The Memory Of A Free Festival

David Bowie's 'The Memory Of A Free Festival' is a nostalgic ode to a time of communal joy and freedom, capturing the essence of a free-spirited gathering. The song reflects on a festival where people came together, united by music and a sense of shared experience. The opening lines set the tone, as Bowie contemplates announcing the memory, indicating its significance and the impact it had on him.

The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the festival, with 'The Children of the summer's end' gathering on dampened grass, feeling the London sky resting on their hands. This imagery evokes a sense of innocence and purity, describing the festival as 'God's land' and 'Heaven.' The festival is depicted as a utopian moment, where the participants felt a deep connection to each other and the world around them. The line 'We touched the very soul of holding each and every life' suggests a profound sense of unity and collective joy, even if it was fleeting and perhaps illusory.

Bowie's mention of kissing 'a lot of people that day' and the desire to capture the ecstasy of the afternoon on a white balloon highlights the intense emotional and sensory experiences of the festival. The reference to 'tall Venusians' and 'machines of every shape and size' adds a surreal, almost otherworldly dimension to the memory, blending reality with fantasy. The repeated refrain 'The Sun Machine is Coming Down, and We're Gonna Have a Party' serves as a celebratory mantra, emphasizing the festival's spirit of liberation and the promise of continued joy. This song encapsulates a moment of idealism and freedom, reflecting the countercultural movements of the late 1960s and early 1970s, and Bowie's own artistic exploration of these themes.