth. Then, Ziggy Stardust, who may or may not be an alien, arrives with a message of peace and love. In Moonage Daydream, there is a lyric that suggests an arrival of sorts:

"I'm an alligator, I'm a mama-papa coming for you
I'm the space invader, I'll be a rock 'n' rollin' bitch for you
Keep your mouth shut, you're squawking like a big monkey bird
And I'm busting up my brains for the words"

Then comes "Starman" (one of four songs on the album that contains the word star--both in its astronomical and pop cultural meaning), that heralds the arrival of some sort of savior:

"There's a starman waiting in the sky
He'd like to come and meet us
But he thinks he'd blow our minds
There's a starman waiting in the sky
He told us not to blow it
'Cause he knows it's all worthwhile"

Finally, in "Lady Stardust," it seems that Ziggy takes the stage:

"People stared at the makeup on his face
Laughed at his long black hair, his animal grace
The boy in the bright blue jeans
Jumped up on the stage
And Lady Stardust sang his songs
Of darkness and disgrace"

 Ziggy and his band, the Spiders From Mars (Weird and Gilly), become big stars and engage in typical rock star excesses. In "Hang on to Yourself":

"We can't dance, we don't talk much, we just ball and play
But then we move like tigers on Vaseline
Well the bitter comes out better on a stolen guitar
You're the blessed, we're the spiders from Mars"

"Suffragette City," which is probably the most famous song from this collection, is not about the women's vote but seemingly about endless sex, with a woman "with mellow thighs that put my spine out of place."

By the end of the album, as Ziggy seems to have destroyed himself, there is a message of both despair and hope in the gorgeous "Rock 'N' Roll Suicide":

"Oh no love! you're not alone
No matter what or who you've been
No matter when or where you've seen
All the knives seem to lacerate your brain
I've had my share, I'll help you with the pain
You're not alone"




This song, as is the rest of the album, was masterfully arranged and produced by Bowie and Mick Ronson. At this time Bowie was in full weirdo mode; the pinkish hair, the tight jumpsuits, the leather pants showing off a big package, but what may get lost is how beautiful this record is. "Rock 'N' Roll Suicide" begins softly, with spoken word, but swells with the anguished but hopeful climax, culminating in a transcendent violin chord.

Or consider the sweeping chorus of "Starman," which, as the title suggests, seems to take us into the heavens. One can close one's eyes and picture a rocket taking off. On the more straightforward rock and roll side, "Hang on to Yourself," "Suffragette City," and "It Ain't Easy" can't get much better as foot-stomping tunes (the latter was written by Ron Davies).

On this CD there are a few bonus tracks, including "Velvet Goldmine," which was originally intended for the record but ended up as a B-side of the UK released of "Space Oddity," perhaps due to its ambiguous suggestion of homosexual contact. It has interestingly gone on to be a kind of generic name for the glam movement, as evidenced by the title of the Todd Haynes film about the scene, released in 1998.