David Bowie - Five Years Live on Old Grey Whistle Test 1972

[gferrin]

Thanks Mikey. I forgot to look at this earlier. Was David auditioning for the role of the Riddler?

[mgkiwi1958]

This man had/has so much class - F'N awesome!!!

[booger12350]

Bowie is Da Man!!!

[Gusdocs1]

sorry cant find words to say how good this is

[shkwave99]

@Gusdocs1 I feel you on that one. I think a lot of others do as well. How do you quantify this kind of genius?

[astraltimebeast]

david bowie probably wrote the song since his soloist career five years earlier

[MorgannaMockingbird]

Bowie is the best!!!!

[issyfris]

The best there ever was.. Ever.



[levyelegino1]

All the short, fat people!!! This was me and my ex- wifes song!!! Rest in Peace Ann Frances Elegino (Fleetwood) Shelby to me~!

[mack89464]

@levyelegino1 Glad you were able to find this version on here :)

[maspender]

We've got sixty five years, what a surprise, my brain hurts a lot.

[Cassettomusic]

Feliz cumpleaños, barrilete cósmico del pop mundial

[kjsh987]

my best wishes to the king of pop

[saraids]

This song was the background music for one of the most amazing dreams I've ever had (about 41/2 years ago..), hope I have the opportunity to tell him that in person someday...

[whotaughtyou]

C RAMSBU V RE MACR

[anotherdrugbaby]

Happy birthday David Bowie!

[snakey319]

Happy Birthday David and Elvis too.

[PunkPopRap]

Happy Birthday to the man who has been called David Jones, David Bowie, Ziggy Stardust, Thomas Jerome Newton, The Thin White Duke, and Jereth The Goblin King <3

[DomSezXL]

Happy birthday to David Bowie! I've set this as the first tune on my radio show on Tuesday at midday on North Manchester FM (look up online & you can hear it live. Hope you don't mind the quick plug. I just adore this song!)

[kariebookish]

Happy birthday to this amazing man <3

[tarquin11x]

really? which instruments are not live?? i hear all thats there.

[demonsbutterfly]

Still a sublime 5 minutes 40 years later...

[Lylodile]

David Bowie and Mick Ronson were a great duo. Pity they didn't do more work together then they did!

[MrSammersELsoho]

bowie must of been an alien or met them

[januarykidana]

What We Do Is Secret brought me here...

[5AU5AGEROLL]

David Bowie = God-tier artist

[insearchothetruth]

The best set on OGWT EVER! Sublime, brilliant, amazing!

[DJFrederickHart]

David Bowie is what Madonna was trying to be and what Lady Gaga wishes she could be.

[zaodizao]

@DJFrederickHart

How can you compare David Bowie to both blondes with all due respect ? Because there is one who's music will play for eternity for sure and that is David Bowie, i doubt lady gaga and madonna will be remembered in hundreds of years but you know, that's just my opinion

[DJFrederickHart]

@zaodizao You clearly missed my point because your post AGREES with the idea I was trying to ingrain. There is NO comparison. Bowie was and still is the most influential innovator, Madge & Gaga are mere imitators and imposters.

[zaodizao]

@DJFrederickHart

agreed very much with , total impostors, in a perfect world they should be severely prosecuted for corrupting a MAJOR art

[Vote4RonPaulLiberty]

@DJFrederickHart Agreed.

[sexckatxx]

@DJFrederickHart He is what everybody wishes they could be.

[knot4u11]

I LOVE YOUTUBE!

[mckinneypnk17]

For Darby crash.

[b00mhauer]

@mckinneypnk17 For Darby.

[WardenJ6]

amazing

[decpeel]

is bowie really high here? his pupils are pretty uneven

[pwnerinator]

@decpeel he had an eye injury which permanently dialated one eye

[decpeel]

your face! your race! the way that you talk! i kiss you, you're beautiful, i want you to walk! we got five years...

[Neroscot]

Let me hear my brain?

[Gusdocs1]

Classic song , this song was like the starter for me in my early youth to really get into music what a great formative music education

[GranTruismo4head]

Bowie is absolutely perfect in this song on the old grey whistle test or is it on Top Of The Pops?

