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David Bowie — Golden Years
Album: Station to Station
Avg rating:
7.8

Your rating:
Total ratings: 2547









Released: 1976
Length: 3:54
Plays (last 30 days): 5
(Golden years, gold, whop-whop-whop)
(Golden years, gold, whop-whop-whop)
(Golden years, gold, whop-whop-whop)

Don't let me hear you say life's
Taking you nowhere, angel
(Come, get up, my baby)
Look at that sky, life's begun
Nights are warm and the days are young
(Come, get up, my baby)

There's my baby, lost that's all
Once I'm begging you save her little soul
(Golden years, gold, whop-whop-whop)
(Come, get up, my baby)

Last night they loved you
Opening doors and pulling some strings, angel
(Come, get up, my baby)
In walked luck and you looked in time
Never look back, walk tall, act fine
(Come, get up, my baby)

I'll stick with you baby for a thousand years
Nothing's gonna touch you in these golden years, gold
(Golden years, gold, whop-whop-whop)
(Come, get up, my baby)

Some of these days, and it won't be long
Gonna drive back down where you once belonged
In the back of a dream car, twenty foot long
Don't cry my sweet, don't break my heart
Doing all right, but you gotta get smart
Wish upon wish upon day upon day, I believe, oh, Lord
I believe all the way
(Come, get up, my baby)

Run for the shadows, run for the shadows
Run for the shadows in these golden years

There's my baby, lost that's all
Once I'm begging you save her little soul
(Golden years, gold, whop-whop-whop)
(Come, get up, my baby)

Don't let me hear you say life's taking you nowhere, angel
(Come, get up, my baby)
Run for the shadows, run for the shadows
Run for the shadows in these golden years

I'll stick with you, baby, for a thousand years
Nothing's gonna touch you in these golden years, gold
(Golden years, gold, whop-whop-whop)
(Golden years, gold, whop-whop-whop)
(Golden years, gold, whop-whop-whop)
(Golden years, gold, whop-whop-whop)
(Golden years, gold, whop-whop-whop)
(Golden years, gold, whop-whop-whop)
(Golden years, gold, whop-whop-whop)
(Golden years, gold, whop-whop-whop)
(Golden years, gold, whop-whop-whop)
(Golden years, gold, whop-whop-whop)
Comments (143)add comment
 nevar23 wrote:
I'm trying to go make some dinner, but the playlist today keeps making me procrastinate. {#Music}


Tip - put some speakers in the kitchen, the food quality will greatly improve!
 mikehutch wrote:


Earl Slick was lead guitarist. Most of the stuff on this track would have been Carlos Alomar, the band leader.

Good spot!
 Proclivities wrote:

Nah, it's not the same riff - it's different notes, and Stevie's recording of "Superstition" has no guitar in it.


That's Jeff Beck's riff in any case.
 Edweirdo wrote:
Earl Slick.


Earl Slick was lead guitarist. Most of the stuff on this track would have been Carlos Alomar, the band leader.
 xray38 wrote:

Every time I hear this, I recall my father's phrase "The golden years can kiss my ass", which he used often in his eighties.




Thank You for sharing the story.  Too funny!
GOOD TUNE!   Whop Whop Whop!  Thanx RP!   
Dancing at the school disco..  Oh yes!
 Dr_Ross wrote:

Who is the guitarist here? Larry Carlton?

Earl Slick.
Such an excellent album!
Who is the guitarist here? Larry Carlton?
Every time I hear this, I recall my father's phrase "The golden years can kiss my ass", which he used often in his eighties.
 Aud wrote:

I had a cat named Shadow. 
He didn't like hearing his name mentioned over and over...



Very droll.
I had a cat named Shadow. 
He didn't like hearing his name mentioned over and over...
Used to great effect in A Knight's Tale:
Wah
wah
wah
 lmic wrote:
I recently realized this song is about him being screwed over by his manager Tony DeFries. He was a master of the subtly sardonic. Genius.

"Run for the shadows."

