Song Development
The song was written about the pollution and destruction of the planet by industry (Bowie has cited hearing of the Chernobyl disaster in April 1986 as the genesis of the lyric). In an 1987 interview, Bowie said the song "deals with the idea that someone in one's own community could be the one responsible for blowing up the world." Bowie also stated at the time that it was his favorite song from the album, and later put the song on his list of all-time favorites by including a newly-recorded version of the song (the "MM Remix") on his iSelect album.
Read more about this topic: Time Will Crawl
Famous quotes containing the words song and/or development:
“Tell her that goes
With song upon her lips
But sings not out the song, nor knows
The maker of it, some other mouth,
May be as fair as hers,”
—Ezra Pound (1885–1972)
“There are two things which cannot be attacked in front: ignorance and narrow-mindedness. They can only be shaken by the simple development of the contrary qualities. They will not bear discussion.”
—John Emerich Edward Dalberg, 1st Baron Acton (1834–1902)