Was David Bowie’s Last Single “Lazarus” His Swansong?

News of David Bowie's death hit hard this morning. It was made all the more difficult and shocking by the fact that not many people knew that the iconic singer was even ill. However, his last single Lazarus, from his album Blackstar, has taken on a whole new meaning in the wake of the news that he was silently battling cancer. Lazarus was released just a few weeks back in mid-December, and deals with issues surrounding illness and death in a poignant symmetry to real life events. The lyrics go: "Look up here, I’m in heaven / I’ve got scars that can’t be seen" "Look up here, man, I’m in danger / I’ve got nothing left to lose" "This way or no way / You know I'll be free". According to The Telegraph, the musical Bowie co-produced under the same title was not well-received by critics due to it's confusing plot which revolved around the character Major Tom Newton. This is the character Bowie first portrayed in the 1976 film Man Who Fell To Earth, which tells the story of an alien who is weary of life on earth and wishes to return to his home planet.

Just like that bluebird I'll be free. Lazarus lyrics allow Bowie to write his own eulogy. More profound and moving now.

— Nori (@AndeanImaging) January 11, 2016

dang. feels a whole world different watching the video for Lazarus today than it did a few days ago. https://t.co/3BYGJgAsjO — Jeremy | ∆54∇ (@HI54LOFI) January 11, 2016

OMG He did it. That beautiful SOB. He turned his own death into artistic expression. Genius to the end. Lazarus https://t.co/VxuWdwoOCF

— Benevolent Knievel (@Varkentine) January 11, 2016

Leave it to Bowie to not only write his own epitaph, but sing it and make a video of it too. Beautiful man. RIP https://t.co/kfNRThqt7W — RocksEm (@RocksEm) January 11, 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-JqH1M4Ya8 Video via YouTube/DavidBowieVEVO