When I Met You

Album: Lazarus (2016)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This clattering rock track is one of four new tunes that David Bowie wrote for his musical, Lazarus. The song is a touching ode to having a life turned around by a special person. American jazz saxophonist Donny McCaslin who played on the track told Mojo:

    "My general sense was that it kind of harked back to older Bowie - Tim Lefebvre (who played bass) might of said Lodger. Also, the acoustic guitar made me think of a kind of African highlife thing.

    Listening back to the demo of this, and reading his e-mails again, it's emotional. He had a beautiful way of describing things. 'The structure of When I Met You is sound but now we need to mess with it so we hear it from another angle. Put in a couple of passages in the corner (In darkness) and throw a small pen-light beam on the rest -like a PI scouting a motel room.' He's never saying something like, 'Can I have a bass drum on two or four? It's more these kind of images. If you read that to four different drummers you'd get four different responses. He would do that a lot, say these poetic things that were also an invitation for you to think, So, how do I realize that."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

JJ Burnel of The Stranglers

JJ Burnel of The StranglersSongwriter Interviews

JJ talks about The Stranglers' signature sound - keyboard and bass - which isn't your typical strain of punk rock.

John Doe of X

John Doe of XSongwriter Interviews

With his X-wife Exene, John fronts the band X and writes their songs.

Glen Burtnik

Glen BurtnikSongwriter Interviews

On Glen's résumé: hit songwriter, Facebook dominator, and member of Styx.

Dino Cazares of Fear Factory

Dino Cazares of Fear FactorySongwriter Interviews

The guitarist/songwriter explains how he came up with his signature sound, and deconstructs some classic Fear Factory songs.

George Harrison

George HarrisonFact or Fiction

Did Eric Clapton really steal George's wife? What's the George Harrison-Monty Python connection? Set the record straight with our Fact or Fiction quiz.

Steely Dan

Steely DanFact or Fiction

Did they really trade their guitarist to The Doobie Brothers? Are they named after something naughty? And what's up with the band name?