Major Tom
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Major Tom is a fictional astronaut created by David Bowie, appearing in his songs "Space Oddity", "Ashes to Ashes" and "Hallo Spaceboy". Bowie's own interpretation of the character evolved throughout his career. 1969's "Space Oddity" depicts an astronaut who casually slips the bonds of a crass and material world to journey beyond the stars. In the 1980's song "Ashes to Ashes", Bowie reinterprets Major Tom as an oblique autobiographical symbol for himself. Major Tom is described as a "junkie, strung out in heaven's high, hitting an all-time low". This lyric was interpreted as a play on the title of Bowie's 1977 album Low, which charted his withdrawal following his drug abuse in America. A short time later, there is another reversal of Major Tom's original withdrawal, turning 'outwards' or towards space.[1]
Other major artists who have featured Bowie's character include Peter Schilling in his "Major Tom (Coming Home)"; "I'm A Soldier" by Stefán; "Mrs. Major Tom" by K.I.A.; "Rocket" by Def Leppard; and "Rain or Shine" by Five Star; among others. Due to some similarities in Elton John's "Rocket Man", some presume this song might also be an allusion to Major Tom. In fact, Bowie made the connection during concerts, calling out during the song, "Oh, Rocket Man!"[2]
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[edit] Songs
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Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (October 2009) |
In "Space Oddity", on the 1969 album also titled Space Oddity, Major Tom's departure from Earth is successful and everything goes according to plan, but then he loses contact with Ground Control. His last transmission is, "Tell my wife I love her very much."
In Peter Schilling's 1983 song "Major Tom (Coming Home)" Tom sends a final message, "Give my wife my love..." with no transmissions back to Earth from that point. He then declares that he's "coming home", being commanded by the Light, which can be taken to mean the afterlife. The associated music video also shows an object falling back through the atmosphere, presumably either Major Tom or his ship. In this song the word "light" in "now the Light commands" is often heard or transcribed as "life", but the liner notes of the Error In The System LP (and the original German) confirm the word "light".
The German version differs from the English rendition in that it is implied that rather than being caught in an accident, Major Tom ends his life willingly due to information available to him, but not to Mission Control.
Also in 1983, Schilling's song was recorded by Plastic Bertrand, but with slightly altered lyrics, in which Major Tom prefers to stay away from Earth and its selfishness and danger of nuclear war.
Matthew Wilder's commercially unsuccessful 1984 title track "Bouncin' Off the Walls" does not name its main character but may continue Schilling's story of Major Tom burning up during atmospheric re-entry to Earth.
In the hit single Rain or Shine from 1986 by British pop group Five Star the lyrics mention Major Tom in this way: "Robin Hood and Major Tom - all the super heroes rolled into one."
In 1995 Bowie's song "Hallo Spaceboy" was remixed by the Pet Shop Boys, with extra lyrics (sung by Neil Tennant) taken from "Space Oddity".
In "Mrs. Major Tom", released by the artist K.I.A. (on Neuphoria Recordings, 2002), the story is continued, but now told from the perspective of the wife left at home.
The introduction to "Cosmonaut" on Relationship of Command (2000) by At the Drive-In contains a "final message" from Major Tom before he dies in space. The message was commonly used to introduce Cosmonaut at live shows.
Major Tom has also had passing references in other songs, such as Def Leppard's "Rocket", The Tea Party's "Empty Glass", and Marilyn Manson's "Apple of Sodom".
Major Tom also appears in the spoken word a cappella "Pride's Paranoia" by American rapper Slug, which was remixed by UK house group Futureshock.
The lyrics "My mother said to get things done, you'd better not mess with Major Tom" appear on the song "Cicatriz: Part III" on The Mars Volta's live album "Scabdates".
Major Tom is mentioned in Fantastic 6[3] by Alphabeat in the lyrics "They have crash helmets on, Just like Major Tom".
Flight of the Concords performed an acid tribute to Major Tom called "Bowie's in Space".
[edit] Covers
There has been multiple covers of the David Bowie songs mentioning Major Tom as well as Peter Schilling's "Major Tom (Coming Home)": In 1999 the band Helloween released a cover of "Space Oddity" on their album Metal Jukebox. A cover of "Space Oddity" also appears in the special edition edition of Space Metal, a collection of science-fiction and topically related songs, on the second disc. The American rock band I Hate Kate included a cover of "Major Tom (Coming Home)" by Peter Schilling on their CD Embrace The Curse. This cover does not include the verses after the second chorus, which includes the message from Major Tom. Colin Forsythe sang a cross-over mix of "Space Oddity" with "Christmas Time (Don't Let the Bells End)" on his debut album, 2007's "He's Just Not That Into You". The American band Shiny Toy Guns recorded a cover of Peter Schilling's Major Tom (Coming Home) in 2009 for use in a commercial for the 2010 Lincoln MKZ.[4]
[edit] Notes
- ^ Roy Carr & Charles Shaar Murray (1981). Bowie: An Illustrated Record: pp.109-116
- ^ Was "Major Tom" the astronaut a real person? from The Straight Dope
- ^ http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/a79928/alphabeat-fantastic-six.html
- ^ http://www.lincoln.com/extras/tvads.asp?id=7
