Oh! You Pretty Things

David Bowie

About Oh! You Pretty Things

"Oh! You Pretty Things" is a song written by David Bowie in 1971 for the album Hunky Dory. It opens with only piano and Bowie's vocal, before entering the catchy refrain. The simple piano style has been compared with The Beatles' "Martha My Dear". Thematically, the song has been seen as reflecting the influence of occultist Aleister Crowley, philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, and Edward Bulwer-Lytton's 1871 novel Vril, the Power of the Coming Race, and heralding "the impending obsolescence of the human race in favour of an alliance between arriving aliens and the youth of the present society". The song was first released by Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits, in a single on which Bowie played piano. It became a #12 hit in mid-1971. Noone replaced Bowie's line "The Earth is a bitch" with "The Earth is a beast", in a performance that NME editors Roy Carr and Charles Shaar Murray opined to be "one of rock and roll's most outstanding examples of a singer failing to achieve any degree of empathy whatsoever with the mood and content of a lyric". 


Year:
1971
3:12
328 

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Wake up you sleepy head
Put on some clothes, shake up your bed
Put another log on the fire for me
I've made some breakfast and coffee
Look out my window and what do I see
A crack in the sky and a hand reaching down to me
All the nightmares came today
And it looks as though they're here to stay

What are we coming to
No room for me, no fun for you
I think about a world to come
Where the books were found by the Golden ones
Written in pain, written in awe
By a puzzled man who questioned
What we were here for
All the strangers came today
And it looks as though they're here to stay

Oh you Pretty Things
Don't you know you're driving your
Mamas and Papas insane
Oh you Pretty Things
Don't you know you're driving your
Mamas and Papas insane
Let me make it plain
You gotta make way for the Homo Superior

Look out at your children
See their faces in golden rays
Don't kid yourself they belong to you
They're the start of a coming race
The earth is a bitch
We've finished our news
Homo Sapiens have outgrown their use
All the strangers came today
And it looks as though they're here to stay

Oh you Pretty Things
Don't you know you're driving your
Mamas and Papas insane
Oh you Pretty Things
Don't you know you're driving your
Mamas and Papas insane
Let me make it plain
You gotta make way for the Homo Superior

 Become A Better Singer In Only 30 Days, With Easy Video Lessons!


David Bowie

David Robert Jones (8 January 1947 - 10 January 2016), known by his stage name David Bowie ( /ˈboʊ.i/ BOH-ee), was an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s. He is known for his distinctive voice as well as the intellectual depth and considerable eclecticism of his work. more »

30 fans

Written by: David Bowie

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, TINTORETTO MUSIC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Song Composition
"Oh! You Pretty Things" was composed by British musician, David Bowie. It was first released on his 1971 album "Hunky Dory."
Lyrics Concept
The song's lyrics reportedly reflect Bowie's interest in nihilistic and existentialist philosophy, proposing that humanity needs to evolve.
Herman's Hermits Version
The British band Herman's Hermits also released a version of "Oh! You Pretty Things" in 1971. Their version emerged two months before Bowie's did.
Chart Performance
Herman's Hermits' version of the song reached number 12 on the UK Singles Chart.
Song Inspiration
Some suggest that Bowie's song is inspired by Friedrich Nietzsche’s idea of the Übermensch (Superman).
TV Performance
David Bowie gave a notable performance of "Oh! You Pretty Things" on the UK television program "The Old Grey Whistle Test" in 1972.
Song Use
"Oh! You Pretty Things" has been featured in numerous television shows and films, including "Life on Mars" and "American Horror Story."
Peter Noone's Cover
Another notable cover of "Oh! You Pretty Things" was sung by Peter Noone, the former lead singer of Herman’s Hermits. His cover also charted in the UK, reaching number 12.
Collaborative Cover
In 2016, Danish artist MØ and British musician Paul Weller recorded a version of the song for a charity album, with all proceeds going to the War Child organization.
Bowie's Piano Skills
Debuting Bowie's skill at the piano, the song gives an early indication of the part this instrument was to play in his future career. Bowie's piano playing became a vital part of his concerts in the 1970s.

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