Trying to cover a David Bowie song is rather like attempting to climb Mount Everest in flip-flops. But in honor of NASA once again heading to the moon, thought I'd share my version of his classic "Space Oddity." This is not a cover version. It is an 'Adrian' version. And I hope somebody out there enjoys it as much as I enjoyed creating it some years back.
Listen here; https://www.soundclick.com/music/songInfo.cfm?songID=13771230
"Space Oddity" was first released as a 7-inch single on 11 July 1969. It was also the opening track of his second studio album, David Bowie. It became one of Bowie's signature songs and one of four of his songs to be included in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
Inspired by Stanley Kubrick's film 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), the song is about the launch of Major Tom, a fictional astronaut, and was released during a period of great interest in space flight. The United States' Apollo 11 mission would launch five days later and would become the first manned moon landing another five days after that. Bowie revisited his Major Tom character in the songs "Ashes to Ashes", "Hallo Spaceboy" and possibly the music video for "Blackstar".
"Space Oddity" was Bowie's first single to chart in the UK. It reached the top five on its initial release and received the 1970 Ivor Novello Special Award for Originality. His second album, originally released as David Bowie in the UK, was renamed after the track for its 1972 re-release by RCA Records and became known by this name. In 1975, upon re-release as part of a maxi-single, the song became Bowie's first UK No. 1 single.
In 2013, the song gained renewed popularity following its recording 44 years after Bowie by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, who performed the song (with slightly revised lyrics) while aboard the International Space Station, and therefore became the first music video shot in space. In January 2016, the song re-entered singles charts around the world following Bowie's death, which included becoming Bowie's first single to top the French Singles Chart. The song also ranked as third on iTunes on 12 January 2016.
One thing I love about it is that it is a perfect example of a song telling a story, that feels like a movie, and once heard lives forever in your mind! I recall singing it once at an open mic in Ellicott City, MD, when a violinist joined me up front, and took things to a whole new level. Great memory and 'tis a pity nobody captured it on video. Not so much for mt performance, but tat of the violin player jamming along.
To NASA... boldly go. To David Bowie... thanks for the music and rest in peace as this planet continues to resonate with your wonderful compositions.
"Space Oddity" (David Bowie)
Copyright: T.R.O. INC.
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 in my tin can
Far above the world.
Planet Earth is blue
And there's nothing I can do"