The song David Bowie used to explore domestic abuse
The late David Bowie kept fans on their toes by mixing things up. Whether this be aesthetically, musically or thematically, the Londoner covered almost every base under the sun in his time. In tandem with his talent, this variety and constant need to improve would create a story like no other, with many highlights.
Whether this be the glam rock of the Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane era, the ambient-krautrock hybrid of the Berlin Trilogy or the disco-infused flourishes of Let’s Dance, Bowie wasn’t afraid to try something new with his work, and his oeuvre has retained freshness because of how adroitly he managed to fulfil his creative vision.
Thematically speaking, Bowie could be whimsical, but he was also unafraid to tackle serious topics. Whilst he’d grappled with various vital issues early on in his career, on ‘Repetition’ from 1979’s Lodger, Bowie got very real and analysed domestic violence. Years after the song’s release, he would explain that he decided to write something on the “deeply disturbing subject of wife abuse” as a short-form drama as he could not comprehend why someone could hit a woman, not only once but on numerous occasions.
Bowie looked back on the track when speaking to the Mail on Sunday in 2008, in one of the most weighty comments he’d ever made on his music. He told the publication: “I decided to write something on the deeply disturbing subject of wife abuse in the manner of a short-form drama. I had known more instances of this behaviour than I would have preferred to have been made aware of and could not for the life of me imagine how someone could hit a woman, not only once but many, many times.”
In the same interview, Bowie discussed the instrumentation and his vocals on the song. He said: “By virtue of the instrument’s classical baggage, Simon House’s violin touches a vein of pure Goth on this recording. There’s a numbness to the whole rhythm section that I try to duplicate with a deadpan vocal, as though I’m reading a report rather than witnessing the event. I used to find this quite easy to accomplish.”
Notably, Simon House is an English violinist and keyboard player best known for his work with Hawkwind. His first album with the space rock group was 1974’s Hall of the Mountain Grill, one of their most celebrated records, which also featured the presence of future Motörhead frontman Lemmy.
Listen to ‘Repetition’ below.
