David Bowie, appearing on the Parkinson talk show in 2002
You never knew when David Bowie’s keen sense of humor would appear. But given a comfortable setting on television, the likelihood of his displaying his wit would often emerge. Such was the case in 2002 when, to promote his album Heathen, he appeared – alongside fellow guest Tom Hanks – on the British TV talk show, Parkinson, hosted by Michael Parkinson.
Bowie tells the host about the first time he saw the Rolling Stones perform, in 1963, at the Brixton Odeon in southwest London, when they opened for Little Richard. Bowie, born on January 8, 1947, would have been 16 years old.
In these early days of the Stones, their first singles were covers of such artists as Chuck Berry (“Carol”) and the Beatles (“I Wanna Be Your Man”).
“They weren’t very well known,” Bowie recalls. “There were about six kids rushed to the front. That was their fan base at the time. Everybody was there for Little Richard.
“It was priceless… I had never seen anything so rebellious in my life. A guy yells out, ‘Get your haircut!'” Bowie then does a priceless impersonation of Jagger.
Watch the brief clip
Ten years later, Bowie recorded a glam cover version of the Stones’ “Let’s Spend the Night Together” for his 1973 album, Aladdin Sane.
And, of course, there was the time Bowie and Jagger, who was four years his senior, paired for a cover of “Dancing in the Street,” originally a hit for Martha and the Vandellas in 1964.
The legends’ version was recorded in 1985 as a charity single associated with the Live Aid relief cause. The new recording reached #1 in the U.K. and #4 on the Hot 100.
Jagger was born July 26, 1943.
Related: 10 times Jagger shared the mic
Incidentally, TV host Michael Parkinson was one of the fugitives shown on the cover of the Band On the Run, the 1973 album by Paul McCartney and Wings. The broadcaster, journalist and author died Aug. 16, 2023, at age 88.
I first met Michael Parkinson in Liverpool when he and his team came to see us at the Cavern Club. He was a very likeable guy and we eventually did our first TV performances with Granada in Manchester, where Michael worked.
Through the years I got to know him more and more, and… pic.twitter.com/o0fMiXsWwN
— Paul McCartney (@PaulMcCartney) August 19, 2023
2 Comments so far
Jump into a conversationDavid Bowie was certainly a talented guy. What a great impersonation of Mick.
Jesus H we are losing so may great talents of R&R lately. “I can’t change time”…