[robion1957]

@GranTruismo4head ogwt

[blooddonor70]

I just got the final Ziggy performance, Live at the Hammershith motion picture and I can't stop watching it. On a huge lcd it is incredible! I recommend it, around $15 dollars from Amazon, new in box!

[MegaGammo]

My new favorite song! I hope I get Ziggy Stardust on vinyl for Christmas!

[muldoonmax]

David Bowie great artist, from a different time when music was music! Love ya Bowie, my only regret was that I never seen you play live :(

[kjsh987]

for those who said david was dead, u might wish that because u never, never gonna been persons with such a charisma and style as david is. suckers.long life to the duke

[TheCollierylad]

I'm 52 now, getting dumped by the wife, maybe I should look for the girls I shared this brilliant song with

[blooddonor70]

@TheCollierylad yes you should, they understand .Good luck brother.

[JazminHull]

One of my favourite songs of all time... Love Bowie

[JazminHull]

One of my favourite songs of all time... Love Bowie

[denice159]

OMG!!! I so laught when he sang that part like smiling and waving xDD, he is just one in 50000000 years : DD

[wizardofradical1]

Best thing i've ever heard

[Didgebaba]

When he was good he was very very good.

[sababator]

YOU KNOW I LOVE DAVID.

:))) THANK YOU FOR THIS...XOXOXO

[whotaughtyou]

GANGSTER REPLY GO AWAY RADIO DC TAKE THAT David Bowie - Five Years Live on Old Grey Whistle ...youtube.com4 Jan 2007 - 5 min - Uploaded by mack89464Bowie performing Five Years live on The Old Grey Whistle Test - Broadcast in 1972. His vocals are live. Some of ...BILLY IDOL

[space75gr]

a song from another planet.

a song that could change your life forever.

[whotaughtyou]

RETIRED JUDGE PATRICIA SHEPHARD NHS QC

[mack89464]

@whotaughtyou WHAT?????

[010101creator]

robert smith seems respect to him robert was 12 or 14 years old in 72 the cure

[Axxrat]

Like Jesus must have seemed to be, totally different yet totally compelling.. this guy set the scene from the end of the sixties to well.. now!

[Tommyfazz]

one of his very best tracks...

[demonio020]

its great song

[GreenDayILoveU]

I never really understood this song but it makes me wanna break down, freak out scream and cry, I want the WORLD to know this song it so beautiful

David Bowie is simply amazing

[NoDestinyLive4Now]

I actually like this performance better than the Dinah Shore one (when he was Think White Duke).

[metal666metal300]

i love covering this song

[gevbrave]

Why the hell everybody keep saying their name? Nobody gives a damn ok, you're cool kids with a great taste, great, we got it, now shut up and watch the video.

[mrblueskyaccount]

@gevbrave Don't like my comment? Don't read my comment. A lot of people have inboxed me saying I'm the same, so I reckon you should be quiet about no-one caring. Thanks for your ignorance!

[weareangrypeople42]

@mrblueskyaccount

I'm 15 and I feel the same way :( if only we'd been born earlier. God I love Bowie.

[mrblueskyaccount]

14 years old here. I am in complete ore to David Bowie.. What a seismic genius. Due to my age, I was too young to see him on the reality tour, so I have never seen him perform! Bowie there are so many people that want to see you one last time.. (or first time for some like me!) and I would love to hear you rock to the songs we all love. Thankyou for being so wonderful.

[haditabonita666]

12 string guitar? :O

[mrblueskyaccount]

@haditabonita666 hell to the yeah!

[sparky16661]

The whistle test studio was too small to take a full band line up so most of the bands mimed to a track produced earlier. But hey, that's exactly what they still do today even with big studios and modern technology. Great, great stuff - iconic, never be forgotten - the golden age of pop music is dead. never see this again.Sad but glad we had it.

[CaptainLazer1000]

LOVE Bowie, LOVE people who LOVE Bowie! The Thin White Duke rocks on.

