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A Rocky Mountain Salute to David Bowie (By Way of The Bronx)

Posted at 1:30 PM on September 13, 2006 by Hans Eisenbeis (5 Comments)

Ever since his tragic death, we've been shamelessly confessing our childhood love for John Denver. Finally, someone else joins the chorus, at the expense of Ziggy Stardust. One angel falls to Earth and writes,

"Not too long ago, I was thumbing through Rolling Stone's special 1000th issue and stumbled upon the following quote from David Bowie, circa the mid-'70s: "The cultural leaders used to be Humphrey Bogart, James Dean, and Elvis Presley. Now it's John Denver." Why, the nerve of that snotty little punk, I thought - disparaging poor, dead JOHN DENVER like that! And why? Because John Denver didn't dress in drag (as far as we know) or sleep with Mick Jagger (as far as we know)? Because John Denver seemed as wholesome as Wonderbread, looked like Cousin Oliver from The Brady Bunch, and was constantly thanking God for making him a Country Boy? Well, my word, I thought. Wouldn't Mr. Bowie, of all people, have some understanding of the concept of TOLERANCE? And let me tell you something directly, Mr. Thin White Dupe: You may have been "The Man Who Fell to Earth" … but when God (aka "George Burns") came down to Earth looking for a human representative, who did he choose? That's right: JOHN DENVER."

Take that, Mr. Bowie. All we can add are the noble words of another great visionary of the 70s, Billy Joel: Only the good die young, sir. Only the good die young.

And the rest of you, join us in the comments for a singalong. "Sunshine on My Shoulders"? or "Country Roads"?

Comments (5)

I find it difficult to sing along with John Denver after the horrid singalong in the middle of "Armageddon". I'm surprised you didn't mention the Muppets, though.

Posted by mac | September 14, 2006 12:27 AM

First of all, that "snotty litle punk" was NOT disparaging poor, dead John Denver" since that quote was from the "circa mid-'70s" - in case you've been "out of touch" - John Denver died in 1997 ... not "circa mid-'70s." Second, you hit the nail on the head that we've been shamelessly confessing our "childhod" love for John Denver. Funny how when he was alive, no one wanted to admit they liked John Denver. If Mr. "Sunshine on My Shoulders" had indeed dressed in drag AND slept with Mick Jagger, perhaps we'd have loved him when he was alive and not been embarrased to say so. (I mean to say one loves a limp dry musician, is, just ... well.... un-American.) Third, I don't beleive Mr. Bowie was trashing John Denver, he was just commenting on the ch-ch-changes of cultural leaders. I mean, come on, lets weigh the facts - Elvis, James Dean and Bogart against John Denver .... I see his point entirely. Those three men were make-up wearing free spirited artists (much like Mr. Bowie) and deserved the rank of "cultural leaders." Unlike someone who is comparable to Wonderbread and cousin Oliver of the Brady Bunch.

In reference to the movie "Oh God" I must ask - how do you know that the REAL God hasn't come down and chosen Mr. Bowie as his human representative. He's definately god a "God-given" talent.

As for your comment to "only the good die young" - I wonder what Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney and Chuck Berry would have to say to that? Hmph!

Posted by Leslie Lynn | September 14, 2006 12:21 PM

Ha! Excellent comments, LL.

Well, we all know Bowie was blessed with God-given... er... ass. At least according to Bowie. But God's chosen representative? I dunno.

If George Burns is (was?) God, I have few doubts about whether he'd choose as his prophet a British art-school git or a plain old American country boy. (Hint: God prefers country music, in case you haven't been listening to commercial radio lately.)

ANd McCartney? It's wicked to repeat this, but I've heard more than once from my evil buddies: "The Beatles are dying in order of coolness." Harsh, I know... but it makes you think.

Posted by Hans | September 14, 2006 8:23 PM

I do not think it is disparaging to be called a cutural leader and in fact seems to be quite endearing.

Peace,
Darcey

Posted by Darcey | September 18, 2006 2:29 PM

Bowie never went to art school. And why did you have to bring nationality into it? Are you suggesting that God prefers Americans to the British, that he thinks that Americans would make better prophets? I don't think that what country you come from would have anything to do with it. And, in response to the main article - just cause Bowie said what he thought (and let's face it, what he said wasn't even explicitly offensive), doesn't mean he was being intolerant. If anyone here's being intolerant, it's you, calling Bowie a snotty little punk.

Posted by Ruth | October 5, 2006 7:49 PM

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A Rocky Mountain Salute to David Bowie (By Way of The Bronx)

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