Space Oddity Astronaut

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Lore & Background

Major Tom was created by David Bowie in early 1969, inspired by Stanley Kubrick's film *2001: A Space Odyssey* (1968) and Bowie's own feelings of alienation from his career at the time. The character's name and the song's title were partly influenced by the film. Bowie also cited seeing the Apollo 8 Earthrise photograph in January 1969 and his break-up with dancer Hermione Farthingale the following month as events that influenced the writing. Bowie later said of Farthingale, "It was Hermione who got me writing for and on a specific person." Biographer Marc Spitz stated that Bowie's feelings of loneliness and heartache following the break-up inspired "Space Oddity."

The song's lyrics tell a specific story: Major Tom is an astronaut on a mission. Ground Control informs him that a malfunction has occurred, but the message does not reach him. He continues his journey, eventually floating in space, observing that "Planet Earth is blue / And there's nothing I can do." Bowie revisited the Major Tom character in later singles, most notably the sequel song "Ashes to Ashes" (1980). The character has also been referenced in songs by a range of other artists.

In Their Own Story

The story of Major Tom begins with a countdown and a launch. Ground Control speaks to him, saying "God's love be with you" as he prepares for lift-off. After a successful launch, the situation changes. Ground Control reports a circuit malfunction, but Major Tom does not respond. He detaches from the main craft, stating, "I'm stepping through the door / And I'm floating in a most peculiar way." He reports that the stars look very different today. As he drifts, he tells Ground Control he is "sitting in a tin can, far above the world." The song ends with the repeated observation that "Planet Earth is blue / And there's nothing I can do," as Major Tom's signal fades. His fate is left as a lonely drift in space, his mind "completely blown."

Reader's Guide

Major Tom is the first of David Bowie's famous characters, a fictional astronaut whose story is told in the 1969 song "Space Oddity." The character was created during a period of personal and professional transition for Bowie, following the commercial failure of his 1967 debut album and his break-up with Hermione Farthingale. The song's title and subject matter were influenced by the film *2001: A Space Odyssey*, and the character's name was partly inspired by the same film. In the narrative, Major Tom is an astronaut who launches successfully but then experiences a malfunction. Critically, he does not receive the message from Ground Control about the problem. He detaches from his spacecraft and floats alone in space. The lyrics describe him as "sitting in a tin can, far above the world," and he observes that "Planet Earth is blue / And there's nothing I can do." Bowie described Major Tom at the end of the song as "completely emotionless" and "fragmenting."

Bowie revisited the character in the 1980 single "Ashes to Ashes," which serves as a sequel. The character has also been referenced in songs by other artists. A 2013 cover of "Space Oddity" by astronaut Chris Hadfield, with a music video filmed in space, brought the character renewed attention. Major Tom remains one of Bowie's most enduring creations, a symbol of isolation and the human cost of exploration.

Did You Know?

• The song 'Space Oddity' was rush-released as a single to capitalise on the Apollo 11 Moon landing.
• The BBC used 'Space Oddity' as background music during its coverage of the Apollo 11 Moon landing.
• Bowie wrote the song's melody using a Stylophone, a recently released electronic instrument mainly marketed to children.
• In the early demo of 'Space Oddity', the line 'I'm floating in a most peculiar way' was originally 'Can I please get back inside now, if I may?'
• A 2013 cover of 'Space Oddity' by astronaut Chris Hadfield was the first music video filmed in space.