"Soul Love"

A Song Commentary… This summer I have found myself fascinated with the music of David Bowie - particularly his 1972 album “The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars.”  For a couple of months now, I have played this album on a regular basis.  I genuinely love every track on it, and the more I listen to these songs, the more I learn about music.  Over the past couple of weeks, not only have I gained inspiration, but I have found myself relating to Bowie on a philosophical level.

My mom recently posted a link to his song “Soul Love” on her Facebook page.  She asked, “What do these lyrics mean to you?”  One friend replied, “Gibberish.” All I could say at the time was that I was still trying to figure it out.   After all, who can thoroughly understand David Bowie’s lyrics except the man himself?  And to be completely honest with you, whenever I listened to this song, I was only reminded of the place where I had first heard it: Sonic’s drive-thru window.  Thoughts of summertime, vanilla ice cream, and ridiculous teenage boys’ fashion distracted me from taking in the depth of the lyrics, so I simply enjoyed the song’s melody.

But since my mom had posed her question, “Soul Love” unintentionally became my personal “song of the week.”  I didn’t try to make myself understand where David was coming from, but as I played the song on my stereo while going about tasks here at the house, I began to gain understanding.  I talked with Mom about what the lyrics meant to me, and at her request, I am posting my commentary on “Soul Love.”

According to the Greek language, there are three types of love.  David Bowie’s song “Soul Love” speaks of all three.

The first verse points to “phileos” (brotherly love)... “Stone love, she kneels before the grave, a brave son who gave his life to see the slogan that hovers between the headstone and her eyes, for they penetrate her grieving.”  These words remind us all of the pain of bereavement.

The second verse shows us the budding of “eros” (the romantic kind of love)... “New love, a boy and girl are talking new words, that only they can share in new words; a love so strong it tears their hearts to sleep through the fleeting hours of morning.”  I am reminded of how my grandmother says that this kind of love all starts with “just talking.”  Thanks to Facebook (where you can be discreetly nosy), I see this particular verse of Bowie’s played out everyday online by a few friends of mine.

The writer continues with the chorus... “Love is careless in its choosing, sweeping over cross a baby; love descends on those defenseless; idiot love will spark the fusion.”  Some people claim that when they were not looking for it, that is when true love found them.  While this experience is meant to give those who have not yet been “swept over” or “descended on” by love that “sparks the fusion,” I sense discouragement in David’s voice as he sings these lines.

The third verse speaks of “agape” (God’s love)... “Soul love, the priest that tastes the word and told of love, and how my God on high is all love; though reaching up, my loneliness evolves by the blindness that surrounds him.”  We know from the Scriptures that absolutely nothing shall ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (see Romans 8:39); but sometimes our doubts, trials, weaknesses, and emotions may cause us to feel temporarily separated from His love.  When we’re disillusioned like this, our “loneliness evolves.”  But God is not blind to our pain, and we know that He can open our eyes to see His love and presence in our lives.  My prayer is that He will help us not to be surrounded by blindness to the point where we can’t see to give hope to those who are in this kind of pain of not knowing His love.

In this song, Bowie seems to be on the outside of love looking in.  Yet if we are completely honest in our recollections, than there has been a time, if nothing more than a moment, where we’ve felt lovelessness.   As he closes this song, I believe that his heart’s cry is something that all of us can relate to... “Inspirations have I none, just to touch the flaming dove; all I have is my love of love, and love is not loving.”  It is one thing to have a “love of love,” yet possessing this is not necessarily the fulfillment you find in “loving.”

I do not know exactly what David Bowie was trying to express, but this is what his lyrics to “Soul Love” mean to me.  So I pray that you will always keep a “love of love;” that you will be grateful for the “phileos” (brotherly love) that graces your life; that if you have “eros” (the romantic love), you will treat it with respect, goodness, and faithfulness; and that “agape” (God’s love) will always be the steadfast foundation of your life.  May you spend your days with this kind of soul love.

Words & Music of “Soul Love” were written by: David Robert Jones (a.k.a. David Bowie).