Tori Amos Sings “Not David Bowie” (2006)

This is another example of a work of art in which “David Bowie” is meant not to refer to the actual person. The song is not like a Bowie song. It isn’t about Bowie and other than his name, doesn’t contain references to anything really related to Bowie. “David Bowie” means success. The song is about someone whose partner has accused her of holding him (presumably him) back. But the singer responds that it’s not her fault that he’s not successful or accomplished…that he’s not David Bowie.

So here, Tori Amos takes the name a step beyond what Veruca Salt did with, “With David Bowie.” In that song, the singer is “with David Bowie” in that she’s listening to Bowie on her Walkman. It didn’t have to actually be Bowie. “David Bowie” could have been any musical idol. But in this Tori Amos song, the Bowie reference is entirely metaphorical.