The Man Who Sold the World

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

The Man Who Sold the World is a song written and produced by David Bowie. It was the title track of his third album, produced in US in November 1970 and the UK in April 1971

The song is oddly melancholic, at least it was considered as such when it was produced and Bowie himself admitted it was written as a song of self-exploration and introspection about himself.

Tropes used in The Man Who Sold the World include:
  • Contemplate Our Navels: As stated above, was the whole point of the song.
  • Doppelganger: Implied in the lyrics by the singer first saying "I never lost control", later switching to saying "We never lost control".
  • Title Drop: Done at climax of each chorus.