[jwattie]

I have been in love with Dvid Bowie since I was 7 years old. He makes everyone beautiful by asociation!

[gilgamess3]

great...

[babyshambler]

Wuzza wuzza.

[freeThana]

Five years, that's all we've got

[freeThana]

Five years, that's all we've got

[damonkun]

Omg :o

[MrStatic62]

Brain hurts alot!!

[angellopezvila]

BONA NIT !!! . GOOD DREAMS WITH A GREATEST SONG !!! ... LONG LIFE DAVID ! .

[redmenacetv]

True Genius



[smcoscis]

sMIling and wAYving

<3

[1954telecaster]

powerful performance.

[wesdan126]

This is my absolute favorite Bowie song!

[kjsh987]

why there is no singers like that anymore?

[MrEnterthehole]

Excellent song. Someone should poke him into the studio again, you can rest when you're dead Mr Bowie ;)

[caerus12]

My rites of passage age 16 discovering Bowie. Went to pick up a friend with another pal and when we got there found out he just died of a heroin OD age 16. Playing this driving home. Most of my drug heroes are dead or clean. Glad I'm clean. And Bowie too. RIP the ones who checked out. So many mothers crying.

[createalifeyoulove]

Love this man! Searched You Tube to find him as I haven't heard from him in a while - Watching this, I remember why I love him! I wonder what he thinks of these lyrics now... ? He always sings from his heart and soul - beautiful being that he is :-) I 'grew up' with him, loving him since I was about 14 (I'm 52 now - but still feel 14! in many ways......) I love him!

[mack89464]

@createalifeyoulove What a great comment! I've been a fan of Bowie for probably 30+ years but recently re-discovered him again. His music is still as relevant as ever. I know he's probably happy with his quieter life now but I'd really love for him to share one more album with us.

[ezaube1030]

@mack89464 Same thing happened to me, I also have rediscovered him this year after being a fan decades ago, and I so much fell in love again with him and his music. Oh yes it would be a gift to the world if he would reappear at least one more time...

[IceTeaTree]

@mack89464 :D just to proof your right... i`m 24 and got to know him when i was 14 through the Cover of his Track the man who sold the world by Nirvana... and as then i started to get to know a lil more about him i was taken away by it :)... at this time all the people in my age got to know him through his late works and used to think about him like hes been making commercial music... sad point of view :(... but now as people are growing older they start to think different about him :D

[Wscate]

@mack89464 I agree I would love to hear a new Boiwie album but in the time being just dig out one that you never listened to much rediscover it its amazing you learn to love all how work so vast and exciting on many levels I love to turn on kids today to him he really blows allot of todays kids head because he was so ahead of himself.

[trammix]

@createalifeyoulove I'm right with you on this comment. Loved David Bowie as a young teen (52 now too)

Brilliant lyrics.

[NoDestinyLive4Now]

@createalifeyoulove We all love him mate, we all do. I was born in 1980... it was cold, and it rained, so I felt like an actor... in 5 years, I'll still be listening to David Bowie... and 5 years after that, and 5 years after that... until they drag me into the grave I'll still be listening to David Bowie.

[gmansoul]

His music was so simple yet, orc

hestrated with great musciians.

[g9o9d9d9e9r9s]

I have a friend ( now a term i use with uncertainty) the other day who said he hates david bowie.... i was gobsmacked and felt i really shouldve known this about him sometime back, like 7 years ago when i first knew him, before proceeding to build a friendship, im now figuring out how to terminate it. Anyone who hates bowie, is not to be trusted end of! On a more positive note This performance is simply amazing, what a inspiration! Come back David, even if just a one off performance..please!

[coltonredwine]

Oh, wow. My Chemical Romance *totally* ripped this off on their first track of The Black Parade!

/watch?v=bN8dvRDGRcg

[bettyboopdenormandie]

super superbe, great great great

[mack89464]

@ColinDOYLE100 Its actually "And the queer threw up at the sight of that" :-)

[lesterpiglet1]

That is fucking briliant



[OneTheyForgot]

i think the queer would have killed him

[MsThomSmith]

he would easily make everybody belive in world's end

[Spartacus217]

What happened to music?!

