Golden Years chords

by David Bowie

Song Key: F# Major

Time Signature: 4/4

Tempo: 108 bpm


Standard Guitar Tuning: E A D G B e

Skill Level: Beginner 🟢

Guitar Chords: F#, G, Am, A#dim7, Bm, C, D, E, Em7

Play-Along Video
R-H Chord Charts Chord Chart Legend
F# Major barre chord F# Major G Major Am A#dim7 Bm Bm barre chord C Major D Major E Major Em7
L-H Chord Charts Lefties Chord Chart Legend
F# Major barre chord-LH F# Major-LH G Major-LH Am-LH A#dim7-LH Bm Bm barre chord-LH C Major-LH D Major-LH E Major-LH Em7-LH
Speed: x0.1

Golden Years

Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key
 
         F#  E        F#  E        F#  E        F#  E
Intro: | 1+2 +3+ 4+ | 1+2 +3+ 4+ | 1+2 +3+ 4+ | 1+2 +3+ 4+ |
Please Note: This timing occurs throughout the song.

   F#      E      F#   E                    F#   E
** Gold-en years, gold   (whop whop whop) |        |
   F#      E      F#   E                    F#   E
   Gold-en years, gold   (whop whop whop) |        |
   F#      E      F#   E
   Gold-en years, gold   (whop whop whop)
 
 
 F#             E
1. Don't let me hear you say life's 
F#             E           F#   E
   Tak-ing you no-where    an - gel
    F#              E
   (Come get up, my ba-by)
   F#                  E
   Look at that sky-y, life's be-gun
   F#                      E        F#     E
   Nights are warm and the days are you-ou-oung
    F#              E
   (Come get up, my ba-by)
 
        D                 Bm
Chorus: There's my ba-by, lost that's all
        D                      Bm               F#    E
        Once I'm beg-ging you, save her lit-tle sou - oul
        F#   E                       F#  E
        Go-o-old, (whop whop whop) |       |
         F#              E
        (Come get up, my ba-by)
 
 F#                E
2. Last night they loved you
   F#                  E                      F#     E
   Op-en-ing doors and pul-ling some strings    an - gel
    F#              E
   (Come get up, my ba-by)
   F#                     E
   In walked luck and you looked in time
   F#                     E         F#   E
   Nev-er look back, walk tall, act fi-i-ine
    F#              E
   (Come get up, my ba-by)
 
 
             D              Bm          D          Bm
Chorus: I'll stick with you ba-by for a  thou-sand years
        G                 C                  Am        A#dim7
        Noth-ing's gon-na touch you in these   gold-en years...
         Bm    Em7                    F#       E
       | yea - ears  | 2/4 Gold  |4/4 Gold-en  years |
        F#   E                       F#  E
        Go-o-old, (whop whop whop) |       |
         F#              E
        (Come get up, my ba-by)
 
   F#                         E
3. Some of these days, and it won't be long
          F#                        E
   Gon-na drive back down where you once be-longed
          F#                   E
   In the back of a dream car, twen-ty foot long
         F#                  E
   Don't cry my sweet, don't break my heart
   F#                        E 
   Doi-ng all right, but you got-ta get smart
   F#                      E
   Wish up-on, wish up-on, day up-on day,
        F#             E          F#      E
   I be-lieve oh Lord, I be-lieve all the way (Come get up my baby)
   F#          E         F#          E       
   Run for the sha-dows, run for the sha-dows
   F#          E                 F#      E
   Run for the sha-dows in these gold-en years

        D                 Bm
Chorus: There's my ba-by, lost that's all
        D                      Bm               F#    E
        Once I'm beg-ging you, save her lit-tle sou - oul
        F#   E                     F#  E
        Go-o-old, whop whop whop |       |
         F#              E
        (Come get up, my ba-by)
      F#          E 
        Don't let me hear you say life's
      F#            E         F#   E
        Tak-ing you no-where, an - gel
        F#              E
       (Come get up, my ba-by)
        F#          E         F#          E       
        Run for the sha-dows, run for the sha-dows
        F#          E                 F#      E
        Run for the sha-dows in these gold-en years

             D              Bm          D          Bm
Chorus: I'll stick with you ba-by for a  thou-sand years
        G                 C                  Am        A#dim7
        Noth-ing's gon-na touch you in these   gold-en years
         Bm    Em7                    F#       E
       | yea - ears  | 2/4 Gold  |4/4 Gold-en  years |
        F#   E                       F#  E
        Go-o-old, (whop whop whop) |       |
        F#      E      F#   E                      F#   E
        Gold-en years, go-o-old (whop whop whop) |        |
        F#      E      F#   E                      F#   E
        Gold-en years, go-o-old (whop whop whop) |        |
                                               ... repeat to fade

Arrangement Details:

  • Key Signature: F# Major - 6 sharps (F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, E#)
  • Time Signature: 4/4 — Four quarter-note beats per measure
  • Tempo: Moderately
  • Metronome: ♩ = 108
  • Voice Range: B3 - B5
  • Beginner Guitarists: You can play F# exactly the same as F Major but starting on the 2nd fret instead of the first (see charts). 🥳

Sheet Music Intro

Song Intro

Song Details:

Album Cover
Album Cover
  • Songwriter: David Bowie
  • Date Written: May 1975
  • Lyrics Begin: Golden years, gold whop whop whop...
  • Featured Artist: David Bowie
  • Single:
    Recorded: 21–30 September 1975
    Released: 21 November 1975
    B-side: Can You Hear Me?
  • Genre: Funk, Disco, Doo-wop, Pop
  • Album: Station to Station
    Recorded: September–November 1975
    Released: 23 January 1976

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