  "Don't let me hear you say life's
Taking you nowhere, angel"

I always thought it was about his wife at the time, Angie
not saying I am correct 
This was the theme song to Stephen King's "Golden Years" television mini-series. Watching the series changes one's perspective on the lyrics.
 shawshank wrote:
Hey did David Bowie steal the guitar riff from Stevie Wonders Superstition? {#Stupid}
 
Nah, it's not the same riff - it's different notes, and Stevie's recording of "Superstition" has no guitar in it.
HUGE LOVE!!
Not my favorite Bowie tune but a good one nonetheless. 
I recently realized this song is about him being screwed over by his manager Tony DeFries. He was a master of the subtly sardonic. Genius.

"Run for the shadows."
When Bowie played Soul Train.
 Lazarus wrote:
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark

by William Shakespeare (April 26, 1564 — April 23, 1616) circa 1600
Act 3, Scene 1

HAMLET
To be, or not to be? That is the question—
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And, by opposing, end them? To die, to sleep—
No more—and by a sleep to say we end
The heartache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to—’tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished! To die, to sleep.
To sleep, perchance to dream—ay, there’s the rub,
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause. There’s the respect
That makes calamity of so long life.
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
Th' oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely,
The pangs of despised love, the law’s delay,
The insolence of office, and the spurns
That patient merit of the unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscovered country from whose bourn
No traveler returns, puzzles the will
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all,
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pith and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action.—Soft you now,
The fair Ophelia!—Nymph, in thy orisons
Be all my sins remembered.

 

Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio: a fellow

of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy: he hath

borne me on his back a thousand times; and now, how

abhorred in my imagination it is!


back to 1976, nice! maybe add a Jackson Browne from the Running on Empty album?

Cheers!
whop-whop-whop!
 Skydog wrote:
there is nothing that I don't like about this song, it is the reason Fritz Pfleumer invented magnetic recording tape

 
...... ditto
there is nothing that I don't like about this song, it is the reason Fritz Pfleumer invented magnetic recording tape
 coloradojohn wrote:
Following Stevie Wonder's "As", this is PERFECT! and from the same year, to boot...  GOLDEN, Bill and Becca!{#Angel}

 
{#Yes}
My wife and I were driving from Acapulco to Mexico City in 1989, on our honeymoon. Very undeveloped then; no highway, just a 2-lane road through the desert and mountains. Out in the middle of nowhere this song came over the AM radio. It was like magic, very unexpected, and I never forgot it.
SONG FROM AN ANGEL
Classic, one of his best!!!{#Bounce}
sweet, RP is still dealing
 Lazarus wrote:
big stud Romeo Tuma wrote:
I was driving a woman around back in 1992 and she was talking to me so seriously and we were listening to the radio and this song came on and she turned down the radio and I turned it back up because I love this song and I wanted to hear it and she got so mad at me she dumped me that day...  this song always reminds me of that, but I am still glad to hear it because I love this song...
 
Time flies when we're having fun...  this song also reminds me of this—

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
by William Shakespeare (April 26, 1564 — April 23, 1616) circa 1600
Act 3, Scene 1




 
Big snip for space. Shakespeare's   First Folio just opened up here in OK.  The page they have it open to is Hamlet. 
Best opening ever!
Amazing drumming and syncopation
I had a cat named Shadow. He would get upset when he heard this song.He kept hearing his name and didn't like it... 
this guy is pretty soulful - I think he has a future
Love it.
Wanting to Karoke this one ;) 
Me likey like, very much!
{#Angel}
 
Everybody in my homeless camp loves this song...

the meaning of the song is a prefect match for Hamlet's lament of time passage hundreds of years ago...  this song will last for many golden years to come... 
This album played like the sountrack to Bowie's movie of the same period  Man Who Fell to Earth.
Worth watching.  And a good song off a very good album
Women: Can't live with em...
big stud Romeo Tuma wrote:
I was driving a woman around back in 1992 and she was talking to me so seriously and we were listening to the radio and this song came on and she turned down the radio and I turned it back up because I love this song and I wanted to hear it and she got so mad at me she dumped me that day...  this song always reminds me of that, but I am still glad to hear it because I love this song...
 