[kmy9569]

ha, 1972+5 years= 1977 the biggest earthquake in romania EVER

[ferdinandsouz]

"Don't think you knew you were in my song"

Only a line could maked Bowie a genius of popular music.

[vivemaker]

Smiling and waving and looking so fine

Don't think you knew you were in my song..

Five years stuck on my eyes, what a surprise ( brain hurts a lot)

[TenWhoWereTaken]

'It was cold and it rained so I felt like an actor'

I love that line.

[kartoun]

Amazing performance!

[Gr1tsnGravy]

Darby Crash from "The Germs" dedicated his life to this song and when they became famous he committed suicide with an intentional overdose of heroin. The night he died was exactly five years from the day he told one of his friends "it will only be five years, after that it will be all over". But no one knew what he Meant.

[999billywhizz]

Timeless...

[zaybis]

@999billywhizz timeless is a transcendental category... i'm not sure that the cave people could've appreciated this

[vanillakiki1]

bowie <3

[york222ful]

Okay, that is amazing at least like the original. But the only thing that was missing for me is the echo.

[4165mc]

Jeez, imagine seeing this back in 1972 on TOTP! Blew everyone away I bet.

[marcuscato]

He saw me in an ice cream parlour drinking milkshakes cold and long, I was smiling and waving and looking so fine, I didn't even know I was in this song!

[drjohncarter1962]

sorry folks "the old grey whistle test" takes its name from the doormen at the Brill building in New York where Carole King and Gerry Goffin used to churn out hits, the music was piped through the building, if the doormen (known as "old greys") were whistling it by the end of the week it was thought that it would be a hit, hence the old grey whistle test

[mack89464]

@drjohncarter1962 Well....turns out that THIS is actually the correct origin of the name! Thanks for clearing that one up :)

[BaalZobel]

@mack89464 thats amazing to learn after all these years, these little gems are what YouTube are best at, thankyou :)

[zaybis]

@BaalZobel i need a bulbul in my anus

[MeasHanSolo]

@drjohncarter1962 Thanks. Good thing to know.

[PIETRO1945]

@drjohncarter1962 so whatas your point ?

[jazzFlavoured]

@drjohncarter1962 Apochryphal

[kpboland1969]

Definitely live vocals. he even makes a few mistake on the lyrics. Who cares if it's a track he is singing to or not, the man is pure talent.

[Psynaut00]

He even performs with his eyes.

[lumix1640]

Mixing with hazard this and About a boy of Patti Smith. Not pay attention at first and discover a fantastic chaos then!

[MeasHanSolo]

Thin white duke !

[blooddonor70]

@MeasHanSolo not yet, he was just getting into who Ziggy really was, Halloween Jack followed the Ziggy persona. LOVE your name,btw.

[FillFinger]

Don't think it's live. Check the drummer @ 3:25 and again at 3:34 .

[mack89464]

@FillFinger Did you read the description of the video?

[tailendcharlie]

I'm so glad they made these shows

[MarinaaWilliams]

@MarinaaWilliams

[kiwipalomino]

@AliDDJV

Ah...I've been hearing it wrong all this time! [Much longer than five years (: ] The real words are even more affecting. Thanks for the heads-up

[Spirou12345678]

The most magical album ever made also happens to be the best album ever made.

Everybody should rise and fall like that.

[dabreu]

Fantastic. And he looks like an elf. :)

[alexchannel001]

PLACEBO'S VERSION IS 1000000 X BETTER!!!!!!!!  X D

[DavidTransformer]

@mosquito1958 Interesting take on the Old Grey Whistle Test. I'm old enough to remember it and I was always led to believe it was named after the people who worked there as cleaners. If the song was going to be a hit they would hear "the old greys" whistling it after the performance. Hence "The Old Greys Whistle Test" was a good indicator the song was going to make it. Honest!!!

