David Bowie: Thin White Duke’s long, puzzling word-list revealed
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Never ask an artist to explain their work. Not, at least, if you want to understand it. American novelist Rick Moody, best known for The Ice Storm, broke this golden rule when he asked David Bowie to provide a “work-flow diagram” for his latest album The Next Day.
The album, released to Bowie’s unsuspecting public in March after 10 years of near silence, surprised and delighted fans and critics alike. Moody described it as “the unlikeliest masterpiece of the recent popular song”.
Bowie, for reasons best known to himself, responded to Moody’s request with a list of 42 words, including chthonic (relating to the underworld in Greek mythology) and, more aptly, Mystification.
Moody said the list of words was sent without any accompanying comment.
“The list is far better than I could have hoped,” he wrote, adding he will use it “to make a few observations about the incredible excellence of The Next Day”.
The list in full reads: Effigies, Indulgences, Anarchist, Violence, Chthonic, Intimidation, Vampyric, Pantheon, Succubus, Hostage, Transference, Identity, Mauer, Interface, Flitting, Isolation, Revenge, Osmosis, Crusade, Tyrant, Domination, Indifference, Miasma, Pressgang, Displaced, Flight, Resettlement, Funereal, Glide, Trace, Balkan, Burial, Reverse, Manipulate, Origin, Text, Traitor, Urban, Comeuppance, Tragic, Nerve, Mystification.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments