Five Years
David Bowie
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Pushing through the market square, So many mothers sighing News had just come over, We had five years left to cry in News guy wept and told us, Earth was really dying Cried so much his face was wet, Then I knew he was not lying I heard telephones, opera house, favorite melodies I saw boys, toys, electric irons and T.V.'s My brain hurt like a warehouse, it had no room to spare I had to cram so many things to store everything in there And all the fat-skinny people, and all the tall-short people And all the nobody people, and all the somebody people I never thought I'd need so many people A girl my age went off her head, Hit some tiny children If the black hadn't a-pulled her off, I think she would have killed them A soldier with a broken arm, Fixed his stare to the wheels of a Cadillac A cop knelt and kissed the feet of a priest, And a queer threw up at the sight of that I think I saw you in an ice-cream parlor, Drinking milk shakes cold and long Smiling and waving and looking so fine, Don't think you knew you were in this song And it was cold and it rained so I felt like an actor And I thought of Ma and I wanted to get back there Your face, your race, the way that you talk I kiss you, you're beautiful, I want you to walk We've got five years, stuck on my eyes Five years, what a surprise We've got five years, my brain hurts a lot Five years, that's all we've got We've got five years, what a surprise Five years, stuck on my eyes We've got five years, my brain hurts a lot Five years, that's all we've got We've got five years, stuck on my eyes Five years, what a surprise We've got five years, my brain hurts a lot Five years, that's all we've got We've got five years, what a surprise Five years, stuck on my eyes We've got five years, my brain hurts a lot Five years, that's all we've got Five years Five years Five years Five years
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Written by: David Bowie
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, TINTORETTO MUSIC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
12 facts about this song
Album Origin"Five Years" is the opening track on David Bowie's 1972 album "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars."
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Song ThemeThe song follows a narrative of Earth being told it has only five years left to survive, drawing listeners into the apocalyptic vision that is a characteristic theme of the entire album.
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Song LengthThe track lasts for 4 minutes and 42 seconds making it one of the longer songs on the album.
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RecordingBowie reportedly made the drummer, Woody Woodmansey, re-record his drum part multiple times until he was playing on the verge of tears, aiming to capture a certain emotional intensity in the song.
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Live Performances"Five Years" often kicked off performances of the full album in Bowie's Ziggy Stardust Tours, and has been covered by various artists live, showing its wide impact and popularity.
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SongwritingBowie wrote this song after having a dream of the world ending, which he later used as inspiration for his Ziggy Stardust character.
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Music videoThere isn't an official music video for "Five Years," but there are live performance videos, one popular one is Bowie's performance of the song in 1972 on the BBC program, "Top of the Pops."
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Covers"Five Years" has been covered by various artists including The Postmodern Jukebox, The Flaming Lips, and The Polyphonic Spree. Highlighting the song's enduring appeal and influence on other musicians.
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Chart PerformanceDespite being a fan-favorite, "Five Years" was never released as a single and therefore didn't chart. However, the album is often listed as one of the greatest of all time.
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LyricsThe song's lyrics are full of societal critiques and personal confessions from Bowie, speaking to his lyrical prowess and ability to lay raw emotion into his songs.
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InstrumentsThe song features a complex arrangement of instruments, including piano, strings, and percussion, put together by producer Ken Scott and David Bowie. The gradual buildup of instrumental layers adds to the song's dramatic tension.
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RelevanceDespite the song's age, "Five Years" has remained culturally relevant, being referenced in TV shows such as "Doctor Who," films like "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," and is often played by radio channels.
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Citation
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