The Flaming Lips perform “Is David Bowie Dying?” (2012)

Having recently posted the Phish song, “David Bowie,” which, despite the words, “David Bowie” comprising two-thirds of the lyrics of the song, appears to have no other connection to Bowie, I now present, “Is David Bowie Dying?” The Flaming Lips is a band I’ve heard of but don’t remember ever actually hearing. Lead singer Wayne Coyne has acknowledged Bowie’s influence on the band and said this this song was inspired by rumors of Bowie’s poor health, but other than the title I don’t see anything about the song that actually is related to Bowie.

The timing of the song is interesting. Bowie had been lying low for a while by 2012, which was the year before his surprise release of The Next Day. So the question might have entirely been asked in earnest— it’s just na bit unusual to ask the question in the form of a song name that does nothing to explore an answer.

But the Flaming Lips apparently really did admire Bowie and performed a 40-minute tribute of Bowie covers after Bowie’s death. And that, I’ll post tomorrow.