it "s a god-awful small affair, to the girl with the mousy hair, but her mother is
Yelling "no", and her father has told her to go, but her friend is nowhere to be
Seen, as she walks through her sunken dream, to the seat with the clearest
View, and she "s hooked to the silver screen, but the film is a saddening
Bore, "cause she" s lived it ten times or more, she could spit in the eyes of
Fools, as they ask her to focus on, sailors fighting in a dance hall, oh man! Look
At those cavemen go, it "s the freakiest show, take a look at the lawman beating
Up the wrong guy, oh man! Wonder if he "ll ever know, he" s in the best selling
Show, is there life on mars? It "s on america" s tortured brow, mickey mouse has
Grown up a cow, now the workers have struck for fame, "cause lennons on sale
Again, see the mice in thier million hordes, but to the ibeza to the norfolk
Broads, rule britannia is out of bounds, to my mother, my dog, and clouds, but the
Film is a saddening bore, "cause i wrote it ten times before, it" s about to be
Writ again, as i ask you to focus o
N, sailors fighting in the dance hall, oh man! Look at those cavemen go, it "s the
Freakiest show, take a look at the lawman beating up the wrong guy, oh man! Wonder
If he "ll ever know, he" s in the best selling show, is there life on mars, (lyrics
Fade)

Переклад

це жахливі маленький справою, до дівчини з мишкою волосся, але її мати
Кричати "немає", і її батько сказав їй йти, але її подруга ніде не буде
Відвідування, як вона ходить через її затонулого сні, в місце сяркім
Подивитися, і вона підключили до кіноекрані, але фільмпечально
Діаметр циліндра, тому що вона жила його десять разів або більше, вона могла плюнути в очах
Дурні, як вони просять її, щоб зосередитися, моряки, які воюють в танцювальному залі, про людей з нетерпінням!
У ці печерні люди йдуть, етоізвращеніе шоу, погляньте на LAWMAN побиття
До того хлопця, про людей! Цікаво, якщо він ніколи не дізнається, що він в найбільш продаваних
Показати, чи є життя на Марсі? Це на тортурам лоб Америки, Міккі Маус має
Вихована корову, зараз робітники завдали слави, тому Lennons на продаж
Знову ж, см. Мишей в тир мільйон орд, але до ibeza до Норфолку
Бродс, Прав, Британія знаходиться поза межами, до мами, моєму собаці, і хмари, але
Фільм є сумно отвір, тому що я написав це в десять разів, перш ніж, це збирається бути
Судовий наказ знову, як і я прошу вас зосередитися про
N, моряки бійцівські в танцювальному залі, о людино! Дивитися на ці печерні люди йдуть, це
Збочення шоу, погляньте насудебний виконавець побиття не того хлопця, Про людина! цікаво,
Якщо він ніколи не дізнається, що він в найбільш продаваних шоу, чи є життя на Марсі, (Слова
Fade)

"Life on Mars?" is often considered one of the true masterpieces of the Bowie Canon. Originally released on the album in 1971, it was made a single in 1973 during the height of Bowie's era.

The song details the story of a young girl who wants to go the movies, while her parents are not completely behind the idea. She goes to the movies anyway to find entertainment and escape the mundane reality. Instead, she finds out that the movie is a saddening bore as a poor parody of the mundane reality of her existence. The situation prompts Bowie to raise the question, whether there is any life / art beyond what we already see.

It also raises the more existential questions about escapism through art and can you truly do that, when art is really a representation of reality (however popular or obscure).

A bit about how it was written: In 1968 Bowie wrote the lyrics "Even a Fool Learns to Love", set to the music of a 1967 French song "Comme d" habitude ", composed by Claude François and Jacques Revaux. Bowie's version was never released, but Paul Anka bought the rights to the original French version and rewrote it into "My Way", the song made famous by Frank Sinatra in a 1969 recording on his album of the same name. The success of the Anka version prompted Bowie to write "Life on Mars?" as a parody of Sinatra's recording.

In an article that accompanied the June 2008 issue of The Mail on Sunday's free cover-mount CD, iSELECTBOWIE, Bowie described the creation of the song:

This song was so easy. Being young was easy. A really beautiful day in the park, sitting on the steps of the bandstand. 'Sailors bap-bap-bap-bap-baaa-bap'. An anomic (not a 'gnomic') heroine. Middle class ecstasy. I took a walk to Beckenham High Street to catch a bus to Lewisham to buy shoes and shirts but could not get the riff out of my head. Jumped off two stops into the ride and more or less loped back to the house up on Southend Road.

