Time Will Crawl

David Bowie

About Time Will Crawl

"Time Will Crawl" is a song recorded by English singer David Bowie, serving as the second single for his seventeenth album, Never Let Me Down (1987). It was written by Bowie and produced by him and David Richards. Released in 1987 by EMI, the recording addresses the destruction of the planet by pollution and industry; the Chernobyl disaster was a direct influence on the lyrics. The accompanying video served as a teaser to Bowie's Glass Spider Tour (1987). Music critics were positive toward "Time Will Crawl", commending its lyrics and production, and describing it one of Bowie's best efforts of the mid– to late–1980s. Additionally, Bowie later called the song one of his favorites from his entire career. Commercially, the single peaked at number 33 on the UK Singles Chart and at number seven on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. 


Year:
2007
4:18
93 

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I've never sailed on a sea
I would not challenge a giant
I could not take on the church
Time will crawl
'Til the 21st century lose

I know a government man
He was as blind as the moon
He saw the sun in the night
He took a top-gun pilot
He made him fly through a hole
'Til he grew real old
And he never came down
He just flew 'til he burst

Time will crawl 'til our mouths run dry
Time will crawl 'til our feet grow small
Time will crawl 'til our tails fall off
Time will crawl 'til the 21st century lose

I saw a black black stream
Full of white eyed fish
And a drowning man
With no eyes at all
I felt a warm warm breeze
That melted metal and steel
I got a bad migraine
That lasted three long years
And the pills that I took
Made my fingers disappear

Time will crawl, time will crawl
Time will crawl
'Til the 21st century lose

You were a talented child
You came to live in our town
We never bothered to scream
When your mask came off
We only smelt the gas
As we lay down to sleep

Time will crawl and our heads bowed down
Time will crawl and our eyes fall out
Time will crawl and the streets run red
Time will crawl 'til the 21st century lose

Time will crawl and our mouths run dry
Time will crawl and our feet grow small
Time will crawl and our tails fall off
Time will crawl 'til the 21st century lose

Time will crawl and our heads bowed down
Time will crawl and our eyes fall out
Time will crawl and the streets run red
Time will crawl 'til the 21st century lose

For the crazy child
We'll give every life
For the crackpot notion

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David Bowie

David Robert Jones (8 January 1947 - 10 January 2016), known by his stage name David Bowie ( /ˈboʊ.i/ BOH-ee), was an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s. He is known for his distinctive voice as well as the intellectual depth and considerable eclecticism of his work. more »

30 fans

Written by: DAVID BOWIE

Lyrics © TINTORETTO MUSIC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Album Release
"Time Will Crawl" is a song by David Bowie from his 17th studio album, "Never Let Me Down", released in 1987.
Hit Single
The song was released as the second single from "Never Let Me Down" after "Day-In Day-Out", reaching the Top 40 on the UK Singles Chart.
Controversy
Although the album "Never Let Me Down" was not well-received by critics, Bowie himself cited "Time Will Crawl" as one of his favourite songs from the album.
Inspiration
Bowie stated that the song was inspired by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in April 1986. The catastrophe had a significant impact on him and motivated him to write the song.
Storyline
The song expresses dismay over the human-made disasters and the devastation they cause. It is one of the more serious politically charged songs in Bowie's repertoire.
Lyrics
The official lyrics of "Time Will Crawl" reference humanity's degradation of the planet ("The earth that is the space where, where the world once was"). It reflects Bowie's concerns about the environment.
Rewritten Version
In 2008, Bowie released a new version of "Time Will Crawl", which he called the "MM remix". This version, released on the CD iSelect, eliminates much of the rhythm section, replacing it with string synthesizers.
Music Video
The music video of the song, directed by Tim Pope, shows Bowie in a room with scenes of devastation projected onto screens behind him. It effectively reflects the song's apocalyptic nature.
Chart Details
"Time Will Crawl" reached number 33 on the UK Singles Chart and was also a minor hit in the United States where it reached number 7 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart.
Personal Preference
Despite the mixed critical reception to the album "Never Let Me Down", Bowie noted 'Time Will Crawl' as being one of his favourite songs from his vast discography during an interview with "Performing Songwriter" magazine in 2003.

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