A David Bowie Tribute;

Our Major Tom

"This is Major Tom to Ground Control
I'm stepping through the door
And I'm floating in a most peculiar way
And the stars look very different today"

A year has passed since David Bowie died, taking his inimitable genius and quirky ways with him. Thankfully he left behind a huge legacy of music, performances and indeed fashion for the world to treasure long after his demise.

About five years before his death I created a homage to the great man in the form of a sketch style illustration of Bowie at his Aladdin Sane album photoshoot, this is shown below. Recently I illustrated something new, in the theme of Major Tom, as Space Oddity is one of my favourite David Bowie tracks.

Before illustrating the new design I began to think of ways I'd like to represent David Bowie; wanting to create something different from his highly popular Aladdin Sane photoshoot and make up that has inspired so many artists worldwide, and indeed something that would also be commerative of his passing.

I decided to base my new design around the song 'Space Oddity'.

Not only because it has always been my favourite David Bowie track, but because the lyrics say 'goodbye' to Major Tom and wish him well, and so I feel it's a fitting song for a commerative illustration following his passing from our mortal realm and floating far above the world ...

"And I'm floating in a most peculiar way
And the stars look very different today
For here
Am I sitting in a tin can
Far above the world
Planet Earth is blue
And there's nothing I can do ..."

I also like this song because it reminds me of his quirky and not well known movie The Man Who Fell To Earth. Not because it's in the sound track, as it is not, but I feel the lyrics do actually go very well with the movie, and so it always reminds me of it.

I did actually think of drawing him as the alien he portrays in the movie, and was very tempted to do so, but I've learned over time that it's all very well drawing what inspires you, but if you want other people to enjoy it too, you're going to have to TRY not to be too obscure in your creative expressions. Barely anyone has even heard of the film, and thus no one would have 'got me' as it were :)

So here we have it, my commemorative 'Space Oddity' design. The illustration features David Bowie floating in his tin can in his space suit, a portion of the countdown, a tin can at his feet, some song lyrics ( "and may God's love be with you" being particularly poignant I feel) and even his protein pills float around his head!

You'll need to either know the song well, or listen to Space Oddity a few times (or at least read the lyrics) to understand the design fully. In that way, this commemorative David Bowie mug really is for true fans, and I do hope that those that buy it enjoy all the symbolism and meaning behind the design.

About David Bowie's Space Oddity

London born David Bowie was born on the 8th January 1947 as David Robert Jones and over his lifetime achieved an estimated 140 million worldwide record sales, making him one of the world's best selling music artists.

Space Oddity was first released in 1969 as a single, and was the opening track on his second studio album titled David Bowie. It became one of his most popular songs, and one of his four songs that were included in the The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's '500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll'.

His first song to chart in the UK, Space Oddity reached the top five during it's initial release, and upon it's second release in 1975 it became David Bowies first UK number 1 single. After his passing on the 10th January 2016, Space Oddity ranked as third on iTunes by the 12th January 2016.

David Bowie has always been a bit of an oddity, and like all rare things, oddities and curiosities, has been hugely treasured as a result, below are the full lyrics to Space Oddity. If you've never heard the song, I implore you to play it on repeat.

Ground Control to Major Tom
Ground Control to Major Tom
Take your protein pills and put your helmet on
Ground Control to Major Tom (ten, nine, eight, seven, six)
Commencing countdown, engines on (five, four, three)
Check ignition and may God's love be with you (two, one, liftoff)

This is Ground Control to Major Tom
You've really made the grade
And the papers want to know whose shirts you wear
Now it's time to leave the capsule if you dare
"This is Major Tom to Ground Control
I'm stepping through the door
And I'm floating in a most peculiar way
And the stars look very different today

For here
Am I sitting in a tin can
Far above the world
Planet Earth is blue
And there's nothing I can do

Though I'm past one hundred thousand miles
I'm feeling very still

And I think my spaceship knows which way to go
Tell my wife I love her very much she knows
Ground Control to Major Tom
Your circuit's dead, there's something wrong
Can you hear me, Major Tom?
Can you hear me, Major Tom?
Can you hear me, Major Tom?
Can you "Here am I floating 'round my tin can
Far above the moon
Planet Earth is blue
And there's nothing I can do"

Where Are We Now?

Well, sadly we have reached the end of David Bowie's life,  but his music and spirit of quirk can live on. Just three years before his death David Bowie released a new song; 'Where Are We Now' - a staggering 10 years after his previous new song.

It was in my opinion a lovely song but not particularly different to his earlier works, however nearly immediately after the release of 'Where Are We Now', he released 'The Stars Are Out Tonight' in February 2016, which was in my opinion a masterpiece that I had running on repeat.

In addition I was also absolutely delighted to spot a sneaky reference to The Man Who Fell To Earth in the early scenes of his music video featuring Tilda Swanson. Keeps your eyes peeled in the supermarket.

It seems to me that Bowie is most inspired when speculating on the universe, the stars, space ... a true Space Oddity.