Retro Music 44

~ beetleypete

David Bowie started his long career in music in 1963, when he was still known by his real name of David Jones. After the name change later, he released a song in 1969 that was so different to anything we had known before, it caught the imagination of the record buying public, leading him to eventually become one of the most successful recording artists of all time.

I just had to buy this record at the time, even though it seemed strange, and was nothing like the rest of the music I was listening to when I was seventeen. After that, I became a huge fan, and owned every album he released, right up to his death in 2016.

Ground control to Major Tom
Ground control to Major Tom
Lock your Soyuz hatch and put your helmet on.
Ground control to Major Tom
Commencing countdown engines on
Detach from station and may God’s love be with you
This is ground control to Major Tom
You’ve really made the grade
And the papers want to know whose shirts you wear
But it’s time to guide the capsule if you dare
This is Major Tom to ground control
I’ve left forevermore
And I’m floating in most peculiar way
And the stars look very different today
For here am I sitting in a tin can
Far above the world
The planet Earth is blue and there’s nothing left to do
Though I’ve flown one hundred thousand miles
I’m feeling very still
And before too long I know it’s time to go
Our commander comes down back to earth, and knows
Ground control to Major Tom
The time is near, there’s not too long
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
A last glimpse of the world
The planet Earth is blue and there’s nothing left to do
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: David Bowie
Space Oddity lyrics © Onward Music/essex Retentions C/o Bucks Music, Onward Music Ltd

51 thoughts on “Retro Music 44”

  9. One of my all time favorites. Like you turned me onto his music for all time.
    Must admit though, heart had a little flutter thought you was going to say “the laughing gnome” 😁😁

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  11. Haven’t heard this for a long time. It takes me back to the summer of ’69 when the moon landing was televised on a huge screen in the international arrivals building at JFK. I think we all expected the space program to continue and take us far but it all seemed to fizzle after.

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    1. At the time, I didn’t believe they had landed on The Moon, and thought it was all faked. (Back before the big conspiracy theories started) These days, I don’t have any interest in Space exploration whatsoever, I just like the song.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  12. Pete, apparently the documentary “Moonage Daydream” is a beautifully made homage to his art and I cannot wait to see it…what a unique career, with many highs and some notable lows as well…like all Artists

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        1. I attended the premiere of this film in London, accompanying a friend who had tickets through her job.
          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitler:_The_Last_Ten_Days
          David Bowie was in the foyer, next to his then wife, Angie. They were both in full-on Ziggy Stardust outfits, and he was incredibly tall, especially in stacked-heel boots. But he spoke to people (including us) very normally, and did not have any attitude about his star status. 🙂

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  22. Pingback: Retro Music 44 | Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News

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