Workspace was a big empty room with a chaise lounge; a bargain priced art nouveau screen ( 'William Morris' so I told anyone who asked); a huge overflowing freestanding ashtray and a grand piano. Little else. I started working it out on the piano and had the whole lyric and melody finished by late afternoon. Nice. Rick Wakeman came over a couple of weeks later and embellished the piano part and guitarist created one of his first and best string parts for this song which now has become something of a fixture in my live shows.
- as quoted on davidbowie.com

Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph ranked it as # 1 in his 100 Greatest Songs of All Time list, saying about the song ...

A quite gloriously strange anthem, where the combination of stirring, yearning melody and vivid, poetic imagery manage a trick very particular to the art of the song: to be at once completely impenetrable and yet resonant with personal meaning. You want to raise your voice and sing along, yet Bowie's abstract cut-up lyrics force you to invest the song with something of yourself just to make sense of the experience. And, like all great songs, it's got a lovely tune.

The music video was shot by long time Bowie photographer, Mick Rock backstage at Earls Court to go along with the single release.

A slightly different version of the song was remastered in 2016 and included in the compilation The Legacy as the "2016 Mix". An HD remastered alternate cut of the video was used to promote it.

It "s a god-awful small affair
To the girl with the mousy hair
But her mummy is yelling "No"
And her daddy has told her to go
But her friend is nowhere to be seen
Now she walks through her sunken dream
To the seat with the clearest view
And she "s hooked to the silver screen

"Cause she" s lived it ten times or more
She could spit in the eyes of fools
As they ask her to focus on

It "s the freakiest show
Take a look at the Lawman
Beating up the wrong guy

Is there life on Mars?

It "s on America" s tortured brow
That Mickey Mouse has grown up a cow
Now the workers have struck for fame
"Cause Lennon" s on sale again
See the mice in their million hordes
From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads
Rule Britannia is out of bounds
To my mother, my dog, and clowns
But the film is a saddening bore
"Cause I wrote it ten times or more
It "s about to be writ again
As I ask you to focus on

Sailors fighting in the dance hall
Oh man! Look at those cavemen go
It "s the freakiest show
Take a look at the Lawman
Beating up the wrong guy
Oh man! Wonder if he "ll ever know
He "s in the best selling show
Is there life on Mars?

Додати переклад цієї пісні

It's a God-awful small affair
To the with the mousy hair
But her mummy is yelling «No»
And her daddy has told her to go But her friend is nowhere to be seen
Now she walks through her sunken dream
To the seat with the clearest view
And she's hooked to the silver screen

For she's lived it ten times or more
She could spit in the eyes of fools
As they ask her to focus on Sailors fighting in the dance hall

Take a look at the Lawman
Beating up the wrong guy

Is there life on Mars?
It's on America's d brow
That Mickey Mouse has brought up a cow
And now the workers have struck for fame
"Cos Lennon's on sale again
See the mice in their million hordes
From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads
Rule Britannia is out of bounds
To my Mother, my dog, and clowns
But the film is a saddening bore
"Cos I wrote it ten times or more
It's about to be writ again
As I ask you to focus on Sailors fighting in the dance hall
Oh man! Look at those cavemen go It's the freakiest show
Take a look at the Lawman
Beating up the wrong guy
Oh man! Wonder if he'll ever know
He's in the best selling show

Переклад пісні

Це жахливе маленьку справу
За допомогою м'язових волосся
Але її мумія кричить «Ні»
І її тато сказав їй піти, Але її друга ніде не видно
Тепер вона ходить по її затонулої мрії
На сидінні з самим ясним видом
І вона підключена до срібного екрану

Оскільки вона прожила це десять або більше разів
Вона могла плюнути в очі дурням
Коли вони просять її зосередитися на битвах моряків в танцювальному залі

Погляньте на Lawman
Побиття не ту хлопця

Він в кращому продажному шоу
Чи є життя на Марсі?
Це на лобі Америки
Те, що Міккі Маус виховав корови
І тепер робочі вразили славу
«Cos Lennon знову продається
Подивіться на мишей в їх мільйонах Ордів
Від Ібіци до Норфолкського Бродів
Правило Британія виходить за рамки
Моїй матері, моєму собаці і клоунів
Але фільм - сумне отвір
«Тому що я написав його десять і більше разів
Він скоро буде виконаний
Оскільки я прошу вас зосередитися на боротьбі моряків в танцювальному залі
Про чувак! Подивіться на цих печерних людей. Це найстрашніше шоу
Погляньте на Lawman
Побиття не ту хлопця
Про чувак! Цікаво, чи знає він коли-небудь
Він в кращому продажному шоу