Behind: The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars
Written by Anna Lawrence
I chose this album for ‘underrated album’ because although one of Bowie’s biggest hits, ‘Starman’, is on this album, not many of the other songs get the recognition they deserve.
The album opens with a masterpiece of a song, ‘Five Years’. This song follows a fantasy version of Earth through the delivery of the news that the planet will be facing its demise. This song perfectly sets the scene for Ziggy Stardust’s entrance.
The second song ‘Soul Love’, is from Ziggy’s perspective, looking down on all the humans on Earth and their forms of love and ability to express love in so many different ways. This love entices him to come down to help the humans.
The entirety of ‘Moonage Daydream’ is full with space references, but was recorded before the album’s creation so is almost left as a filler song in terms of the storyline, although it is an excellent song.
The fourth song on the album, the most well known is ‘Starman’. This song is about Ziggy’s entrance to Earth, and his guiding light to save the humans.
The next song, ‘It Ain’t Easy’ was originally written by Ron Davies. For this reason the song doesn’t fall as easily into the Ziggy Stardust storyline, but it does reflect how simple humanities problems seem in the grand scheme of life, (especially with the threat of the end of the world looming over them).
In my opinion, ‘Lady Stardust’ reflects how meaningless humanities sacred gender roles are. Stardust discovers art and finds immense joy from it, he is labelled androgynous for simply being himself which in my view is a jab at how rigid gender norms were and still are, where once you don't fit into a perfect box, you get expelled from the box completely.
‘Star’ describes Ziggy Stardust’s realization that the best way to save the earth might be to be a rock and roll star.
The 8th track of the album, ‘Hang on to yourself’, follows Ziggy as he has acquired fame, fortune and most importantly to him, the love he observed in ‘Soul Love’. Although his bandmates, The spiders from mars, much prefer the fame and fortune aspects and don't see value in love.
‘Ziggy Stardust’, is written from the Spiders from Mars' perspective. There is huge tension between them and Ziggy as he pushes them into his shadow, refusing to give them the recognition they deserve. The spiders admire Ziggy's talents while simultaneously despising his ego.
‘Suffragette City’ follows Ziggy as he integrates into ‘normal’ earthly life while being a rock star.
The final song on the album ‘Rock n’ Roll Suicide’, depicts Ziggy’s death, the stress of stardom finally crashes down on him and kills him.
As I have stated before, although one of Bowie’s biggest hits came from this album, I believe the storytelling and the other individual songs off this album are severely underappreciated.