10 Greatest David Bowie Songs
9. Lazarus
Heartbreaking doesn't even begin to cover it when talking about this track.
Structurally it bares some resemblance to Space Oddity. It starts off very reserved as the many layers to the song begin to build up and creep up on you. Although instead of the anticipation you get with Space Oddity, it is more a haunting anxiety you are met with.
Lazarus was written whilst David Bowie's cancer was actually in remission, but frequent collaborator Tony Visconti has gone on record to say that Bowie was aware of his fate prior to the release of the album. And one look at the lyrics tells you all you need to know. "Look up here, man, I'm in danger/ I've got nothing left to lose" is essentially Bowie speaking to his audience from some sort of afterlife.
Everything about the song signals his acceptance of his fate whilst he looks back on his life and career. The song, and the video as well, is perhaps the bleakest thing in Bowie's discography. However he pulls it off with his trademark flair, and it makes for one of the most emotionally captivating and beautiful songs of his career.