[mouseformed]

@DavidTransformer

wikipedia says: ' ..a 'tin pan alley' phrase from years ago. When they got the first pressing of a record they would play it to people they called the old greys [doormen in grey suits]. The ones they could remember and could whistle having heard it just once or twice had passed the old grey whistle test.'

I always heard it told as the 'old greys' were the cleaning ladies though.

[mosquito1958]

@DavidTransformer Hi David, I was told this by my brother in law now deceased when I was 13, now 53 years old, but would be nice if we could get to the bottom of this , the correct reason for choosing the titled to 'The old Grey whistle test ' ?

[GranTruismo4head]

@mosquito1958 Proper Good Job Mate on the info mate

[PantsReduction]

there's nothing better for my wellbeing than David Bowie

[SirRedSun88]

Couldn't have chosen a better opening track for ziggy if I tried myself... Genius

[nicolop87]

diosssssssssss, que jugador!!!!!

[DanBlabbers]

love that face he makes at the very end

[mindsaglowin]

Bowie proves that you don't need any talent to make it big. Just being weird will do it most of the time.

[markmarktarmann]

i think. this lyric inspired the song,"short people"

[halenharris]

AWESOME

[mosquito1958]

@mack89464 Hi Mac yep ,arma Lundannerr, not a cockney , a west London boy, but some of my friends ere born over the East End, and my late brother in law told me , although the answer was stairing me in my face all the time lol.

[Clobberbob55]

Farkin' A RIGHT.

The man is a genius.

[ZiggyStardust1014]

Im 14 too and I'm obsessed with him :) He is so sexy! But I wish our generation knew about him too because he is a rock god and a legend. Freaking beautiful.

[Ladystardust96]

@OlliJanelle999 I agree, I'm 14 and obsessed with David Bowie! I wish our generation knew about him.

[OlliJanelle999]

Even though its old...I'm 15 and I still love it. I wish more people my age did too :/ love you Bowie!

[kiwipalomino]

"Never thought I'd meet so many people..." Did you? (: BTW I was born in 1972, when this was released, but that's irrelevant. It's one of my favourite Bowie songs. Gets me in the heart and never loses its currency. Did you know you were in this song? x

[AliDDJV]

@kiwipalomino Never thought I'd NEED so many people.

And yeah, this verse is heartbreaking to me too...

[godisdeadagain]

girl my age went off her head

hit some tiny children

if the Black hadn't pulled her off

i think she would have killed them

[SpiritualityRules]

Hmm...

Uploaded in 2007...plus...'5 years'...2012...

Obviously just a coincidence, right?...

We'll blame it on me paranoia eh?

[rutbacat1]

The best opening song to any album ever.

[61emerald]

@rutbacat1 yep,simple as that!!what an album to be an opening song to!!!hes as big a star,influence,performer as anyone,in music!

[pshudso]

This was the story of our lives - has there ever been three better albums in a row than Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust and Alladin Sane? You had to have been there and it hasnt aged at all.....

[noonitooni]

Thanx David, you have no idea.

Your insight has made the world a better place.

[hyptnotize00]

the great ronny bennington brought this to my ears i love it

'

[droitwichblue]

I'm nearly 52 now, its great to see so many young people appreciate this music. I was 12 when this came out the stunning album Ziggy Stardust and although at the time I only had eyes or ears for Marc Bolan this was a ground breaker and the album stays in my all time top 10 - brilliant Bowie -what a genius!

[star13n]

What a champ. I've always loved Bowie but I've only just listened to this properly for the first time tonight. It is a great thing.

[11LadyGrinningSoul11]

Lifelong Bowie fan, natch. Creative genius an' that. But on a side note, how handsome, natural and grounded-seeming is he in this vid? Just before his coked-up, really-out-there anorexic phase, I think. Happy to see that all you young whipper-snappers are loving the alien, btw.

[Sei1863]

HAHA I love how he mixed up "crying" and "sighing" at the beginning. You could see the "oh shit" in his face.

[dfafsjasdlkj]

i love from 2:13 to 2:19 <3

[KubajsOndra]

goooood,i love you,Dave

[Baburote]

Wonderfull - we got 5 minutes to hear this classik