Lyrics by David Bowie. Music by David Bowie and Brian Eno
African nightmare one-time Mormon More men fall in Hullabaloo men I slide to the nearest bar Undermine chairman I went too far Bent on a windfall rent a Sony Wonder how the dollar went down Gotta get a word to Elizabeth's father Hey no, he wished me well CHORUS 1 (two times) Seemed like another day I could fly into the eye of god on high CHORUS 2 (two times) His burning eye will see me through One of these days, one of these days Gotta get a word through one of these days CHORUS 3 (two times) Asanti habari habari habari Asanti nabana nabana nabana Getting in mood for a Mombassa night flight Pushing my luck, gonna fly like a mad thing Bare strip takeoff skimming over Rhino Born in slumber less than peace Struggle with a child whose screaming dreaming Drowned by the props all steely sunshine Sick of you, sick of me Lust for the free life Quashed and maimed Like a valuable loved one Left unnamed CHORUS 1 (two times) Over the bushland over the trees Wise like Orangutan that was me CHORUS 2 (two times) CHORUS 3 (repeat ad inf.)
In the chorus Asanti nabana is Swahili for Hello, Goodbye.
The actual tune is apparently Suzie Q played backwards with Eno putting prepared piano on top of it, modified by various pieces of metal on the piano strings.