The drifting astronaut

? It is difficult to sum up David Bowie in one word. He is a singer, an actor, a red and blue lightning bolt, an androgynous, a psychedelic pioneer, and a gorgeous rock chameleon. He is an inexhaustible source of inspiration in the fashion world and a legend who will always be remembered in the annals of rock music and fashion culture.

In 1969, Apollo 11 landed on the moon; in July of the same year, David Bowie, who was not particularly famous at the time, released the single "Space Oddity". This song tells the story of a man named Major The story of Tom's astronaut who unfortunately had an accident while executing the moon landing plan, lost contact with the earth, and drifted alone in the lonely space.

? David Bowie made no secret that this song was inspired by Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey", the best science fiction film in film history. This song is full of unknown, endless and mysterious, with advanced synthesizer application, left channel harmony, right channel main melody, immersive experience, and mysterious lyrics full of tragedy. At the end of the song, Major Tom is drifting in space and seems to have given up on returning to Earth. Rather than passively giving up, it is better to say that Major Tom has been immersed in this fantasy vast universe, talking to the universe and himself. Nine days after Major Tom lost his message, Apollo 11 successfully landed on the moon, carrying Neil Armstrong, who was about to take a "giant step for mankind". Amsterdam's cosmic journey has ended, Major Tom's space odyssey continues. In 2013, astronaut Chris Hadfield sang Bowie's "Space Oddity" aboard the International Space Station. The International Space Station was the obvious venue for this space-themed song.

David Bowie's former manager Kenneth Pitt recalled in his book "Bowie: the Pitt Report" that the song was outrageous. , was obvious from the first listening session, but it wasn’t until the day of filming that its hit-making qualities became apparent. During lunch breaks, people broke out of the silence on the set to laugh, chatter, and sing songs about the unconventional hero Major Tom.

? Space travel dominated popular culture in the late 1960s, especially before the first missions to the moon. In February 1969, Bowie went to Morgan Music Studios on Willesden Avenue to record a 28-minute film called "Love You Until Tuesday," which was the title of a song Bowie had recorded for Decca in 1967. . This film was recommended by Günther Schneider, producer of the German television program 4-3-2-1 Musik Für Junge Leute. The intention of this promotional film was that manager Pete was trying to promote Bowie to the public.

? However, everything did not go smoothly on the day of recording. While Bowie was rehearsing the final scene, the astronaut was caressed by two aliens - played by Samantha Bond and production assistant Suzanne Mercer. Agent Pitt clashed with director Malcolm J. Thomson, who wanted to make the scene more "interesting." Ultimately, the film was shelved and was not released publicly as a video until 1984. This version of "Space Adventures" is owned by Decca Records, and Peter sold the rights to "Love You to Tuesday" to PolyGram that year. A DVD of this film was released in 2005.

Despite the disappointment of the film not being released, Pitt remains convinced that 22-year-old Bowie had created a truly special song about a fictional astronaut. "It's clear from the song's first 'public' performance that David Bowie has created something extraordinary," said Pitt.

? Bowie subsequently performed more versions of the song in an attempt to get a record deal, eventually leading to the hit version recorded on June 20, 1969, produced by Elton John's producer Gus ·Produced by Dajin. The song was released on July 11, just over a week before Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin set foot on the moon. The BBC played "Wonder of Space" during its coverage of the Apollo 11 landing. Bowie later said: "I'm sure they didn't even listen to the lyrics. Of course, they [Amsterdam] did it and I was ecstatic." Bowie said most people thought the song was about a space landing, and Don't know the original inspiration for Kubrick's film. He later reprized his role as Major Tom in the songs "Ashes to Ashes" and "Hello Space Boy".

"Thematically, I've always dealt with alienation and isolation," Bowie said. "I often put myself in isolated situations so that I could write about them." "Space" tells the story of an abandoned astronaut orbiting the Earth and is one of the most bizarre and poignant songs of the late 1960s. This masterpiece continues to influence society until the 21st century.

Lyrics:

Ground Control to Major Tom

Ground Control to Major Tom

Take your protein pills and put your helmet on

Ground Control to Major Tom

Commencing countdown, engines on

Check ignition and may God's love be with you

(spoken)

Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven, Six, Five, Four, Three, 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 scare

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 sitting round my tin can

Far above the Moon

Planet Earth is blue

And there's nothing I can do.'