Is there life in America?

The other day, I was listening to one of my favorite songs, "Life on Mars?" by David Bowie, and realized I had never really thought about the lyrics before.  I could sing them backwards, forwards, practically in my sleep but didn't ever think of what I was listening to.  As I thought about it, the song is really commenting on what America has turned into.  Let's take it line by line. (Lyrics are in blue)

It's a god-awful small affair
To the girl with the mousy hair
So far there is a small problem involving a ordinary or "mousy" girl.
But her mummy is yelling "No"
And her daddy has told her to go
But, even though it was a small affair, her parents seem to be blowing the incident out of proportion.  It is showing how in America we focus too much on little things, rather than the big picture and over react to unimportant situations.


But her friend is nowhere to be seen
Now she walks through her sunken dream
Not as she envisioned it.
To the seat with the clearest view
And she's hooked to the silver screen
I think here she is watching her life.  She is watching everything around her go by, and is not really apart of it.


But the film is a saddening bore
For she's lived it ten times or more
We live in the age of anxiety, because there is so much going on around us, that we tend to get bored extremely easily.  She is watching her life, but starts to get bored and distracted and doesn't want to stay on path.
She could spit in the eyes of fools
As they ask her to focus on
Has to be told what to do.

Now here's where it gets interesting.  This is really when it starts to talk about how our nation is run.
Sailors fighting in the dance hall
This is saying that we are really fighting ourselves.  We are our own enemy.  And by saying fighting "in the dance hall", it makes it seem like a foolish fight.  A dance hall isn't a place to fight, and it makes the fight quite insignificant.
Oh man! look at those cavemen go
Cavemen. Just let that one sink in for a second.  The connotation of calling someone a caveman is that they are uncivilized and incapable.  It is saying that Americans can't do anything for themselves, and act without regard of their actions.
It's the freakiest show
A country that takes so much pride in itself is made up of cavemen?  Freaky.


Take a look at the lawman
Beating up the wrong guy
Unjust.  Punishing the wrong people, fighting the wrong nations, entering the wrong wars.  Still very relevant to today.
Oh man! Wonder if he'll ever know
He's in the best selling show
But what do the people do?  They stand around and watch.  They put their money into these efforts or issues, but don't do anything to stop them.  As a whole, there is a lack of a stance.  No questioning of authority.
Is there life on Mars?
America is Mars.  There is so much talk about what is and isn't on Mars, but what about what's here.  What about Earth.  Maybe we should focus more on fixing our own planet before tainting another.


It's on America's tortured brow
That Mickey Mouse has grown up a cow
Mickey Mouse, a little mouse, growing up as a huge cow clearly resembles obesity in America.
Now the workers have struck for fame
Everyone seems to be out for the money and fame.  Just think about baseball.  Originally, players got paid very little and were required to have another job, aside from baseball.  Not only was it financially necessary, but it was required.  Also, players usually spent their entire careers playing for the same team. Now, you see athletes turning down multi-million dollar contracts and switching teams every couple years.  Baseball, like many other aspects of America, has become less about the love and the passion for the game, and more about the money and the fame.
'Cause Lennon's on sale again
This song was released in 1971.  Lennon married Yoko Ono in 1969.  Fame can be rekindled by an event, like a controversial marriage.  Controversy can stir many emotions.


See the mice in their million hordes
From Ibiza to the norfolk broads
There are millions (well actually billions) of people all across the globe.
Rule Britannia is out of bounds
To my mother, my dog, and clowns
But people still remain powerless.  Some will never be able to have control.


But the film is a saddening bore
'Cause I wrote it ten times of more
It's about to be writ again
History writes and rewrites itself, but nothing ever changes.  The script stays the same.  Mistakes keep reoccurring.  We are not learning from our past.
As I ask you to focus on
And again, people don't care.  Mistakes reoccur but people turn a blind eye and let them happen again.


And then the song finishes with the chorus once again.  This song shows such an interesting view on America.  It shows disappointment with how things have become.  Maybe one day, there will be another song called "Life on Mars" with no question mark, when people actually live on Mars.  Hopefully by the time that song is released it will be commenting on how much things have improved.