Cover art for Glass Spider by David Bowie

Glass Spider

Apr. 20, 19871 viewer5.3K views

Glass Spider Lyrics

[Intro]
Up until one century ago there lived
In the Zi Duang province of an eastern country
A glass-like spider
Having devoured its prey
It would drape the skeletons over its web
In weeks creating a macabre shrine of remains
Its web was also unique, in that it had many layers
Like floors in a building
At the top of this palace-like place
Assembled with almost apparent care
Were tiny, shining objects
Glass, beads, dewdrops
One could almost call it an altar
When the breeze blew through this construction
It produced sounds of wailing, crying
Tiny wails, tiny cries
The baby spiders would get scared
And search frantically for their mother
But the glass spider would have long gone
Having known that the babies
Would survive somehow on their own
Oh, the glass spider had blue eyes almost like a human's
They shed tears at the wintered turn of the centuries

[Verse 1]
Don't you hear this wasted cry, life is over you
(Mommy come back because the water's all gone)
But you've seen who's in Heaven, is there anyone in Hell?
Mommy come back because it's dark now
(Oh-hoho-oh)
(Oh-hoho-oh)
[Verse 2]
Take care, take care
(Mommy come back because the water's all gone)
Somewhere she glows divine, somewhere she wakes alone
But you, you've promised in your loving eye
God it's dark now
(Mommy come back because it's dark now)
(Ja ja ja ja ja)
(Ja ja ja ja ja)
(Ja ja ja ja ja)

[Verse 3]
Gone, Gone the water's all gone
(Mommy come back 'cause the water's all gone)
Stay low on the ground
The fire can drive you, savage and afraid
Spitting the dawn, come along before the animals awake
(Gone, gone, the water's all gone)
(Mommy come back because it's dark now)
Run, run, we've been moving all night, rivers to the left
If your mama don't love ya' then the riverbed might
Gone, gone, the water's all gone
(Mommy come back 'cause the water's all gone)
(Ja ja ja ja ja)
(Ja ja ja ja ja)
[Bridge]
Gone gone the water's all gone
Mommy come back 'cause the water's all gone
Gone gone the water's all gone
Mommy come back 'cause the water's all gone
Gone gone the water's all gone
Mommy come back 'cause the water's all gone

[Outro]
Mommy come back because it's dark now
(Oh-hoho-oh)
(Oh-hoho-oh)
Mommy come back 'cause the water's all gone
(Ja ja ja ja ja)
(Ja ja ja ja ja)
Mommy come back because it's dark now
(Ja ja ja ja ja)
(Ja ja ja ja ja)
Mommy come back 'cause the water's all gone
(Ja ja ja ja ja)
(Ja ja ja ja ja)
Mommy come back because it's dark now
(Ja ja ja ja ja)
(Ja ja ja ja ja)
(Oh-hoho-oh)
(Oh-hoho-oh)

How to Format Lyrics:

  • Type out all lyrics, even repeating song parts like the chorus
  • Lyrics should be broken down into individual lines
  • Use section headers above different song parts like [Verse], [Chorus], etc.
  • Use italics (<i>lyric</i>) and bold (<b>lyric</b>) to distinguish between different vocalists in the same song part
  • If you don’t understand a lyric, use [?]

To learn more, check out our transcription guide or visit our transcribers forum

About

Have the inside scoop on this song?
Sign up and drop some knowledge

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

Credits
Written By
Lead guitar
Recorded At
Mountain Studios, Montreux, Vaud, Switzerland; The Power Station, Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, New York City, New York
Release Date
April 20, 1987
Tags
Comments