Time flies when we're having fun...  this song also reminds me of this—

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
by William Shakespeare (April 26, 1564 — April 23, 1616) circa 1600
Act 3, Scene 1

HAMLET
To be, or not to be? That is the question—
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And, by opposing, end them? To die, to sleep—
No more—and by a sleep to say we end
The heartache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to—’tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished! To die, to sleep.
To sleep, perchance to dream—ay, there’s the rub,
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause. There’s the respect
That makes calamity of so long life.
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
Th' oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely,
The pangs of despised love, the law’s delay,
The insolence of office, and the spurns
That patient merit of the unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscovered country from whose bourn
No traveler returns, puzzles the will
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all,
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pith and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action.—Soft you now,
The fair Ophelia!—Nymph, in thy orisons
Be all my sins remembered.


Pop-up Video!!! HAHAHA, Anyone? :/
my favorite a.m. pop radio hit in 1975-76...?...is kind of a blur...fun, tho!
 Cynaera wrote:

Lest we forget... I still love this movie - where else can you go medieval to Queen's "We Will Rock You"?


 

I love this movie too. This song makes me a little sad because I think of Heath Ledger smiling and looking like he's having so much fun.  :((
Wait a minute!  I don't think my Station to Station album cover looks like that.

Edit 10 minutes later ... after I had a scrolled down a bit.  No need to repeat the explanation, I suppose.  
geeez 
this makes me jiggle!!!
{#Bounce} 
Yet another Kick A$$ Song!!
Following Stevie Wonder's "As", this is PERFECT! and from the same year, to boot...  GOLDEN, Bill and Becca!{#Angel}
I'm trying to go make some dinner, but the playlist today keeps making me procrastinate. {#Music}
So Awesome....A Knights Tale Dance - YouTube
 Cynaera wrote:
"A Knight's Tale" with the late Heath Ledger.  A Knight's Tale, from Wikipedia  "Golden Years" is featured, and, as with all the other music, it just fits perfectly - as if they'd crafted the scenes around the music instead of trying to make the music fit the scene.

What a crazy, wonderful movie. Fun for family - except if you have little kids who might not appreciate Paul Bettany's bare-butted trudge down the road because he lost his clothes in a card game. Worth the rent - and the music is equally crazy, but it works. {#Dancingbanana_2}

 
Lest we forget... I still love this movie - where else can you go medieval to Queen's "We Will Rock You"?

One of those songs that I cannot help but sing along too, chorus and all! I love singing both the chorus and the main at the same time (out the side of my neck),{#Daisy}
 Felix_The_Cat wrote:
Is this David Bowie or David Byrne?? {#Stupid}
 
David Prowse?  David Niven?
 romeotuma wrote:


I was driving a woman around back in 1992 and she was talking to me so seriously and we were listening to the radio and this song came on and she turned down the radio and I turned it back up because I love this song and I wanted to hear it and she got so mad at me she dumped me that day...  this song always reminds me of that, but I am still glad to hear it because I love this song...
 
I think she got off easy.  If she would have dumped the volume on say..."Radio Free Europe" or "Driver 8", you probably would have slammed on the brakes and made her walk home.

 batty wrote:
Is this album realy 20 years old. What a great track form a very mixed album.
 
Batty - The date shown is wrong. The album came out in 1976, so it is actually 35 years old. 

And now I feel really old......

Is this album realy 20 years old. What a great track form a very mixed album.
 romeotuma wrote:


perfect...


 

Romeo - went back and re-read your 2008 comment about losing a girl over this song.

That has to be the longest entry you ever have made on RP{#Cool}
 CoYoT51 wrote:
Not is best album, really not.
 

Wrong grasshopper IMHO  this is a perfect album......
And I have every song - some in multiple languages - that he has ever released.
Great segue from one of Stevie's best (As) to one of Bowie's most soulful (Golden Years)

From "I will love you always... Until the rainbow burns the stars out in the sky" to "I'll stick with you baby for a ...thousand years."
One of the few DB songs I really like.  Great segue from the Stevie Wonder tune too!

 Cynaera wrote:
"A Knight's Tale" with the late Heath Ledger.  A Knight's Tale, from Wikipedia  "Golden Years" is featured, and, as with all the other music, it just fits perfectly - as if they'd crafted the scenes around the music instead of trying to make the music fit the scene.

What a crazy, wonderful movie. Fun for family - except if you have little kids who might not appreciate Paul Bettany's bare-butted trudge down the road because he lost his clothes in a card game. Worth the rent - and the music is equally crazy, but it works. {#Dancingbanana_2}

 
i may get this from Netflix, just to see that.

this always sounds great!! i really like the end when other guitar comes (back?) in.

