Memory of a Free Festival
David Bowie
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The children of the summer's end Gathered in the dampened grass, We played Our songs and felt the London sky Resting on our hands It was God's land. It was ragged and naive. It was Heaven. Touch, we touched the very soul Of holding each and every life. We claimed the very source of joy ran through. It didn't, but it seemed that way. I kissed a lot of people that day. Oh, to capture just one drop of all the ecstasy that swept that afternoon, To paint that love upon a white balloon, And fly it from the toppest top of all the tops that man has pushed beyond his Brain. Satoria must be something just the same. We scanned the skies with rainbow eyes and saw machines of every shape and size. We talked with tall Venusians passing through. And Peter tried to climb aboard but the Captain shook his head And away they soared, Climbing through the ivory vibrant cloud. Someone passed some bliss among the crowd. And we walked back to the road, unchained. "The Sun Machine is coming down, and we're gonna have a party." "The Sun Machine is coming down, and we're gonna have a party." "The Sun Machine is coming down, and we're gonna have a party." "The Sun Machine is coming down, and we're gonna have a party." "The Sun Machine is coming down, and we're gonna have a party."
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Written by: DAVID BOWIE
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, T.R.O. INC.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Song Origin"Memory of a Free Festival" is a song written and recorded by David Bowie. It was first released in 1970 as part of his album "The Man Who Sold The World."
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Real-life InspirationThe song was inspired by a free festival that David Bowie helped to organize at the London Recreation Ground in Beckenham, which was also known as the Growth Summer Festival.
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Song MeaningThe song lyrically pays homage to the sense of community, free expression, and peace that emerged from the festival, reflecting the utopian ideals that were prevalent during the time of its creation, the late 1960s.
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Re-recording"Memory of a Free Festival" was re-recorded in 1971 and split into two parts to be used as both the A-side and B-side of a single.
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Musical CollaborationDuring the recording of the song, Bowie was collaborated with various musicians, including Mick Ronson and Tony Visconti.
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Standout FeatureUnique to this song is its lengthy instrumental introduction that slowly builds up intensity and is then followed by unprompted singing of the audience, giving it a true "festival" vibe.
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Song StructureThe song has an unconventional structure, beginning with a meditative, ballad-like section, and concluding with an upbeat, repeated refrain of "The Sun Machine is Coming Down, and We're Gonna Have a Party."
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ReissuesThe 1970 album version of "Memory of a Free Festival" has been included in the compilations "The Platinum Collection" (2005) and "Nothing Has Changed" (2014).
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Cover VersionThe song has been covered by several artists, including Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.
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LegacyDespite not being one of Bowie's most commercially successful songs, "Memory of a Free Festival" is remembered as a cult classic and a great representation of Bowie's early talent for evoking atmosphere and emotion through music.
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"Memory of a Free Festival Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 22 Sep. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/32685832/David+Bowie/Memory+of+a+Free+Festival>.
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