Cygnet Committee

"Cygnet Committee" is a song written by David Bowie in 1969 for his second eponymous album (released in the U.S. as Man of Words, Man of Music and re-released in 1972 as Space Oddity). At over 9 minutes this ambitious progressive folk rock song was Bowie's longest studio recording until the opening/title track of 1976's Station to Station. Lyrical background During 1969 Bowie and then-girlfriend Angela Barnett lived in Beckenham, where they ran the Arts Lab, trying to encourage young people to be creative. However, Bowie soon quit the Arts Lab, when he realized that most people were coming just to see him perform and not to participate. His disappointing encounter with the hippies during this time is the basis for the song, as he felt he was used and abused by the teens: "I gave them my life... They drained my very soul..." Plot As with many of Bowie's works, the song is a dystopian narrative. One strand of the story concerns a man who helped revolutionaries establish a new order by, "open(ing) doors that would have blocked their way" and "ravag(ing) at my finance." The revolutionaries, "let him use his powers," so they could "infiltrate business cesspools/Hating through our sleeves." But "now (they) are strong" while the man "sits alone growing older" having been forgotten by those he helped. The other strand of the story describes the post-revolutionary world, revealing that it is not the utopia that had been hoped for. The mottoes of the new state are, "I will kill for the good of the fight for the right to be right," and "We can force you to be free." Near the end of the song, the narrator describes what has become of the revolution: A love machine lumbers through desolation rows Plowing down man, woman, listening to its command But not hearing anymore. Live versions Bowie played the song at The Sunday Show introduced by John Peel on 2 February 1970. This was broadcast on 8 February 1970 and in 2000 was released on the album Bowie at the Beeb. Other releases It was released as the B-side of the Eastern European single "The Width of a Circle" in June 1973. It appeared on the Japanese compilation The Best of David Bowie in 1974.

[Chorus 1] I bless you madly Sadly as I tie my shoes I love you badly Just in time, at times, I guess Because of you I need to rest Because it's you That sets the test [Verse 1] So much has gone And little is new And as the sparrow sings Dawn chorus for Someone else to hear The Thinker sits alone growing older And so bitter "I gave Them life I gave Them all They drained my very soul ...dry I crushed my heart To ease Their pains No thought for me remains there Nothing can They spare What of me? Who praised Their efforts To be free? Words of strength and care And sympathy I opened doors That would have blocked Their way I braved Their cause to guide For little pay I ravaged at my finance just for Those Those whose claims were steeped in peace, tranquility Those who said a new world, new ways ever free Those whose promises stretched in hope and grace for me [Chorus 1] I bless you madly Sadly as I tie my shoes I love you badly Just in time, at times, I guess Because of you I need to rest Because it's you That sets the test [Verse 2] So much has gone And little is new And as the sunrise stream Flickers on me My friends talk Of glory, untold dream, where all is God and God is just a word "We had a friend, a talking man Who spoke of many powers that he had Not of the best of men, but Ours We used him We let him use his powers We let him fill Our needs Now We are strong And the road is coming to its end Now the damned have no time to make amends No purse of token fortune stands in Our way The silent guns of love Will blast the sky We broke the ruptured structure built of age Our weapons were the tongues of crying rage Where money stood We planted seeds of rebirth And stabbed the backs of fathers Sons of dirt Infiltrated business cesspools Hating through Our sleeves Yea, and We slit the Catholic throat Stoned the poor On slogans such as "Wish You Could Hear Love Is All We Need Kick Out The Jams Kick Out Your Mother Cut Up Your Friend Screw Up Your Brother or He'll Get You In the End And We Know the Flag of Love is from Above And We Can Force You to Be Free And We Can Force You to Believe" And I close my eyes and tighten up my brain For I once read a book in which the lovers were slain For they knew not the words of the Free States' refrain It said: "I believe in the Power of Good I Believe in the State of Love I Will Fight For the Right to be Right I Will Kill for the Good of the Fight for the Right to be Right" And I open my eyes to look around And I see a child laid slain On the ground As a love machine lumbers through desolation rows Ploughing down man, woman, listening to its command But not hearing anymore Not hearing anymore Just the shrieks from the old rich And I Want to Believe In the madness that calls 'Now' And I want to Believe That a light's shining through Somehow [Bridge] And I Want to Believe And You Want to Believe And We Want to Believe And We Want to Live Oh, We Want to Live We Want to Live We Want to Live We Want to Live We Want to Live I Want to Live I Want to Live I Want to Live I Want to Live I Want to Live I Want to Live [Outro] Live Live Live