# Meaning of "Man who sold the world" by Bowie **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 31, 2003, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-man-who-sold-the-world-by-bowie/192207 "2003-07-31T20:13:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cornelius_Tuggerson)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2003, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-man-who-sold-the-world-by-bowie/192207/1 "2003-07-31T20:13:14Z")
I was eating a pizza drinking a soda and listening to some Bowie the other day when it all of a sudden occurred to be that “The man who sold the world” is a very deep and thought provoking song. But I can not for the life of me figure out what the hell it is about. And google just keeps sending me to [amazon.com](http://amazon.com). HELP!!! ---
**Author:** ![gypsymoth3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@gypsymoth3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gypsymoth3)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2003, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-man-who-sold-the-world-by-bowie/192207/2 "2003-07-31T23:05:14Z")
you mean the one by nirvana? it’s sad; i’ve heard the name bowie SEVERAL times on radio and still don’t know who he is. have you tried either [www.songmeanings.com](http://www.songmeanings.com) or [www.songmeanings.net](http://www.songmeanings.net)? i can’t remember which it is and can’t investigate for myself since i have a painfully slow computer and that site doesn’t want to load in less than 3 hours. well, maybe i’m exaggerating. ---
**Author:** ![gypsymoth3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@gypsymoth3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gypsymoth3)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2003, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-man-who-sold-the-world-by-bowie/192207/3 "2003-07-31T23:05:22Z")
you mean the one by nirvana? it’s sad; i’ve heard the name bowie SEVERAL times on radio and still don’t know who he is. have you tried either [www.songmeanings.com](http://www.songmeanings.com) or [www.songmeanings.net](http://www.songmeanings.net)? i can’t remember which it is and can’t investigate for myself since i have a painfully slow computer and that site doesn’t want to load in less than 3 hours. well, maybe i’m exaggerating. ---
**Author:** ![Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cornelius_Tuggerson)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2003, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-man-who-sold-the-world-by-bowie/192207/4 "2003-07-31T23:29:25Z")
No no no not the one by nirvana the one by David Bowie - the greates musician of all times and ages. Nirvana just did a cover of it. I will check out the links though, thanks ---
**Author:** ![Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cornelius_Tuggerson)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2003, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-man-who-sold-the-world-by-bowie/192207/5 "2003-07-31T23:33:34Z")
Well the links didn’t work so I am still looking for answers, come on millions do your thing ---
**Author:** ![sarcophilus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@sarcophilus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sarcophilus)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2003, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-man-who-sold-the-world-by-bowie/192207/6 "2003-07-31T23:34:52Z")
dissociation, meating ones self, coming to terms with past activities i always thought ---
**Author:** ![sarcophilus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@sarcophilus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sarcophilus)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2003, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-man-who-sold-the-world-by-bowie/192207/7 "2003-07-31T23:36:10Z")
i.e. meeting ---
**Author:** ![Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cornelius_Tuggerson)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2003, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-man-who-sold-the-world-by-bowie/192207/8 "2003-07-31T23:45:10Z")
Yeah but why should they have all died a long long time ago it sounds so serious and irriversible if you know what i mean ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2003, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-man-who-sold-the-world-by-bowie/192207/9 "2003-07-31T23:46:21Z")
Why isn’t this posted on Café Society? ---
**Author:** ![Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cornelius_Tuggerson)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2003, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-man-who-sold-the-world-by-bowie/192207/10 "2003-07-31T23:50:00Z")
Yeah I thought it would go there but then i figured its not as much a discussion of Bowie’s art as just a search for some facts(what he said about the song and such) you are probably right though ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-man-who-sold-the-world-by-bowie/192207/11 "2003-08-01T02:15:33Z")
Here’s one interpretation: [http://www.teenagewildlife.com/Interact/fc/misc/JG/TMWSTW.html#TMWSTW](http://www.teenagewildlife.com/Interact/fc/misc/JG/TMWSTW.html#TMWSTW) Bowie is a god. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-man-who-sold-the-world-by-bowie/192207/12 "2003-08-01T03:01:26Z")
**faldureon** , questions related to movies and music belong in the [Cafe Society](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=13) forum. Please read forum descriptions carefully before you post your next question. Thank you and welcome to the boards. - **xash** General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![lindarielle13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3bc359/32.png) [@lindarielle13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindarielle13)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-man-who-sold-the-world-by-bowie/192207/13 "2003-08-01T03:34:44Z")
I always thought it was kind of a metaphor or something for how materialistic the world has become. I think it’s a dream about the future or something, where some powerful being has actually “sold the world.” The “I/we never lost control” is about how we think we have a hold on things when we are actually spinning out of control in crass commercialism. “We must have died alone/ A long, long time ago” speaks about spiritual death, not physical death, because everyone stopped caring about humanity and was just out for whatever they could get. Ok, maybe a little too deep, but that’s just what I’ve always thought. ---
**Author:** ![Seriously\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/71c47a/32.png) [@Seriously\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seriously_1)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-man-who-sold-the-world-by-bowie/192207/14 "2011-11-16T19:19:46Z")
> [@Cornelius\_Tuggerson](#): > > I was eating a pizza drinking a soda and listening to some Bowie the other day when it all of a sudden occurred to be that “The man who sold the world” is a very deep and thought provoking song. But I can not for the life of me figure out what the hell it is about. And google just keeps sending me to [amazon.com](http://amazon.com). HELP!!! I’ve been a Bowie fan since the early 70’s and this song entrigued me… I think it’s about lucifer. He thought he died but no he/they/we never lost control. This may sound bonkers but if we look around I think it’s obvious and Bowie was into the occult in a big way! It’s a catchy tune done wonderfully by Lulu but there’s something eerie about it…:eek: ---
**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-man-who-sold-the-world-by-bowie/192207/15 "2011-11-16T22:09:26Z")
Seriously… ---
**Author:** ![misling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@misling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misling)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-man-who-sold-the-world-by-bowie/192207/16 "2011-11-16T22:11:54Z")
I always thought it was loosely based on the story: “The Man Who Sold the Moon” is a science fiction novella by Robert A. Heinlein ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-man-who-sold-the-world-by-bowie/192207/17 "2011-11-16T22:24:06Z")
I always thought Bowie was referring to the scientist who sold the T-virus to the Umbrella corporation and brought about the zombie apocalypse. ---
**Author:** ![Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cornelius_Tuggerson)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-man-who-sold-the-world-by-bowie/192207/18 "2011-11-16T22:39:33Z")
Wow, my first thread on the dope, ah the memories. Amazingly enough I am still a Bowie fan and I still enjoy this song. Its meaning continues to be illusive, but these days I am wondering, what did the Man Who Sold The World sell it for? From the lyrics it almost sounds like he managed to acquire immortality, but it came at a cost. Since death was no longer an issue the Man lost the ability to care about the stuff that the rest of us humans concern ourselves with. So ultimately the beauty and wonder of life are unavailable to him, and he is stuck like that forever. An awful price to pay for never loosing control if you ask me. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2011, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-man-who-sold-the-world-by-bowie/192207/19 "2011-11-17T00:24:26Z")
In high school, the urban legend was that Bowie wrote it after meeting Oppenheimer.