Karma Man [Bowie at the Beeb]

[Verse 1]
Fingertip sun at sideshow stalls
They throw the balls
At coconut fur that hides behind
Colored shades that blind your eyes
Every child's mother holds an ice-cream cone
They circle round
Perceived unknown by an eye that peers
From a hole in the tent where no one goes
A figure sitting cross-legged on the floor
He's clogged and clothed in saffron robes
His beads are all he owns

[Chorus]
Slow down
Slow down
Someone must have said "let's slow him down"
Slow down
Slow down
It's pictured on the arms of the karma man

[Verse 2]
Fairy tale skin
Depicting scenes from human zoos
Impermanent toys like peace and war
A gentle face you've seen before

Karma man tattooed on your side
The wheel of life
I see my times and who I've been
I only live now and I don't know why
I struggle hard to take these pictures in
But
All my friends can see is just the pinkness of his skin

[Chorus]
Slow down
Slow down
Someone must have said "let's slow him down"
Slow down
Slow down
It's pictured on the arms of the karma man

Slow down
Slow down
Someone must have said "let's slow him down"
Slow down
Slow down
It's pictured on the arms of the karma man