Next week is David Bowie's birthday and also the 2 year anniversary of his passing, or as I like to call it, his return home. He inspires so much of what Baby Teith is about and so many areas of my life. I am always learning something new about him. It makes me wonder if those close to him are still learning more about him as well. Similar to all of the secrets his fans have found in the Blackstar artwork, long after his departure. Here are some of my favorite facts that I have learned more recently over the years. Some may surprise you!
He had his own language
Almost a decade before The Cocteau Twins popularised the approach, Bowie sang in a completely self-invented language on the 1977 Low album track, Subterraneans.
He couldn’t stand The Little Drummer Boy
When asked to collaborate with music veteran Bing Crosby on a version of the song, for a rather unlikely appearance on Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas in 1977, Bowie outright refused. "I hate this song. Is there something else I could sing?", he told songwriter Ian Fraser at the time. Bowie and Fraser then collaborated on a new song, Peace on Earth, that Bowie could sing as a counterpart to Crosby’s Little Drummer Boy.
Bowie's Brother inspired a number of his songs
Terry was the inspiration for songs including Aladdin Sane, All The Madmen, The Bewlay Brothers and Jump They Say. He sadly passed away in 1985.
He was a big Arcade Fire fan
Arcade Fire and TV On The Radio were two of Bowie's favorite bands of the last 10 years. He also had a guest vocal appearance on Arcade Fire's song "Reflektor" off the band's fourth studio album, Reflektor (2013).
He declined the CBE in 2000 and a knighthood in 2003
Instead of happily taking the Queen up on her offer as most would have, he declined, explaining that “I seriously don’t know what it’s for.”
He voiced a character in a Spongebob Squarepants movie
Lord Royal Highness in 2007’s SpongeBob's Atlantis SquarePantis is infact, David Bowie. “I've hit the Holy Grail of animation gigs,” Bowie wrote in a blog post at the time. “Yesterday I got to be a character on ... tan-tara ... SpongeBob SquarePants. Oh Yeah!! We, the family, are thrilled. Nothing else need happen this year, well, this week anyway.”
Iman has a Bowie knife tattooed on her ankle in tribute to her husband
Iman has two tattoos. This one, a Bowie knife with the word “David” on the handle, above her ankle and “David” in Arabic script around her belly button.
We love you, Starman. Rest in Peace.
