Space Oddity (song)
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"Space Oddity"
You can download the clip or download a player to play the clip in your browser. |
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| David Bowie (aka Space Oddity) track listing | ||
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Side 1
Side 2
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"Space Oddity" is a song written and performed by David Bowie and released as a music single in 1969. It is about the launch of Major Tom, a fictional astronaut; its title alludes to the film 2001: A Space Odyssey. The lyrics have also been seen to lampoon the failed British space programme. The song appears on the album David Bowie (also known as Space Oddity). The BBC featured the song in its television coverage of the Apollo 11 launch and lunar landing, which took place in the days following the release of the song.
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.
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.
The song uses the full major system.
The song 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.
Read more about Space Oddity (song): Recording and Release, Track Listing, Music Video, Personnel
Famous quotes containing the word space:
“I take SPACE to be the central fact to man born in America.... I spell it large because it comes large here. Large and without mercy.”
—Charles Olson (1910–1970)