The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
Although many of its songs were written for "Toy", and some are cover versions, biographers and critics of the time claimed that "Heathen" deals with Bowie's impressions of the 9/11 September attacks. The lyrics of songs such as "Slow Burn", "Afraid", "A Better Future" and "Heathen (The Rays)" focus on the degradation of mankind and the world in general, recalling his earlier album "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars" and the song "Five Years".