How David Bowie used 'cut ups' to create lyrics - BBC News

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  • Опубліковано 10 січ 2016
  • In the BBC documentary 'Cracked Actor' David Bowie describes the importance of using cut-ups to create some of his lyrics.
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 94

  • @sofiaalfaro6956
    @sofiaalfaro6956 8 років тому +87

    "I'm an alligator, I'm a mama-papa coming for you
    I'm the space invader, I'll be a rock 'n' rollin' bitch for you "
    Literally Bowie using cut-ups

    • @94popart
      @94popart 7 років тому +6

      moonage daydream :-)

  • @rexmundi2237
    @rexmundi2237 8 років тому +103

    A variation on this technique is stream-of-consciousness: simply play the music and write down anything that comes into your head. Some parts will be rubbish, other bits surprisingly good. Repeat process several times, then cherry pick all the best bits from the various versions and mix them together into a final draft which you're happy with. I know Bowie used this for atleast one album but I forget the title.

    • @twint9
      @twint9 Рік тому

      Diamond dogs??

    • @mrsmaars213
      @mrsmaars213 Рік тому +1

      I’ve done this for years and never knew I was doing a “thing” 😀👍

    • @Nich_B23
      @Nich_B23 10 місяців тому

      @@mrsmaars213I think it comes natural for some of us with a more critical outlook on our own work. You either become good at digging the diamonds out of the dirt, or you become complacent get writers block.

  • @the_emmo
    @the_emmo 2 роки тому +20

    I find inspiration in everything Bowie does. I remember programming a simple "game" back in highschool that would spit out semi random sentences and it was animated in Unity 3D. My literature professor had gave us an assignment to do something creative with this cut up method we had just seen in class. Later I realized Bowie used it to write many of his songs. I wish I could recover that project, I barely remember it, but my old hard drive got messed up and with it all trace of my highschool years disappeared...

  • @Gisburne2000
    @Gisburne2000 2 роки тому +10

    The earlier interview (where Bowie is physically cutting the paper) was the single biggest influence on my writing, period. I don't use cut ups as such, but if I'm ever stuck for an idea I simply generate 12 random words (there are web sites for anything), and keep doing it until they 'give' me something, the spark of an idea. Because they are random, they often find words you would never normally put together, so it forces you to move in new directions. I recently tried to convince someone that this idea was useful, but he said it was 'cheating' and wanted the ideas to come out of his own mind. Maybe one day I will explain to him that David Bowie told me about this technique!

  • @loishenderson4344
    @loishenderson4344 8 років тому +24

    Thank you, David Bowie - I've just learned how to create my haiku for the year.

    • @dylandream2248
      @dylandream2248 5 років тому +4

      Best poet William S. Burroughs invented the technique

  • @francesprendergast1721
    @francesprendergast1721 Рік тому +9

    I love this, it's the complete opposite of pretentiousness. So many artists would be too smug to admit they use little tools and techniques to generate ideas.

  • @Dyslexic-Artist-Theory-on-Time
    @Dyslexic-Artist-Theory-on-Time 8 років тому +37

    Interesting technique, it could be used for more than just songs!

    • @unknownelysium1793
      @unknownelysium1793 5 років тому +10

      Yeah William s Burroughs was doing this back in the 1959 with his book Naked Lunch. Bowie was inspired by Burroughs

  • @23Serkan
    @23Serkan 8 років тому +9

    R.I.P Legendary

  • @barbfrmsf
    @barbfrmsf 8 років тому +6

    may he rest in peace

  • @94popart
    @94popart 7 років тому +6

    simply brilliant

  • @RebelThoughts82
    @RebelThoughts82 8 років тому +12

    He got it from William Burroughs the author.

    • @PatrickBateman1987
      @PatrickBateman1987 7 років тому +2

      RebelThoughts82 and old bill got it from bryon gysin and he got it from the dadaists.

  • @The_Chosen_One66
    @The_Chosen_One66 2 роки тому +1

    I’ve recently started to doing this for lyrics and poems using UA-cam comments.

  • @sauceynugget2881
    @sauceynugget2881 Рік тому

    Very inspirational for somebody going through a writers block leave it to bowie to help get those creative juices flowing again literally will never be another like him

  • @derpy9800
    @derpy9800 2 роки тому +3

    I like how he metaphorically describes a computer

  • @sofiafrancis214
    @sofiafrancis214 3 роки тому +1

    Very helpful thankyou David for me this will help with song writing I love you Bowie xx

  • @danielkelley7548
    @danielkelley7548 4 роки тому +2

    So cool to across this. I actually do a similar thing. I'll oftentimes overhear a conversation and mishear a word or sentence, and it will give me lyrical ideas.

