Space Oddity
David Bowie
Lyrics currently unavailable…
14 facts about this song
Release Date"Space Oddity" was released on 11th July 1969, coinciding with the Apollo 11 moon landing which took place on 16th July that same year.
|
InfluenceThe song was directly influenced by Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film "2001: A Space Odyssey."
|
Popularity“Space Oddity” was one of David Bowie’s most popular songs, reaching No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart in 1969 and No.15 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1973.
|
Re-release SuccessOn its re-release in 1975, the song topped the UK Singles Chart, catapulting Bowie's career to new heights.
|
ContentThe song narrates the launch of Major Tom, a fictional astronaut who becomes lost in space. The lyrics portray a mix of technology and existentialism.
|
AwardThe song won the Ivor Novello Special Award for Originality in 1970.
|
Music VideoThe music video for the song, which sees Bowie as Major Tom, was one of the first to be filmed in a specially prepared television studio.
|
Later Albums ReferenceThe character Major Tom reappears in several later Bowie songs, including "Ashes to Ashes", "Hallo Spaceboy", "Blackstar" and "Space Oddity's" sequel, "Dollar Days".
|
Influence on CultureThe phrase "Ground Control to Major Tom" has since become a synonym for connection loss or the feeling of being adrift, detached, or lost.
|
Cover VersionsNumerous artists have covered the song over the years, including Smashing Pumpkins, Chris Hadfield (the first rendition recorded in space), and Kristen Wiig and David Bowie himself in the film "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty."
|
Use in CinemaThe song has been used in various film soundtracks, including "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" and Christiane F. - We Children from Bahnhof Zoo.
|
Space ConnectionIn May 2013, astronaut Chris Hadfield performed a cover of the song aboard the International Space Station. The resulting video became a hit and was the first-ever music video shot in space.
|
Bowie's CommentsDespite the song's success, Bowie himself had mixed feelings about it, calling it a "novelty record" that "isn't a particularly good, a good song." However, he noted that the public's affection for it was "so great" that he would "definitely include it" in his live sets.
|
Legacy"Space Oddity" was one of 25 songs added to the National Recording Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress for preservation because of their cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance.
|
Citation
Use the citation below to add these lyrics to your bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"Space Oddity Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 24 Sep. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/9519572/David+Bowie/Space+Oddity>.
Discuss the Space Oddity Lyrics with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In