Bowie Track of the Day - "Golden Years"

Timeslip moment again, but of course, it's a Bowie one...

"I think my spaceship knows which way to go" - and it did. It's landed us in this week forty years ago.

The news headlines in January 1976: Britain and Iceland clashed in the "Cod War", there was renewed violence in Northern Ireland, the UK was mopping up after a "hurricane" hit Europe, and Concorde was about to be launched as a commercial service. In our cinemas: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and The Man Who Would Be King. On telly: Rentaghost , When the Boat Comes In and The Good Life.

Music charts were still recovering from the Xmas lull, with both Greg Lake and Dana's seasonal offerings (and "novelty" items by Laurel & Hardy and Chubby Checker) still bothering the Top 10, and the unmoveable Bohemian Rhapsody holding the top slot. Andy Fairweather-Low, 10CC, Sailor and the Drifters were present and correct - and so was this classic from Mr B.

Effortlessly "cool", bridging the divide between his sleek soul-driven Young Americans era and the rest of the tracks on the Station to Station album (which was about to arrive, ahead of David's big-screen debut in The Man Who Fell To Earth, later in the year), here's the masterful Golden Years:

David Bowie - Golden Years (Soul Train)

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

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

Facts:

• With this song, Bowie was only the fifth non-black artist to appear on America's Soul Train
• Apparently David offered it to Elvis Presley to perform, but he declined.
• By all accounts, this song was recorded at the height of David's chronic addiction problems - and he was drunk when he performed it on TV. It doesn't show.

Thank Disco It's Friday (again)! I shall be toasting the "Golden Years" this weekend, no doubt.