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About This Track
“Five Years” is a song written by David Bowie and released in 1972. It was the opening track on the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars.
The song tells of an Earth doomed to destruction in five years and the aftermath of this knowledge. Bowie is rumoured to have chosen the length of time, five years, as a result of a dream in which his deceased father told him he must never fly again and would die in five years.
Various live versions of the song have been recorded:
Bowie played the song at the BBC show In Concert: John Peel on June 3, 1971. This was broadcast on June 20, 1971 and released in 2000 on the album Bowie at the Beeb: The Best of the BBC Radio Sessions.
A version recorded at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, 20 October 1972 was released on Santa Monica ‘72.
Another version recorded on the “Heroes” tour at the Philadelphia Spectrum on April 28 or April 29, 1978, was released on Stage.
Bowie performed the song live on Old Grey Whistle Test. It is included on the DVD version of Best Of Bowie.
The track was performed by Bowie with The Arcade Fire at the 2005 Fashion Rocks concert in New York as well asLife on Mars? and the The Arcade Fire’s own song Wake Up. These recordings were made available on the iTunes Music Store in a virtual live EP.
The song tells of an Earth doomed to destruction in five years and the aftermath of this knowledge. Bowie is rumoured to have chosen the length of time, five years, as a result of a dream in which his deceased father told him he must never fly again and would die in five years.
Various live versions of the song have been recorded:
Bowie played the song at the BBC show In Concert: John Peel on June 3, 1971. This was broadcast on June 20, 1971 and released in 2000 on the album Bowie at the Beeb: The Best of the BBC Radio Sessions.
A version recorded at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, 20 October 1972 was released on Santa Monica ‘72.
Another version recorded on the “Heroes” tour at the Philadelphia Spectrum on April 28 or April 29, 1978, was released on Stage.
Bowie performed the song live on Old Grey Whistle Test. It is included on the DVD version of Best Of Bowie.
The track was performed by Bowie with The Arcade Fire at the 2005 Fashion Rocks concert in New York as well as
Life on Mars? and the The Arcade Fire’s own song Wake Up. These recordings were made available on the iTunes Music Store in a virtual live EP.
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Albums featuring this track
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The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The…
David Bowie
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A Reality Tour
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Rarest Live
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Shouts
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JackMcFearless wrote:
For me probably Earth's best song from space.
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wolfmart wrote:
for me probably bowie's best song... [5 ]
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FinckBh wrote:
for me probably bowie's best song... [4]
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tomrud73 wrote:
cried so much his face was, so i knew he was not lying
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sarahbianeck wrote:
for me probably bowie's best song... [3]
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biih_s wrote:
for me probably bowie's best song... [2]
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itsnotoveryet27 wrote:
today I started 'doors radio' and I get overdosed with classics like this one. recommended to everyone, who's really interested in Music
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MsPauline wrote:
Five years, thats all we've got...
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WhiskyPlease wrote:
.....amazing
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DannyB01 wrote:
I absolutely LOVE this section. Still raise an eyebrow at the lines "If the black hadn't have pulled her off" and "a queer threw up at the sight of that" though. Can forgive it for being 40 years old though I guess!
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crawlpalmetto wrote:
Just... perfection? The best opening track in existence? I love it. "I kiss you, you're beautiful, I want you to walk". Such passion and urgency.
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nf13 wrote:
A girl my age went off ahead..
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vaughnvhalen wrote:
WoW !! Amazing,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.
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Anti-Pretty wrote:
Brian Molko did a great version of this on a german chat show - look for it on youtube...
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corcinodiego wrote:
drinking milk shakes cold and long...
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Bliss8117 wrote:
Definitely Bowie's best song for me.
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erduprince wrote:
for me probably bowie's best song...
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davidbowiegirl wrote:
Great song <3
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innerspeaker wrote:
Still remember the first time I heard this - the first listen on my first Bowie album. Completely blew me away.
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GreatBarcia wrote:
amazing 5 years left of crying
Track Stats
1,080,823 Scrobbles
230,230 Listeners
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Recent Activity
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mrtopp, porrajulia and Zepps113 loved David Bowie – Five Years. yesterday evening
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Art_Ramone added Five Years to the playlist Лучшие песни Дэвида Боуи. Thursday afternoon
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diskc added Five Years to diskc’s library. Wednesday afternoon
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diskc added Five Years to a deleted playlist. Wednesday afternoon
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the_final_Cut, debby_lacy, PORNOGRAPHIC666 and 3 other people loved David Bowie – Five Years. Wednesday morning
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