"A Knight's Tale" with the late Heath Ledger.  A Knight's Tale, from Wikipedia  "Golden Years" is featured, and, as with all the other music, it just fits perfectly - as if they'd crafted the scenes around the music instead of trying to make the music fit the scene.

What a crazy, wonderful movie. Fun for family - except if you have little kids who might not appreciate Paul Bettany's bare-butted trudge down the road because he lost his clothes in a card game. Worth the rent - and the music is equally crazy, but it works. {#Dancingbanana_2}

 Felix_The_Cat wrote:
Is this David Bowie or David Byrne?? {#Stupid}
 
Before every new band was called "Talking Heads-esque" they where called "Bowie-esque". And this is why.

Great guitar intro...still after all these years!
 Zep wrote:



 

Double har-har-har! {#Biggrin}


Ever see the Stephen King miniseries "Golden Years" for which this was the theme song?  Now I interpret the lyrics a bit differently as a result.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Years_(TV_series)
 Felix_The_Cat wrote:
Is this David Bowie or David Byrne?? {#Stupid}
 


Not is best album, really not.
SFA —>> Bowie ... very nice! {#Sunny}
angel
Marilyn Manson does a good cover of this one.
Classic!{#Bananajam}
 Felix_The_Cat wrote:
Is this David Bowie or David Byrne?? {#Stupid}
 
Ermmm....BOWIE of course!!!!! Nothing like BYRNE!!!!!
 horstman wrote:
A bit more prudish? Dude, we are WAY more prudish than you Brits!! Look at our last elected official. The guy thought panty was a dirty word.
 
Lol!!
 jools wrote:

Album covers are often changed for the USA market - look at postings on Blind Faith track that was played a bit ago.

You guys over there are a bit more prudish than us...

 
  A bit more prudish? Dude, we are WAY more prudish than you Brits!! Look at our last elected official. The guy thought panty was a dirty word.


Is this David Bowie or David Byrne?? {#Stupid}
 Otomi wrote:

 
I'm bumping the hyper-monkey (although it sounds illegal).

From one legend to another...who eventually has to back up to these guys though?
 shawshank wrote:
Hey did David Bowie steal the guitar riff from Stevie Wonders Superstition? {#Stupid}

 
Rumor has it that Bowie snuck into the recording studio when Stevie was alone listening to some rough demos. Bowie heard this riff along with some other material. After a short time Stevie sensed someone else was in the studio with him. He almost caught Bowie before the thin white duke was able to high tail it out of there with Stevie, cursing a blue streak, in hot pursuit. But Bowie got away and the rest is pseudo-history. {#Wink}

 shawshank wrote:
Hey did David Bowie steal the guitar riff from Stevie Wonders Superstition? {#Stupid}

 
Good catch - never thought of that before. (But isn't it a bass snyth riff?)

wop wop wop ... David at his best ... love the "angel" .... how can I do journal entries with this set going on?? {#Dancingbanana_2}
Hey did David Bowie steal the guitar riff from Stevie Wonders Superstition? {#Stupid}

 jools wrote:
Album covers are often changed for the USA market - look at postings on Blind Faith track that was played a bit ago.

You guys over there are a bit more prudish than us...
 
Hey, we flashed some tit at the Super Bowl a few years back!

Or tried to, anyway....

btw, this song didn't fade out when it was first released. It had a solid ending....


copymonkey wrote:
Hows come the cover of my Station to Station record (yes, record) is in black and white, and a different picture too? Anyone know?000 

jools wrote:

Album covers are often changed for the USA market - look at postings on Blind Faith track that was played a bit ago.

You guys over there are a bit more prudish than us...

 
 
Um ... yeah.

Well, for what it's worth, the Wikipedia article for the Station to Station album gives a different explaination:
The album was released in January 1976. The sleeve was originally to have featured a full-colour still from The Man Who Fell to Earth. However Bowie rejected the colour cover, claiming the sky looked artificial ... The album was duly released with the same picture cropped in black-and-white; it was not until Rykodisc reissued Bowie's catalogue in the early 1990s that the colour version was restored.

I'm not sure how prudishness would factor in to the decision to use a black and white version of the photo on the cover instead of a colour one.


 copymonkey wrote:
Hows come the cover of my Station to Station record (yes, record) is in black and white, and a different picture too? Anyone know?
 
