Kooks by David Bowie Lyrics Meaning – Unveiling the Anthem of Unconventional Love
Lyrics
If you stay you won’t be sorry
‘Cause we believe in you
Soon you’ll grow so take a chance
With a couple of kooks
Hung up on romancing
Will you stay in our lovers’ story
If you stay you won’t be sorry
‘Cause we believe in you
Soon you’ll grow so take a chance
With a couple of kooks
Hung up on romancing
We bought a lot of things
To keep you warm and dry
And a funny old crib
On which the paint won’t dry
I bought you a pair of shoes
A trumpet you can blow
And a book of rules
On what to say to people
When they pick on you
‘Cause if you stay with us
You’re gonna be pretty kooky, too
Will you stay in our lovers’ story?
If you stay you won’t be sorry
‘Cause we believe in you
Soon you’ll grow so take a chance
With a couple of kooks
Hung up on romancing
And if you ever have to go to school
Remember how they messed up
This old fool
Don’t pick fights
With the bullies or the cads
‘Cause I’m not much cop
At punching other people’s dads
And if the homework brings you down
Then we’ll throw it on the fire
And take the car downtown
Will you stay in our lovers’ story
If you stay you won’t be sorry
‘Cause we believe in you
Soon you’ll grow so take a chance
With a couple of kooks
Hung up on romancing
Will you stay in our lovers’ story
If you stay you won’t be sorry
‘Cause we believe in you
Soon you’ll grow so take a chance
With a couple of kooks
Hung up on romancing
David Bowie’s ‘Kooks’, nestled within the eclectic treasure trove of his 1971 album ‘Hunky Dory’, is a whimsical invitation into the world of non-traditional parenthood and love. More than a mere serenade, ‘Kooks’ beckons the listener to dwell in a storybook scene where love abounds in its most idiosyncratic form.
Through the tender-hearted, earnest lyrics, Bowie not only crafts a portrait of the familial oddball but also ignites a broader conversation on the embrace of one’s unique self within the folds of a relationship. The song resonates with an endearing quality that transcends the era of its creation, rippling through the hearts of listeners who find solace in the beauty of life’s peculiarities.
A Lullaby for the Nonconformist Souls
At its core, ‘Kooks’ is a gentle lullaby that seems to be addressed to a new arrival in the family, likely Bowie’s own son. The song’s opening lines immediately set an intimate tone, a heart-to-heart between parent and child, promising a life of unwavering support amidst growing up within unconventional surroundings.
The lyricism openly embraces eccentricity right from the get-go, proposing a realm where every limitation or challenge, like the joyfully acknowledged fresh paint that refuses to dry, is transformed into an occasion for unique expression. This promises an upbringing not shackled by mundaneness, but rather enriched by the texture that only true kooks can offer.
Romance and Domesticity Through a Quirky Kaleidoscope
‘Kooks’ dances with a romance that is quirky and ordinary all at once. The domestic items—warm clothes, a quirky crib—are emblematic of the love that parents pour into preparing for their child’s arrival. Yet, the colorful trumpet and the subversively humorous ‘book of rules’ gift the narrative a whimsical air, suggesting a life less disciplined by societal norms and more composed by the music of joyful rebellion.
Bowie’s tender vision of romance is not about grand gestures but about creating a space where individuality isn’t just tolerated, but celebrated. These possessions, though commonplace, are instilled with a spirit of adventure: they are the instruments of a life less lived and more played out in a symphony of individuality.
The Hidden Meaning: A Manifesto for the Unabashed
‘Kooks’ can be deciphered as Bowie’s manifesto for encouraging unabashed uniqueness. While on the surface it reads as a parent speaking to a child, it quietly subverts expectations by showing readiness to encourage the child’s true self, quirks, and all—even when society might not.
The interwoven theme of resistance against normalcy in ‘Kooks’ challenges the listener to find their own rhythm in a world that often demands conformity. It is Bowie’s whispered rebellion against the expectations to fit into pre-defined molds, making ‘Kooks’ a timeless emblem for the outliers.
Navigating the Trials of Growing Up Oddball
Bowie does not shy away from acknowledging the trials that accompany the life of an oddball. The verses that touch upon the potential hardships in school and the lighthearted suggestion to defy homework in favor of joyrides, illuminate the difficulties that come with being different.
There’s a subtle solidarity expressed in lines like ‘Remember how they messed up/This old fool’, which not only offer comfort but also an acknowledgment of Bowie’s own experiences. This sense of communion, as if Bowie is winking across time and space at every oddball, reinforces ‘Kooks’ as a safe harbor for anyone who’s ever felt out of place.
Memorable Lines that Embrace the Kookiness
One of the most memorable lines of the song is, ‘Cause if you stay with us/You’re gonna be pretty kooky, too’. The whole-hearted acceptance of destiny wrapped within these lyrics serves as a loving forewarning of the inevitable ‘kookiness’ that comes from being raised by two kooks hung up on romancing their own and their child’s idiosyncrasies.
The repeated chorus, inviting the subject to stay in the ‘lover’s story’, resonates as an anthem for continuity in the face of unconventional lives. It’s an invitation to weave oneself into the tapestry of a narrative that’s richer because of its kinks and colors—a narrative that, much like Bowie’s own life and career, defies the trappings of the banal and soars into the extraordinary.