  • @lucajohnson5915
    @lucajohnson5915 8 років тому +5

    I want to know what this site is so I can use a bit of his genius and continue his legacy and ideas in my mind

  • @EisforEvil
    @EisforEvil 8 років тому +5

    Thom Yorke did this on Kid A.

  • @hallospaceboy3693
    @hallospaceboy3693 5 років тому +5

    Such a smart and talented man. 😭💞

    • @waxxy8447
      @waxxy8447 2 роки тому +1

      Lol william s Burroughs created the technique, Bowie just used it. So did kurt cobain. They were both inspired by Burroughs

    • @michele-33
      @michele-33 Рік тому

      @@waxxy8447
      Bob Dylan also.

    • @ivankaramasov
      @ivankaramasov 6 місяців тому

      ​@@waxxy8447So? Bowie never made a secret of being inspired by Burroughs. Nobody creates in a vacuum

  • @grenpage1951
    @grenpage1951 8 років тому +3

    Very Smooth...

  • @zackworrell535
    @zackworrell535 5 років тому +1

    Legend!

  • @ecalle8638
    @ecalle8638 4 роки тому

    This is so good

  • @cosmicsin8292
    @cosmicsin8292 8 років тому +19

    anyone know what program he used??

    • @mahirbilarab2690
      @mahirbilarab2690 5 років тому +1

      Liam Hart Official can u kindly share pls the link of it , 🙏🏽

    • @plechaim
      @plechaim 4 роки тому +2

      If you search David Bowie Inspirations on UA-cam you can see him using the Verbasizer and talking more about it

  • @lex6819
    @lex6819 3 роки тому +3

    What happened to the computer program that auto-generates cut-up pages? That would be cool to play with.

    • @LiquidIronTV
      @LiquidIronTV 2 роки тому

      I believe it still exists but it’s not available commercially anywhere. You can find fairly similar programs online though.

  • @patrick52189
    @patrick52189 8 років тому +7

    Starman...waiting in the sky....

  • @patrosa9994
    @patrosa9994 8 років тому +4

    A great artist for sure .... indescribable loss !!!! listen Lazarus

  • @rexmundi2237
    @rexmundi2237 8 років тому +8

    Would love to lay hands on some modern software that can randomise raw data.

  • @MsAndresvargas
    @MsAndresvargas 8 років тому

    Se fue uno de los grandes ...
    Saludos desde.Chile

  • @rubbersoul420
    @rubbersoul420 Рік тому +1

    I feel like listening to music from other countries that use your language can create a similar effect because you understand what they're saying but they say it in a new way. I'm American so listening to reggae music from the early 80's just use all these phrases that sound really unique and cool. Bob Marley's Jailhouse is a good example of this, one of the best songs ever written.

  • @jennyshen3118
    @jennyshen3118 7 років тому +1

    Does anyone know if this program is for sale or something?

  • @selcouth86
    @selcouth86 6 місяців тому

    Guessing that friend was Eno of all people, considering they worked together on three albums. There's another video on YT entilted "Brian Eno shows his Markov Chain Generator to Jarvis Cocker" which performs more or less the same as the program described here.

  • @Randomstuffs261
    @Randomstuffs261 8 років тому +1

    David Bowie is my favorite musician, hope he gets well soon

    • @katekay
      @katekay 8 років тому

      Gets well soon? What do you mean?

    • @Randomstuffs261
      @Randomstuffs261 8 років тому

      Kate McNamara He's got cancer

    • @thomashaines3182
      @thomashaines3182 8 років тому +2

      +Randomstuffs261 well he's actually dead but OK

    • @Randomstuffs261
      @Randomstuffs261 8 років тому

      Thomas Haines No he's talking right there in the video, but he does have cancer

    • @THATCANADIANDUDE682
      @THATCANADIANDUDE682 8 років тому +3

      +Randomstuffs261
      Um.... He died yesterday.
      Hard to really find out, I know.

  • @ModernMaleSolutions
    @ModernMaleSolutions 4 дні тому

    Great Idea

  • @mahjrmusic
    @mahjrmusic 6 років тому +1

    what is the program hes talking about

  • @soviet4thgrader237
    @soviet4thgrader237 7 років тому +1

    IS ANYONE KNOW OF THE COMPUTER PROGRAM HE USE FOR CUT UP LYRICS HE IS MOST INSPIRATION OF OUR BAND SOVIET FOURTH GRADER

  • @AAUK2
    @AAUK2 Рік тому

    Outside is one of David's most accessible lyrical albums as long as you understand the actual subject he's singing about.
    If you unsure, he's singing about spirituality and it's not at all complex.

  • @gioceregido
    @gioceregido Рік тому

  • @lisacole
    @lisacole 2 роки тому +2

    Does anyone know when this was filmed. The date on the recording is after Bowie died and the BBC documentary 'Cracked Actor' was recorded in the 70's. Bowie is too old in this clip for it to be from Cracked Actor.

