Beauty And The Beast

David Bowie's 'Beauty And The Beast' delves into the complex duality of human nature, exploring the constant battle between our virtuous and darker sides. The song's lyrics paint a vivid picture of this internal struggle, using the metaphor of 'Beauty' and 'Beast' to represent the contrasting elements within us. The opening lines, 'Weaving down a byroad, singing the song / That's my kind of highroad gone wrong,' suggest a journey that has deviated from its intended path, symbolizing how easily one can stray from their moral compass.

The recurring line, 'You can't say no to the Beauty and the Beast,' emphasizes the inevitability of this internal conflict. Bowie acknowledges that both aspects are intrinsic to our nature, and resisting one in favor of the other is futile. The lyrics, 'Something in the night / Something in the day / Nothing is wrong but darling / Something's in the way,' further illustrate the omnipresence of this duality, affecting us at all times and in all circumstances. The mention of 'slaughter in the air' and 'protest on the wind' adds a layer of societal unrest, suggesting that this internal battle is mirrored in the external world.

Bowie's personal reflections are evident in lines like, 'I wanted to believe me / I wanted to be good / I wanted no distractions / Like every good boy should.' These lines reveal a desire for purity and goodness, yet an acknowledgment of the distractions and temptations that make it challenging. The song concludes with a sense of acceptance, 'Nothing will corrupt us / Nothing will compete / Thank god heaven left us / Standing on our feet,' suggesting that despite the internal and external chaos, there is a resilience in the human spirit. 'Beauty And The Beast' is a profound exploration of the human condition, capturing the essence of our perpetual struggle with our inner selves.