The meaning of the lyrics of the song "Not David Bowie" by the artist "Tori Amos"

Tori Amos's song "Not David Bowie" is a bitter reflection on friendship, betrayal, and the futility of chasing someone else's fame. The lyrical heroine addresses a former friend who has seemingly become arrogant and self-centered, letting success go to his head.

The image of vultures in the garden symbolizes the opportunists gathered around the "star," ready to feed off someone else's glory. The phrase "it is what it is" sounds like a bitter acceptance of reality, a disappointment in human nature.

The heroine accuses her former friend of trying to steal her ideas ("thoughts that didn't even occur to me"), that he "made a deal with the devil" for success, perhaps sacrificing his principles or relationships. The mention of a "date with a surgeon" can be interpreted as a metaphor for trying to fix what has been broken, to restore his soul.

The recurring line "I can't forget that he can't forget her" hints at some past love drama, perhaps the reason for the bitterness and changes in the friend's character. The changing seasons become a metaphor for the fickleness of friendship.

The song culminates in the accusation: "But it's not my fault you're not David Bowie." This is a key phrase that reveals the main message of the song. The heroine rejects the accusations against her and emphasizes that the friend is to blame for his own failures and disappointments. He tries to copy someone else's success instead of finding his own path. David Bowie here acts as a symbol of an unattainable ideal, and the heroine makes it clear that chasing someone else's dream is pointless and destructive.