"Metonymy" is a figure of speech in which one thing is substituted for another based on its association.

For example, the phrase, "he fought for the crown" uses metonymy; "crown" is substituted for monarchy, based on the association between a king and his crown.

"Ashes To Ashes" uses the same figure of speech. In this song, "Major Tom" is substituted for the man who created him, David Bowie.

This song is not about Major Tom, it is about David Bowie. In this song, Bowie confesses that he is a strung out drug addict and has resigned himself to stay this way:

"I'm happy, hope you're happy too." This is the coldest thing you can ever hear from a drug addict.

The sadness of the song is that Bowie will die from drug use, just as Brian Jones and Jimi Hendrix died before him: "Ashes To Ashes..."

"Ashes To Ashes" begins as a young fan realizes that his hero is a drug addict: "Oh no, don't say it's true."

The song ends with a mother's stern warning that David Bowie has become synonymous with drug abuse. If you want to accomplish anything, she says, don't associate with people like this.

Ashes To Ashes is a sad autobiography. Bowie is lamenting that he has become the kind of buffoon your mother warns you about.

Wow.

I have nothing to offer to this interpretation but my admiration. Fantastic.

this really is a grand interpretation of ashes to ashes... Respect...

Very Interesting (and clever). I have never really thought about this song very much. Anyway PainoCraft, have you forgotten about the Heros conversation? Please try to keep the conversation positive this time.

You don't have to be a great man, just a man.

Didnt know Bowie was using drugs during this period, thought he was using the major tom addiction theme to refer to how he once did get into drug abuse during the seventies. I always thought scary monsters was a clean period for him.

Though Bowie was basically clean during that period, he continued to use drugs occasionally until the late 80's.

That was a great interpretation. It's similar to a review I read (or something like that). But yours is far better then the one I saw and more in depth and has more of a comparison of Bowie to Mjr Tom.

Rock on!

__________________________________________
Jimmy: I am Cry The Beloved!
Amy: No you're not. you're just washed up.
Jimmy: Supastar!
Amy: *mumbles under breath: "Snot"*

WOW !!! What insight !

And there was me thinking this song was all about test cricket.

Brilliant interpretation of the song. Congrats, and keep on sharing them with us

Nobody is my name, and that's how people call me.

Hmm, I get what you're saying, and you've made some interesting insights into 'Ashes to Ashes'. However, I wouldn't really say that Bowie is using metonymy; Major Tom is not an attribute of David Bowie; he is Bowie. There's a difference. Moreover, Major Tom is an allusion to David Bowie's character.

l'enfer, c'est les Autres