DAVID BOWIE - "Space Oddity"

David Bowie
"Space Oddity"
Single / B-side: "Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud"
Album: David Bowie (aka Space Oddity)
Released: 11 July 1969

Writer: David Bowie

Label: Phillips (UK), Mercury (US), RCA
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"Space Oddity" is a song written and performed by David Bowie and released as a music single in July 1969. It is about the launch of Major Tom, a fictional astronaut. Besides its title, which clearly alludes to the film 2001: A Space Odyssey, the introduction to the song is a barely audible instrumental build-up that is analogous to the deep bass tone in Also Sprach Zarathustra that is prominently used in the film. The lyrics have also been seen to lampoon the British space programme.The song appears on the album David Bowie (also known as Space Oddity).

David Bowie's single "Space Oddity" 1969
(Photo courtesy: Phillips)

David Bowie - "Space Oddity" (1969)

The song was awarded the 1969 Ivor Novello Award, together with Peter Sarstedt's "Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)?". "Space Oddity" became so well known that Bowie's second album, originally released as David Bowie in the UK (like his first album), was renamed after the track for its 1972 reissue by RCA Records, and has since become known by this name. It was used by U2 during their 360° Tour (2009-2011). It was played over the public address system preceding the band's arrival on stage. In 2013, the song gained renewed popularity after it was covered by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, who performed the song while aboard the International Space Station, and therefore became the first music video shot in space. This video was removed from YouTube on May 13, 2014: despite Bowie's explicit wishes that Hadfield be fully licensed to record the song and produce the video, the song is owned — and its copyright controlled — by Bowie's publisher, who granted Hadfield license to the song for only one year.

David Bowie - "Space Oddity" (Vinyl version)

David Bowie - "Space Oddity" (music video, 1969)

David Bowie plays Space Oddity, Hammersmith Odeon, 1973

Bowie would later revisit his Major Tom character in the songs "Ashes to Ashes" and "Hallo Spaceboy". German singer Peter Schilling's 1983 hit "Major Tom (Coming Home)" is written as a retelling of the song.

Line-up / Musicians:

David Bowie – vocals, acoustic guitar, stylophone

Mick Wayne – lead guitar

Herbie Flowers – bass guitar

Terry Cox – drums

Rick Wakeman – Mellotron, piano