David Bowie Space Oddity Tribute

Space Oddity is a song written and recorded by music legend David Bowie (8 January 1947 – 10 January 2016).

 

It was released as a 7 inch single in July 1969, back in the days when we had vinyl, and became one of his signature songs. It will be remembered long after his passing. It's one of his four songs to be listed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll" and so is an important part of music history. 

 

The track describes the launch of Major Tom into space; a fictional character created during a time when interest in space travel was at it's peak. Just five days after the song release the United States Apollo 11 mission was launched into space.

 

In the music video for 'Space Oddity' David Bowie is seen dressed in his Major Tom guise, literally floating in his tin can as the song lyrics suggest.

 

A wonderfully haunting track well worth of it's place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Space Oddity is a perfect musical homage to the legend that is David Bowie in the wake of his passing in 2016, and indeed it's one of my favourite tracks of his.

 

The song lyrics are about the launch of Major Tom into space and we wish him well as  he asks us to tell his wife that he loves her ...

 

" Tell my wife I love her very much (she knows) "

 

Who cannot now always think of his wife of 23 years (Iman) when hearing those lyrics?

 

As this is one of my favourite Bowie tracks, I illustrated a homage to Space Oddity and indeed David Bowie himself. The illustration has been printed as a wraparound mug, a perfect gift for music fans and I've put together a video showcase of the mug design which you can view below.

 

Shame I couldn't actually have run this video along to the Space Oddity song itself, but copyright and all that :-)

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"

 

 

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