Album covers are often changed for the USA market - look at postings on Blind Faith track that was played a bit ago.

You guys over there are a bit more prudish than us...

 
 Rickvee wrote:
Pleasant enough but not one of my favorite Bowie songs.

Factoid: Elvis Presley, shortly before he died, expressed interest in covering this tune.
 

Cannot even imagine it!

He put the fun back into funky.
 calypsus_1 wrote:

 

the multi-facet  Mr. David Robert Jones -  ** 8 **


 

multifaceted

 crowhog2000 wrote:
{#Bananajumprope}
 
Yes does that to me as well crowhog drives me absolutely Nuts... I mean who is this Mundane Guy .Drawl, Drawl, Drawl . Yawn...  Bad point from me here RP have to switch sound off every time he appears :- (

{#Bananajumprope}
Hows come the cover of my Station to Station record (yes, record) is in black and white, and a different picture too? Anyone know?
For some reason, I've always thought that this song was done by the Talking Heads.
What a wonderful segue from Metric's "Rock Me Now", to be followed by the equally wonderful "Golden Age" by Midnight Oil.  {#Smile}
Would love to hear this whole album ... didn't remember how great it was.  May have to ask Santa for it this year...
The Young at Heart Chorus did this piece. (click here). An abbreviated music video is in the documentary on this group of singing seniors. Their version is awesome.

 

the multi-facet  Mr. David Robert Jones -  ** 8 **


Nice segue! From Stevie to Bowie....{#Whistle}
 EssexTex wrote:


Well you can't polish a turd eh.

 
Scatalogical references to obfuscate your midlife gender identity crisis. It was the Pink Dress wasn't it? Admit it! It was the pink dress!


Timeless
I really like bowie!
veegez wrote:
Dude, what is it with you and poop?.


Well you can't polish a turd eh.



Source: https://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y21/mrkodi/monkey.gif


Lumpee wrote:
I quote Forrest Gump " I like it a lot ".
Also I thougt David was great in " The Prestige ".


He was one of the only(very few) good things in that movie.

Are you aware I should have left work 15 minutes ago on this lovely summer Friday, but am stuck listening to each song that you crank out? Could you PLEASE play Modest Mouse next so I can leave?
Just great music a comin out, thanks! And great new website, to boot!
1980 David Bowie from the music video "Ashes to Ashes" approves...
Wwha wwha wwha! Only MOR, as Bowie goes. . . .
EssexTex wrote:
Cascade of crap!
Dude, what is it with you and poop?
Lumpee wrote:
I quote Forrest Gump " I like it a lot ". Also I thougt David was great in " The Prestige ".
Did you see Labyrinth?
Hinkamp wrote:
I like Bowie but this one doesn't hold up over the years for me.
Same here. Poppy, simple, and catchy, but nothing special.
So, he seems to be stepping into an anechoic chamber, yes?
Cascade of crap!
mattt wrote:
Alas, I will never be able to hear this song again without thinking of A Knight's Tale.
That's not such a bad thing. That was a wonderful, anachronistic soundtrack. We Will Rock You, Queen Low Rider, War Takin' Care Of Business, Bachman Turner Overdrive Golden Years, David Bowie Crazy On You, Heart Further On Up The Road, Eric Clapton Get Ready, Rare Earth I Want To Take You Higher, Sly & The Family Stone The Boys Are Back In Town, Thin Lizzy We Are The Champions, Robbie Williams & Queen Eye Conqueror, Third Eye Blind Of course it's a ridiculous movie. How could it not be when it opens up at a medieval joust and the crowd is going STOMP, STOMP, CLAP to "We Will Rock You"? I don't think even Heath Leger got that it was supposed to be ridiculous. It's just plain fun. Poor Heath. He had so much going for him, and so much going against him.
Rickvee wrote:
Pleasant enough but not one of my favorite Bowie songs. Factoid: Elvis Presley, shortly before he died, expressed interest in covering this tune.
Related Factoid: David and Elvis share January 8 as a birthday
I like Bowie but this one doesn't hold up over the years for me.
Great song, great album!
prickelpit96 wrote:
...and I hear the God himself: David as it's best.
He's not God...only a duke!
This is like the polar opposite of TVC15.