Major Tom

Peter Schilling

About Major Tom

"Major Tom (Coming Home)" (German: Major Tom [völlig losgelöst], 'Major Tom [completely detached]') is a song by singer Peter Schilling from his album Error in the System. With a character unofficially related to "Major Tom", the protagonist of David Bowie's 1969 song "Space Oddity", the song is about the character being caught in an accident in space. The song was originally recorded in German and released in West Germany on January 3, 1983. It reached No. 1 in West Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The English version was first released in the United States on September 24, 1983. It reached No. 1 in Canada, No. 4 in South Africa and peaked at No. 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart the week of December 24, 1983. The English-language version of the song also reached No. 2 on the dance chart in the US. In 1994, Schilling made and released a remixed version along with Bomm Bastic, titled "Major Tom 94". Another remix was released in 2000, titled "Major Tom 2000", and yet another in 2003, titled "Major Tom 2003". 


Year:
2010
4:59
568 
#1

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Gründlich durchgecheckt
Steht sie da
Und wartet auf den Start
Alles klar

Experten streiten sich
Um ein paar Daten 
Die Crew hat dann noch
Ein paar Fragen, doch
Der Countdown läuft

Effektivität
Bestimmt das Handeln
Man verlässt sich blind
Auf den andern

Jeder weiß genau
Was von ihm abhängt
Jeder ist im Stress
Doch Major Tom
Macht einen Scherz

Dann hebt er ab und!

Völlig losgelöst
Von der Erde
Schwebt das Raumschiff
Völlig schwerelos

Die Erdanziehungskraft
Ist überwunden,
Alles läuft perfekt
Schon seit Stunden

Wissenschaftliche
Experimente,
Doch was nützen die
Am Ende
Denkt sich Major Tom

Im Kontrollzentrum
Da wird man panisch
Der Kurs der Kapsel der
Stimmt ja gar nicht

Hallo Major Tom
Können Sie hören,
Wollen Sie das Projekt
Denn so zerstören?
Doch, er kann nichts hören
Er schwebt weiter

Völlig losgelöst
Von der Erde
Schwebt das Raumschiff
Völlig schwerelos

Die Erde schimmert blau
Sein letzter Funk kommt
Grüsst mir meine Frau!
Und er verstummt

Unten trauern noch
Die Egoisten,
Major Tom denkt sich
Wenn die wüssten
Mich führt hier ein Licht
Durch das All,
Das kennt ihr noch nicht
Ich komme bald
Mir wird kalt

Völlig losgelöst
Von der Erde
Schwebt das Raumschiff
Schwerelos

Völlig losgelöst
Von der Erde
Schwebt das Raumschiff
Schwerelos

Völlig losgelöst
Von der Erde
Schwebt das Raumschiff
Völlig schwerelo-s

Lo-o-o-o-s
Lo-o-o-o-s
Lo-o-o-o-s
Lo-o-o-o-s

 Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer


Peter Schilling

Peter Schilling (born Pierre Michael Schilling on January 28, 1956, Stuttgart, Germany) is a German synthpop musician whose songs often feature science-fiction themes (aliens, astronauts, nuclear holocaust, etc.). His 1983 album, Error in the System, generated his only international hit single, "Major Tom (Coming Home)", a retelling of David Bowie's classic 1969 song "Space Oddity". Although the song was originally recorded in German, the international hit version was sung in English. In 1984 and 1985, Schilling released the albums 120 Grad and 120 Grad's English language version, 1985's Things to Come. From 1986 to 1989, Schilling released non-album singles and put out his 1988 compilation The Different Story. In 1990, Schilling suffered from burnout and the… more »

1 fan

Written by: Pierre Schilling

Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Song Origin
"Major Tom" is a song by a German singer, Peter Schilling. The song became a massive hit during the 1980s.
Language
Originally, "Major Tom" was written and performed in German. However, the song was later translated into English to cater to a wider international audience.
Reference to David Bowie
The song continues the story of Major Tom, a fictional astronaut character introduced by David Bowie in his songs "Space Oddity" and "Ashes to Ashes". Schilling’s song is considered a retelling of Bowie’s story, but with a different interpretation.
Chart Performance
The English version of the song hit the top of the charts in several countries, including Canada and Sweden, and it climbed to No.14 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Album Featuring
The song was included in Peter Schilling's album "Error in the System".
Music Video
The music video for "Major Tom" plays out like a mini space odyssey movie, showing a mission to launch Major Tom into space that goes wrong.
Remix Version
A remix version of the song was released in 1994, which notably includes more electronic elements than the original version.
Popular Culture
The song "Major Tom" has been widely used in popular culture, appearing in various advertisements, television series, and movies, such as "Breaking Bad", "Deutschland 83", and "Atomic Blonde".
Inspirational Material
The song served as inspiration for William Shatner's spoken word song "Major Tom (Coming Home)", released in 2011.
Song Theme
While "Major Tom" can be enjoyed as a simple song about an astronaut's tragic journey, it is often interpreted as a metaphor for withdrawal, isolation, and the dangers inherent in turning away from humanity.

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