Space Oddity (song)

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This article is about the song. For the album which includes this song, see David Bowie (1969 album).
"Space Oddity"
Single by David Bowie
from the album David Bowie (aka Space Oddity)
Released July 1969 (Original release)
1973 (US Reissue)
1975 (UK Reissue)
Format Vinyl record
Recorded Trident Studios, 20 June 1969 (1969-06-20)
Genre Progressive rock, psychedelic folk, space rock
Length 5:15
Label Philips (UK)
Mercury (U.S.)
RCA
Writer(s) David Bowie
Producer Gus Dudgeon
David Bowie singles chronology
"Love You Till Tuesday"
(1967)		 "Space Oddity"
(1969)		 "Ragazzo solo, ragazza sola"
(1969)


Music sample
"Space Oddity"
David Bowie (aka Space Oddity) track listing

Side 1

  1. "Space Oddity"
  2. "Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed"
  3. "Don't Sit Down"
  4. "Letter to Hermione"
  5. "Cygnet Committee"

Side 2

  1. "Janine"
  2. "An Occasional Dream"
  3. "Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud"
  4. "God Knows I'm Good"
  5. "Memory of a Free Festival"

"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.[1] The song appears on the album David Bowie (also known as Space Oddity).

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. "Space Oddity" gained much popularity with the remaking and performance of it by Astronaut Chris Hadfield, who performed the song while onboard the International Space Station in 2013.

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.

Contents

Recording and release [edit]

After Bowie's split from record label Deram, his manager, Kenneth Pitt, negotiated a one-album deal (with options for a further one or two albums) with Mercury Records and its UK subsidiary, Philips, in 1969.

An early version of the song had appeared in Bowie's 1969 promotional film Love You Till Tuesday.

Next he tried to find a producer. George Martin turned the project down,[citation needed] while Tony Visconti liked the album demo-tracks, but considered the planned lead-off single, "Space Oddity", a gimmick track[citation needed] and delegated its production to Gus Dudgeon. The session players on the song included Rick Wakeman (mellotron), Mick Wayne (guitar), Herbie Flowers (bass), and Terry Cox (drums).

After the recording of a fresh version, the single was rush-released on 11 June 1969 to coincide with the Apollo 11 moon landing.[citation needed] It was promoted in advertisements for the Stylophone, played by Bowie on the record. The single was not played by the BBC until after the Apollo 11 crew had safely returned;[2] after this slow start, however, the song reached #5 in the chart. In the U.S, it stalled at 124.

Mogol wrote Italian lyrics, and Bowie recorded a new vocal, releasing the single "Ragazzo Solo, Ragazza Sola" ("Lonely Boy, Lonely Girl") in Italy, reportedly to take attention away from covers by the Italian bands Equipe 84 and The Computers.

Upon its re-release as a single in 1973, the song reached #15 on the Billboard Chart and became Bowie's first hit single in America; in Canada, it reached #16.[3] This was then used to support RCA's 1975 UK reissue, which gave Bowie his first #1 single in November.

A stripped-down version, originally performed on Kenny Everett's New Year's Eve Show, was issued in February 1980 as the B-side of "Alabama Song".

The B-side, "Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud", first appeared on CD on 1989's Sound + Vision.

On 20 July 2009, the single was reissued on a digital EP that featured four previously released versions of the song and stems that allow listeners to remix the song. This release coincided with the 40th anniversary of the song and the Apollo 11 moon landing.

"Space Oddity" was featured as one of the on-disc songs in the videogame Rock Band 3 and as downloadable content in Rocksmith. "Space Oddity" was also is the credits song in the psychological thriller videogame "Alan Wake".

In 2013, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield recorded a video of the song on the International Space Station. The lyrics were somewhat altered; the ending was replaced with Major Tom getting his orders to land and doing so safely. Hadfield announced the video on his Twitter account, writing "With deference to the genius of David Bowie, here's Space Oddity, recorded on Station. A last glimpse of the World."[4] David Bowie was also thanked in the ending credits.[5] This is the first music video ever shot in space.[6] The video became very popular and even led Bowie to respond, tweeting back to Hadfield "Hallo Spaceboy".[7]

Track listing [edit]

Chris Hadfield performs his rendition of Space Oddity on board the International Space Station in May 2013.

All songs written by David Bowie.

1969 UK original
  1. "Space Oddity" – 4:33 (mono)
  2. "Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud" – 3:52
1969 Germany/Holland
  1. "Space Oddity" – 5:13 (stereo)
  2. "Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud" – 4:59 (stereo)
1969 US original
  1. "Space Oddity" - 3:26
  2. "Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud" - 3:20
1973 US Reissue
  1. "Space Oddity" - 5:05
  2. "The Man Who Sold the World" - 3:53
1975 UK reissue
  1. "Space Oddity" – 5:15
  2. "Changes" – 3:33
  3. "Velvet Goldmine" – 3:10
2009 reissue (Digital EP)
  1. "Space Oddity" (Original UK mono single edit)
  2. "Space Oddity" (US mono single edit)
  3. "Space Oddity" (US stereo single edit)
  4. "Space Oddity" (1979 re-record)
  5. "Space Oddity" (Bass and Drums)
  6. "Space Oddity" (Strings)
  7. "Space Oddity" (Acoustic guitar)
  8. "Space Oddity" (Mellotron)
  9. "Space Oddity" (Backing vocal, flute and cellos)
  10. "Space Oddity" (Stylophone and guitar)
  11. "Space Oddity" (Lead vocal)
  12. "Space Oddity" (Main backing vocal including countdown)

Music video [edit]

In the days after the song, Bowie filmed a music video to promote his movie Love You till Tuesday.

In December 1972, Mick Rock shot a music video of Bowie performing the song during the sessions for Aladdin Sane, which was used to promote the January 1973 U.S. reissue on RCA.

In May 2013, Chris Hadfield, Canadian astronaut and Commander of an International Space Station mission, created a viral rendition of this while in space, garnering large media exposure. [8]

Personnel [edit]

Credits apply to 1969 original release:

Musical
Technical
  • Gus Dudgeon – record producer

References [edit]

  1. ^ David Buckley (1999). Strange Fascination – David Bowie: The Definitive Story: pp.49–50
  2. ^ Bowie @ The Beeb (2001)
  3. ^ Library and Archives Canada. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.4836&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=rkfvvqhpd6r06taff65b0tais1
  4. ^ Tweet; By Rebecca Younger (13 May 2013). "Chris Hadfield Space Oddity: Astronaut covers David Bowie track before leaving space". Mirror. 
  5. ^ Space Oddity - Chris Hadfield
  6. ^ Chris Hadfield sings "Space Oddity" in the first music video in space
  7. ^ Tweet; By Rebecca Younger (13 May 2013). "Chris Hadfield Space Oddity: Astronaut covers David Bowie track before leaving space". Mirror. 
  8. ^ "Astronaut Chris Hadfield Sings David Bowie As He Departs The International Space Station". Forbes. 13 May 2013. 

External links [edit]

Preceded by
"I Only Have Eyes For You" by Art Garfunkel		 UK number-one single
8 November 1975 (two weeks)		 Succeeded by
"D.I.V.O.R.C.E." by Billy Connolly

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