Slow Burn
David Bowie · Heathen
Where the price for our eyes shall squeeze them tight like a fist
And the walls shall have eyes
And the doors shall have ears
But we'll dance in the dark
And they'll play with our lives
Like a Slow Burn
Leading us on and on and on
Like a Slow Burn
Turning us round and round and round
But who are we
So small in times such as these
Slow Burn
Slow Burn
Oh, these are the days
These are the strangest of all
These are the nights
These are the darkest to fall
But who knows?
Echoes in tenement halls
Who knows?
Though the years snare them all
Like a Slow Burn
Leading us on and on and on
Like a Slow Burn
Twirling us round and round and upside down
There's fear overhead
There's fear overground
Slow Burn
Slow Burn
Like a Slow Burn
Leading us on and on and on
Like a Slow Burn
Turning us round and round and round
And here are we
At the center of it all
Slow Burn
Slow Burn
Slow Burn
About Slow Burn
David Bowie's "Slow Burn" serves as the closing track on the 1983 album *Heathen*, marking a pivotal shift in his musical direction toward post-punk and new wave influences. Recorded during a period of intense experimentation, the song features a driving, repetitive bassline and a minimalist arrangement that contrasts sharply with the psychedelic rock of his earlier career. As the final piece on the record, it functions as a reflective coda, summarizing the album's themes of alienation and introspection while showcasing Bowie's evolving songwriting maturity. The track stands as a significant example of his ability to blend electronic textures with raw, emotional delivery, cementing his status as a visionary figure in modern rock history.