“Heathen” and 9/11

Bowie’s album Heathen, released in 2002, has sometimes been interpreted as a response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, reflecting the sense of loss, uncertainty, and existential anxiety that permeated the time. Although Bowie denied that Heathen was about 9/11, many listeners and critics have connected the album’s themes and mood to the aftermath of the attacks.

One of the most significant songs in this context is “Sunday,” which opens the album. The song’s somber tone, combined with lyrics like “Nothing remains / We could run when the rain slows,” has been interpreted as reflecting the aftermath of devastation and the search for meaning in a shattered world. The refrain “In your fear / Seek only peace” suggests a desire for healing amidst chaos and fear.

Another track, “Slow Burn,” captures the tension and anxiety of the post-9/11 era with its driving, urgent sound and lyrics that evoke a sense of impending doom. Lines such as “Here shall we live in this terrible town / Where the price for our minds shall be bound” have been seen as a commentary on the psychological impact of living through such a traumatic event.

“Afraid” also touches on themes of fear and uncertainty, with the repeated line “I’m not afraid of dying” resonating with the existential questions that arose in the wake of the attacks.

Although it is safe to say that the terrorist attack did not actually inspire, Heathen, the vulnerability and dread that undergirds the album was made horrifically real by the events of 23 years ago today.

I should probably also note that Bowie’s next album, Reality, was at least partially influenced by 9/11. Keep in mind that Bowie lived in lower Manhattan at the time, saw the wreckage with his own eyes, and participated in the following month’s “Concert for New York” in response (where he performed my favorite Bowie cover, Simon and Garfunkel’s “America”). The open track of Reality, “New Killer Star,” includes the line, “See the great white scar over Battery Park.” This time, the reference was not coincidental.

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I’m accompanying this post with an excellent reimagining and video of “Sunday” by French musician Sébastien Bédé. Click HERE for my interview with Sébastien.