'Letter to Hermione'

Not heard this song in a million years... Thanks to the one who shared it.

Because we have to keep on standing strong in this time of things falling apart, we forget how little and alone we are.

And sometimes there is someone out, far far away, who comes to your mind when you think that maybe this is the end. There is a face, a voice, a few words in your mind when you think you won't be able to go any further.

For all the people who inspired us joy, light and love in our life, even if for a few days, a few hours, a few seconds, but seconds that remain suspended in time, in eternity, in their profound beauty, immaculate and unchanged, never ruined by any pettiness or mistakes, seconds of bliss and perfect understanding, when you feel nothing is more beautiful that this other human being...


David Bowie - 'Letter to Hermione' - 1969

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'Letter to Hermione' is a song from David Bowie's 1969 album Space Oddity. It contains a mix of folk, balladry, and prog rock. Held to be "the first Bowie album proper", and his first deemed worthy by record companies of regular reissue, Space Oddity featured a notable list of collaborators, including session players Herbie Flowers, Tim Renwick, Terry Cox, and Rick Wakeman, as well as cellist Paul Buckmaster, multi-instrumentalist and producer Tony Visconti, and bassist John Lodge.

This ballad is a love letter to Hermione Farthingale, who Bowie met through Lindsay Kemp. She became Bowie's girlfriend and they lived together for a short while in London in 1968. In early 1969 she left Bowie for Stephen Reinhardt, an American musician and dancer she met on the film Song of Norway.

An early name for the song was "Im Not Quite". Bowie recorded a demo version of the song with this name together with John Hutchinson in February 1969.

Comedian Ricky Gervais has repeatedly expressed his love for this song, going so far as to call it his favourite David Bowie song, indeed, possibly his favourite ever song. He chose it as one of his Desert Island Discs.

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Lyrics, of course:

"Letter To Hermione"

The hand that wrote this letter
Sweeps the pillow clean
So rest your head and 
read a treasured dream
I care for no one else but you
I tear my soul to cease the pain
I think maybe you feel the same
What can we do?
I'm not quite sure what we're supposed to do
So I've been writing just for you

They say your life is going very well
They say you sparkle like a different girl
But something tells me that you hide
When all the world is warm and tired
You cry a little in the dark
Well so do I
I'm not quite sure 
what you're supposed to say
But I can see it's not okay

He makes you laugh
He brings you out in style
He treats you well
And makes you up real fine
And when he's strong
He's strong for you
And when you kiss
It's something new
But did you ever call my name
Just by mistake?
I'm not quite sure what I'm supposed to do
So I'll just write some love to you