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I really like these lyrics, and the various layers the song has. It can be sung from the point of view of so many different "players" in the pre- and post-9/11 saga, and it still makes sense from multiple points of view.

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Well i was reluctant to interpret this song, the problem with themes like 9/11 is, it still arouses strong emotions and ideas, so its difficult to be objective. People 10 years from now will be far more objective about the whole thing, and the tragedies it led to (Afghanistan, Iraq etc). And Bowie in this instance has cleverly covered his ass, the lyrics are just brimming over with double entendres and multiple endings, so you can take many meanings from it. His US audience is important to him, of course and he wouldnt paint himself into a corner like for example... George Michael...did.

This....

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What I think it means is that we--Americans and Westerners--have "all our lives" been given a very black and white picture of right and wrong. Have you seen those atrocious comic bibles? Complete with "bubbles and action" where the biblical characters thoughts and dialogue (contained in cartoon "bubbles") and they are acting out Biblical stories.

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Was very interesting, id never heard of that, but it fits, very nicely.

Weathers Grim Ice On The Cages
Me im Robin Hood and i Puff On My Cigarette
Panthers are Steaming Stalking Screaming

I do not think his lyrics are as political as all that...When in the past has he been so involved, artistically or otherwise in politics? I think it definately has a lot to do with 9/11 and the resulting "wars" but in a more emotional, human way. Politics are not universal, and Bowie has always written very accessible songs to people with all different views from all over the world. As much as it may seem like he's talking about specific events and/or people, I think there is something much deeper within, on which we should really be focusing.

Don't believe in yourself
Don't deceive with belief
Knowledge comes with death's release

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I think there is something much deeper within, on which we should really be focusing.

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There is great depth in nursery rhymes too, if you want to go searching for it, depth, to extend the old saying, is in the eye of the beholder, for example a cosmologist observes great depth in a printout of a spectrographic analysis of a star, though a Luddite non -scientist wouldnt look twice at it. There is a difference between expressing what you personally feel about a songs meaning though, and actually analysing it to see if you can reveal what Bowie intended (or more probably what he may have intended). But if you generally have another vision of the songs theme you would like to focus on, by all means go ahead...why havent you already, though i dont agree that it follows that we should be "focusing" on your ideas to the exclusion of other ideas or interpretations, particularly as you havent even mentioned what these ideas are.

You You walk on past
Your lips cut a smile on your face
To the cage
To the cage!
She was a beauty in a cage!