Strung Out In Heaven: A Bowie String Quartet Tribute, by Jherek Bischoff and Amanda Palmer (2025)

1.

In the villa of Ormenin the villa of OrmenStands a solitary candleIn the centre of it all in the centre of it allYour eyes​On the day of executionon the day of executionOnly women kneel and smileah-ahah-ahAt the centre of it allat the centre of it allYour eyesyour eyesIn the villa of Ormenin the villa of OrmenStands a solitary candleat the centre of it allat the centre of it allYour eyesyour eyesSomething happened on the day he diedSpirit rose a metre and stepped asideSomebody else took his place and bravely criedI’m a blackstarI’m a blackstar​How many times does an angel fall?How many people lie instead of talking tall?He trod on sacred ground, he cried loud-into-the-crowdI’m a blackstarI’m a blackstarI’m not a gangster​I can’t answer why (I’m a blackstar)Just go with me (I’m not a filmstar)I’m-a take you home (I’m a blackstar)Take your passport and shoes (I’m not a popstar)And your sedatives, boo (I’m a blackstar)You’re a flash in the pan (I’m not a marvel star)I’m the great I am (I’m a blackstar)​I’m a blackstar, way up, oh-honey-I’ve-got-gameI see right so white, so open-heart it’s plainI want eagles in my daydreams, diamonds in my eyesI’m a blackstarI’m a blackstar​Something happened on the day he diedSpirit rose a metre and stepped asideSomebody else took his place, and bravely criedI’m a blackstar I’m a star star I’m a blackstar​(I)can’t answer why (I’m not a gangster)But I can tell you how (I’m not a flam star)We were born upside-down (I’m a star star)Born the wrong way ‘round (I’m not a white star)I’m a blackstarI’m not a gangsterI’m a blackstarI’m a blackstarI’m not a pornstar, I’m not a wandering starI’m a blackstarI’m a blackstar​In the villa of Ormen stands a solitary candleAt the centre of it allyour eyesOn the day of executiononly women kneel and smileAt the centre of it allyour eyesyour eyes

2.

Ground Control to Major TomGround Control to Major TomTake your protein pills and put your helmet onGround Control to Major TomCommencing countdown, engines onCheck ignition and may God's love be with youThis is Ground Control to Major TomYou've really made the gradeAnd the papers want to know whose shirts you wearNow it's time to leave the capsule if you dareThis is Major Tom to Ground ControlI'm stepping through the doorAnd I'm floating in a most peculiar wayAnd the stars look very different todayFor hereAm I sitting in a tin canFar above the worldPlanet Earth is blueAnd there's nothing I can doThough I'm past one hundred thousand milesI'm feeling very stillAnd I think my spaceship knows which way to goTell my wife I love her very much she knowsGround Control to Major TomYour circuit's dead,there's something wrongCan you hear me, Major Tom?Can you hear me, Major Tom?Can you hear me, Major Tom?Can you....Here am I floating round my tin canFar above the MoonPlanet Earth is blueAnd there's nothing I can do.

3.

Do you remember a guy that's been In such an early song I've heard a rumor from Ground Control Oh no, don't say it's true They got a message from the Action Man "I'm happy, hope you're happy too I've loved all I've needed to love Sordid details following" The shrieking of nothing is killing Just pictures of Jap girls in synthesis and I Ain't got no money and I ain't got no hair But I'm hoping to kick but the planet it's glowing Ashes to ashes, funk to funky We know Major Tom's a junkie Strung out in heaven's high Hitting an all-time low Time and again I tell myself I'll stay clean tonight But the little green wheels are following me Oh no, not again I'm stuck with a valuable friend "I'm happy, hope you're happy too" One flash of light but no smoking pistol I never done good things I never done bad things I never did anything out of the blue, woh-o-oh Want an axe to break the ice Wanna come down right now Ashes to ashes, funk to funky We know Major Tom's a junkie Strung out in heaven's high Hitting an all-time lowMy mama said to get things done You'd better not mess with Major TomMy mama said to get things done You'd better not mess with Major TomMy mama said to get things done You'd better not mess with Major TomMy mama said to get things done You'd better not mess with Major Tom

4.

II wish you could swimLike the dolphinslike dolphins can swimThough nothingnothing will keep us togetherWe can beat themforever and everOh, we can be heroesjust for one dayII will be kingAnd youyou will be queenThough nothing will drive them awayWe can be heroesjust for one day….We can *be* usjust for one dayII can remember (I remember)Standing, by the wall (by the wall)And the gunsshot above our heads (over our heads)And we kissed, as though nothing could fall (nothing could fall)And the shame, was on the other sideOh, we can beat them, forever and everThen we could be heroes, just for one dayWe can be heroesWe can be heroesWe can be heroes(Just for one day)We can be heroes

5.

DuKönntest du schwimmenWie delphineDelphine es tunNiemand gibt uns eine chanceDoch wir können siegenFür immer und immerUnd wir sind dann heldenFür einen tagIchIch bin dann königUnd duDu königinObwohl sieUnschlagbar scheinenWerden wir heldenFur einen tagWir sind dann wirAn diesem tagIchIch glaubbte zu traeumen (zu träumen)Die mauerIm rücken war kalt (so kalt)Schüsse reissen die luft (reissen die luft)Doch wir kuessenAls ob nichts geschieht (nichts geschieht)Und die scham fiel auf ihre seiteO, wir können sie schlagenFuer alle zeitenDann sind wir heldenNur diesen tagDann sind wir heldenDann sind wir heldenDann sind wir heldenNur diesen tag….

6.

released February 5, 2016

This entire project was financed by the supporters at patreon.com/amandapalmer. The minimum price here is $1 - $.54 of which will go to Bowie's publisher for the use of the songs. The remaining proceeds from the first month of sales (until August 15th) will go to the cancer research wing of Tufts Medical Center, in memory of David Bowie.

If you want to support THE MAKING OF MORE MUSIC, join the patreon at www.patreon.com/amandapalmer?ty=c

Amanda Palmer - Vocals
Jherek Bischoff - Double Bass/Arrangements/Conducting
Serena McKinney​ - Violin​ 1
Alyssa Park​ - Violin 2
Ben Ullery​ - Viola
Jacob Braun - Cello
Anna Calvi - Vocals/Guitar (Blackstar)
Jono Manson - Amanda’s Engineer (The Kitchen Sink)
Alex Thomas - Anna Calvi's Engineer (Bruce Grove Studio)
Chris Fogel - Jherek/Strings Engineer (Hyperion Sound / ELBO Studios)
Bryan Carrigan - Jherek/Strings Asst. Engineer (Hyperion Sound / ELBO Studios)
John Cameron Mitchell - Vocals (Heroes and Helden)

Jherek recorded the strings in LA at Hyperion Sound / ELBO studios engineered by Chris Fogel (engineer) and Bryan Carrigan (Asst. engineer).

Anna Calvi (guest vocal and guitar on Blackstar) recorded in London at Bruce Grove Studios engineered by Alex Thomas.

I recorded vocals in Santa Fe, NM, at The Kitchen Sink, engineered by Jono Manson. Jono added the acoustic guitar on "Space Oddity".

John Cameron Mitchell sang his back-ups in his apartment in New York into his iPhone.

Jherek mixed and mastered the entire record at home in LA.

…..

The artwork was created by artists from three continents:
Cassandra Long (United States) - Blackstar
David Mack (United States) - Ashes to Ashes
Sarah Beetson (United Kingdom) - EP cover and Space Oddity
Félix Marqués (Spain) - Life on Mars
HA-HA (Australia) - Helden (German Version)
Bill Sienkiewicz (United States) - Heroes (English Version)