    • @karupe9982
      @karupe9982 Рік тому +1

      The descripción is wrong. It's from David Bowie: Changes at 50 or Changes:Bowie at 50. Interviewer is called Alan Yentob. I havent found where to watch it un full tho. I've been searching bc i catched a bit on tv yesterday. But si dar this clip is all i've got :(

  • @ziedmeddebhamrouni3315
    @ziedmeddebhamrouni3315 3 роки тому

    genius forever

  • @garygrinkevich6971
    @garygrinkevich6971 2 роки тому

    Incredible insight into probability and statistical theory and the power of intention, in the future vibes based economy this will be revisited and combined with algorithmic data and AI to target demographics of people with slang, graphics, music, tv, memes etc. The longer I live the more i question my atheism bowie predicted and moved so much with the culture as an artist on principle and vibes alone, this was key to how his career lasted and how he continued to reinvent himself. Its an inspiration to those of us creatively and spiritually aware of the cultural zeitgeist and how to predict and influence future outcomes with art and esotericism.

  • @jhersheymusic
    @jhersheymusic 2 роки тому

    Wait... what is the software?

  • @Hypnagog23
    @Hypnagog23 6 років тому

    for every one asking go to anguageisavirus.com and go to their cut up machine its pretty handy if you like doing fast cut ups

  • @musicheals7305
    @musicheals7305 8 років тому

    gut!!!

    • @dianademers5703
      @dianademers5703 8 років тому

      He was one of the greatest with a breakthrough daring style that defined a generation. Then made androdgony o.k. which defied then changed the times. A chameleon as he was ever changing. His genius and artistry keep going through the decades. Music, t.v. art etc. RIP
      ZIggy Stardust, Major Tom.Our World's Icon and Star Man.
      David Bowie/David Jones

    • @musicheals7305
      @musicheals7305 8 років тому

      +Diana Demers yeah!! gut! bcoz there is always 2sides of the stories! but if you choose to look at the mirror you will see only one side, i bet the side reflect you!!!

  • @ale14zoppi
    @ale14zoppi 6 місяців тому

    He used ChatGPT before all of us

  • @hefipaleburp9543
    @hefipaleburp9543 2 роки тому

    William Burroughs

  • @karlhaldane645
    @karlhaldane645 8 років тому

    Electric Space Man.

  • @karupe9982
    @karupe9982 Рік тому

    This isnt from Cracked Artist tho

  • @watonemillion
    @watonemillion 8 років тому

    No way!

  • @markolackovic1518
    @markolackovic1518 8 років тому

    =S NAMA SI=

  • @thisoldbot
    @thisoldbot Рік тому

    wait really?

  • @edmund184
    @edmund184 8 років тому

    RIP David. A good songwriter. A good actor. BUT..............................

    • @edmund184
      @edmund184 8 років тому +4

      +edmund184 The amount of garbage talked about this man over the last few days makes me feel sick frankly.

    • @94popart
      @94popart 7 років тому +2

      good singer, good songwriter, now stop right there. we don't need to hear that gossip bullshit

  • @Muskateering
    @Muskateering 8 років тому +12

    It's not meant to be happen. He wasn't meant to die. It was meant to be Bieber but they got it wrong.

    • @senorsushi6625
      @senorsushi6625 8 років тому +5

      I love it but everything has its reason. Maybe he was not good in here. Let us not be selfish.

    • @Muskateering
      @Muskateering 8 років тому

      Jaime Luna ?

  • @edmund184
    @edmund184 8 років тому

    Taking other peoples' work. Cutting it up until you find something which sounds interesting is not what a genius does.

    • @Theastroplexofficial
      @Theastroplexofficial 8 років тому +9

      +edmund184 It's called experimenting with ideas and that's what geniuses do.

    • @edmund184
      @edmund184 8 років тому

      can you name any great poet who did this?

    • @Theastroplexofficial
      @Theastroplexofficial 8 років тому +4

      edmund184 How is that relevant? Not everything has to have been done before to be great. He was expanding boundaries, breaking traditionnal rules, thinking outside the box.

    • @edmund184
      @edmund184 8 років тому

      People have gone over the top about how great Bowie was. I don't think it respects the dead to say how wonderful they were when they have gone when it isn't deserved. Bowie was good but many songwriters were better and they didn't get 1/100 of his fame. It must be said that he made music visual. You look at Bowie as much as you listen to him. Is this why music isn't as good as it was in the 60s?

    • @masterchizzle
      @masterchizzle 6 років тому

      uhhh how about shakespeare. All art is just imitation and re-creation of previous people's ideas

  • @drainlid40
    @drainlid40 6 років тому

    OMG! How pretentious!