Ukraine war
“Russia Today” tweets lyrics by David Bowie – his son counters with the perfect song line
Duncan Jones with his father David Bowie in 2009
© Imago Images
The Russian state broadcaster RT uses a song by David Bowie in connection with the Ukraine war. This particularly displeased his son Duncan Jones.
The Russian broadcaster RT, formerly “Russia Today”, used a song line by David Bowie for a tweet about NASA. But one did not like the abuse at all: son Duncan Jones countered – also with a few lines of his father’s song.
The Russian state medium tweeted “Ground control to Major Tom”, a text excerpt from Bowie’s hit “Space Oddity” from 1969. Jones answered with the short words “Wrong song” and added the screenshot of the lyrics of the song “Heroes” from the Year 1977 added. To do this, he used heart emojis and that of the Ukrainian flag:
I, I can remember (I remember)
Standing, by the wall (by the wall)
And the guns, shot above our heads (over our heads)
And we kissed, as though nothing could fall (nothing could fall)
And shame what is on the other side
Oh we can beat them, for ever and ever
Then we could be Heroes, just for one day
David Bowie: Song has a special meaning
The Twitter users are enthusiastic about the choice of the song. “Heroes” has a very special meaning in times of war. The song tells the story of a German couple who, despite the political climate of the time, desperately want to be together and, in this desperation, meet every day under a turret on the Berlin Wall.
Bowie was inspired by an affair between his legendary producer Tony Visconti and backup singer Antonia Maass, who are said to have kissed by the Berlin Wall while he was looking out the window at Hansa Studios. For many fans, “Heroes” marks the zenith of his creative work in Berlin during the 1970s.
Twitter users excited
Duncan Jonas gets a lot of positive comments under his tweet. One user writes, “Well if that isn’t the perfect counterattack” and the second user says: “This has always been my favorite of your father’s many brilliant songs, for very emotional, personal reasons. It has never meant more to me than it does now. #GloryToUkraine.” A third added, “This tweet is the tweet of the decade,” while a fourth added, “Your old man is smiling from above now mate.”
Swell: “The Daily Mail”, Twitter