David Bowie’s “Golden Years” Was Almost an Elvis Presley Hit

It might not be the first thing that jumps to mind when you think of the British-born rocker David Bowie and the American-born performer Elvis Presley, but the two have a lot in common. Blessed with deep, rich voices and a knack for grabbing your eye wherever they are on stage, the two also have another thing in common: they almost worked together on a song.

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Let’s explore that story. Indeed, as history would have it, David Bowie’s 1975 hit song “Golden Years” was almost handed over to Elvis Presley.

Colonel Tom Parker

While there are plenty of reasons to be dubious about what Elvis’ manager, Colonel Tom Parker, says, he was often more of a detriment to his client’s career than he was a boon. It’s the Colonel himself who claimed that he asked Bowie to write a song for Presley.

Bowie was a lifelong fan of Elvis, and he was eager to work with him. Both artists were signed to RCA Records in the mid-1970s. The Colonel thought it would make sense for Bowie to pen something for The King. So, Bowie whipped up “Golden Years” and sent some demos over to Elvis to listen to.

The Decision

Bowie wrote the song before he shot the 1976 film The Man Who Fell To Earth. And perhaps strangely, Elvis decided to pass on the track. That’s surprising, since it went on to be a Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Elvis was gracious in his dismissal of the song, however, sending Bowie a personal note that read, “All the best, and have a great tour.” It was a message that Bowie would keep for the rest of his life, according to the book, Strange Fascination – David Bowie: The Definitive Story.

Other Accounts

Some differ when it comes to the above account, however. Bowie’s first wife Angie has said that he penned the tune for her, rather than Elvis. He would even sing the song over the telephone for her, she said, as far back as even the late 1960s. Another Bowie confidant, Ava Cherry, said she was the inspiration for the song. She and Bowie worked together in the early-to-mid-1970s.

Either way, the person who definitely didn’t sing the song was Elvis Presley. And Bowie’s career was made even better after he took the track on himself.

Photo by Ebet Roberts/Redferns