A newsblog has posted a review of David Bowie’s 1973 Aladdin Sane album in which the connections with Waugh’s novel Vile Bodies are further elaborated:
Named after the pun ‘A Lad Insane’, David Bowie has stated that this album was “Ziggy Stardust goes to America”. Written primarily based on the observations of Bowie from the American tour for the aforementioned Ziggy album, Aladdin Sane is based on an extension of the character…Originally inspired by Evelyn Waugh’s Vile Bodies, Aladdin Sane is set textures in decadence and silly. About this song, David Bowie said, “Aladdin Sane is about young people, just before the two wars, wanting to go and screw girls and kill foreigners.”
See earlier post. The lyrics from the title song of the album contain several references that can be traced to the novel:
Watching him dash away
Swinging an old bouquet
Dead roses
Saki and strings divine
You’ll make it
Passionate bright young things
Takes him away to war
Don’t fake it
Sadden glissando strings
You’ll make it
Who will love Aladdin Sane?
Battle cries and champagne just in time for sunrise
Who will love Aladdin Sane?
Motor sensational
Paris or maybe hell
I’m waiting
Bowie’s recording of the song is posted on YouTube.
