Joe Young- You Remind Me of the Babe

Rockstar. Fashion icon. Gay rights activist. Movie star. These are just some of the titles that were held by the late David Bowie.

If you’re anything like me, then you may not be familiar with Bowie’s work. But I’m sure you’ve heard many sing his praises, as his reputation definitely precedes him. And you may also have heard about his death, as the world has practically stood still when it was announced earlier this week.

The death of the artist formally known as Ziggy Stardust was a huge hit to the world, as he was considered by so many to be an innovator and a true artist (which is so hard to come by these days). Bowie made a name for himself in the ‘70s starting with his hit “Space Oddity,” which was released in 1969. Gracing the stage with fire-red hair, make-up, and glittery skintight spandex, Bowie made rock and roll history, while making Americans everywhere cringe behind their television sets.

Bowie’s success only skyrocketed from there, as he collaborated with artists such as Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, John Lennon, and Luther Vandross throughout the 1970s.

I could sit here and talk about David Bowie’s impact on the world of music until I’m blue in the face. However, only die-hard fans are true appreciators of his career as an actor, as well as a musician. Bowie made his start as an actor when he starred in the film The Man Who Fell to Earth in 1976. The film gained moderate attention, but if you ask any David Bowie fan what their favorite movie is, I will bet you everything in my wallet (thought it’s not much) that it’s Labyrinth.

Jim Henson directed the 1986 family-friendly film. (So needless to say, it contains a lot of puppets.) One of the stars of the film is none other than our hero, Mr. David Bowie, who plays Jareth the Goblin King. The film has become a cult classic over the years, with a number of quotable lines, and a score written by...you guessed it…David Bowie.

Just a short background on the film:

Labyrinth is a fun, kid friendly action movie about a teenage girl who is immersed in the world of fantasy. She comes off as a spoiled little brat when she is asked to watch over her infant brother one evening. As a result, she asks the theorized “fictional” Goblin King to come take her brother away. (A bit harsh, if you ask me.) Enter David Bowie, make-up and all, to grant the protagonist’s wish to take the child to his mystical kingdom, where he, too, would become a goblin. The underlying theme in the film is the need for young people to take responsibility for their actions, as the girl is forced to do when her brother is taken from her.

Bowie is brilliant as the evil, yet strangely flamboyant Goblin King, who sporadically breaks into song and dance throughout the film with his puppet co-stars. He stayed true to his familiar look, with a full face of make-up and his iconic hair, which miraculously stayed the same as Bowie aged over the years.

Bowie wrote and preformed the score for the film, which is an extra treat for any real fan. Some of the hits from the film are:

• Magic Dance (You Remind Me of the Babe)
• As The World Falls Down
• Within You

David Bowie’s performance in this cult classic, like so much else that he accomplished, will stand the test of time. Bowie achieved so much throughout his career that it is difficult to sit here and list out his accomplishments, let alone give him a proper send off. At risk of making myself sound cheesy, I’ll just say this: we hear a lot about celebrity deaths in the media, but on January 10^th, 2016, the world lost a true entertainer. Sleep well, Starman.