Who knew Major Tom was such a popular guy? I was listening to Peter Schilling’s “Major Tom (Coming Home)” and I realized I didn’t know all the lyrics for Schilling’s song nor those of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” on which the song is based. In my attempt to be thorough, I checked on a whim to see if there were other songs featuring the wayward astronaut.. I found three making a total of five songs about the Major (there is probably a few more but times was a-wasting.)

A little history about the songs.

———-
Space Oddity was released in 1969 to coincide with the first moon landing. Not exactly a song you want to associate with successful space flight. Speculation is that the song was written in response to the short story “The Sentinel” by Arthur C. Clark which was the basis of the movie and book “2001: A Space Odyssey”, others speculate that it was in response to the movie itself. David has been silent about the details of the song. It is a fair assumption that the song is about the astronaut getting high on the euphoria he feels in space flight, a not very vague allusion to drug use. The song concludes with Major Tom signing off with a cryptic message to his wife and breaking all contact with Earth. This period of David’s life was, not surprising, was marked by heavy drug use. Note: the reference to what shirt he wears is a question about what soccer teams he roots for.

Space Oddity (Major Tom)
David Bowie (1969)

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, Lift-off

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 hereee….

“ am I floating round my tin can
Far above the Moon
Planet Earth is blue
And there’s nothing I can do.

———-
As a sort of explanation of “Space Oddity”, Bowie released “Ashes to Ashes” in 1980 (took him long enough). The song references Major Tom (do you remember a guy that’s been in such an early song) and gives us a hint that the Major has come down from his “space high” (though he does say he is still getting high) and wishing that he could come back to Earth. Where he is and how he managed to survive this long is a mystery though we know he is not on Earth. This song was written during the period when David was showing signs of the stress past drug use had on his body and was attempting to get off drugs. There is some speculation that the movie “The Man Who Fell To Earth” (1976), based on the book by Walter Tevis, that David Bowie was playing Major Tom as the character Thomas Jerome Newton, an alien trying to find water for his planet.

Ashes to Ashes
David Bowie (1980)

Do you remember a guy that’s been
In such an early song
I’ve heard a rumour from ground control
Oh no, don’t say it’s true

They got a message from the action man
I’m happy, hope you’re happy too
I’ve loved all I’ve needed love
Sordid details following

The shrieking of nothing is killing
Just pictures of jap girls in synthesis and I
Ain’t got no money and I ain’t got no hair
But I’m hoping to kick but the planet it’s glowing

Ashes to ashes, funk to funky
We know Major Tom’s a junkie
Strung out in heaven’s high
Hitting an all-time low

Time and again I tell myself
I’ll stay clean tonight
But the little green wheels are following me
Oh no, not again
I’m stuck with a valuable friend
I’m happy, hope you’re happy too
One flash of light but no smoking pistol

I never done good things
I never done bad things
I never did anything out of the blue, woh-o-oh
Want an axe to break the ice
Wanna come down right now

Ashes to ashes, funk to funky
We know Major Tom’s a junkie
Strung out in heaven’s high
Hitting an all-time low

My mother said to get things done
You’d better not mess with Major Tom
My mother said to get things done
You’d better not mess with Major Tom
My mother said to get things done
You’d better not mess with Major Tom
My mother said to get things done
You’d better not mess with Major Tom

———-
We all know that Peter Schilling’s song is basically a sequel/reworking of “Space Oddity” with a bit more emphasis on the Major himself. The song seems to suggest that there were problems not associated with Major Tom suffering from space euphoria (though in the end he seems to be suffering from such). Some speculation is that Major Tom has encountered some “space oddity” that requires him to change course but it is too late and he asks mission control to relay a last message to his wife though the collision may not have happened (or happened and changed Tom, a plot used in more than one sci-fi movie since the songs release)… or Major Tom realizes that Earth has written off as dead and that he is resigned to die in space as no rescue will be forthcoming. The song still leaves the sad, empty feeling experienced in “Space Oddity”.

Of course there is the view that this song tells a different story of system failure, that was suspected before launch, and Major Tom loses communications and to the surprise of mission control he re-establishes communication as he is in re-entry to tell them he is coming in.

Or did he turn off his equipment to fake is death (making mission control think he burned up on re-entry) so he can return to deep space (his new home).

Major Tom (Coming Home)
Peter Schilling (1983)

Standing there alone
The ship is waiting
All systems are go
Are you sure?
Control is not convinced
But the computer
Has the evidence
“No need to abort”
The countdown starts
Watching in a trance
The crew is certain
Nothing left to chance
All is working
Trying to relax
Up in the capsule
“Send me up a drink”
Jokes Major Tom
The count goes on

4 3 2 1
Earth below us
Drifting falling
Floating weightless
Calling calling home…

Second stage is cut
We’re now in orbit
Stabilizers up
Running perfect
Starting to collect
Requested data
What will it effect
When all is done
Thinks Major Tom

Back at ground control
There is a problem
Go to rockets full
Not responding
“Hello Major Tom
Are you receiving
Turn the thrusters on
We’re standing by”
There’s no reply

4 3 2 1
Earth below us
Drifting falling
Floating weightless
Calling calling home…

Across the stratosphere
A final message
“Give my wife my love”
Then nothing more

Far beneath the ship
The world is mourning
They don’t realize
He’s alive
No one understands
But Major Tom sees
Now the life commands
This is my home
I’m coming home

Earth below us
Drifting falling
Floating weightless
Coming home…
Earth below us
Drifting falling
Floating weightless
Coming home…
Earth below us
Drifting falling
Floating weightless
Coming coming home…
Home…..

———-
I admit that I know very little about “Mrs. Major Tom” by K.I.A. other that this song takes place after the previous three songs and is told from the point of view of Major Tom’s wife. It seems that Major Tom makes it back to Earth after he loses his fascination with deep space (or a realization he was going to die if he didn’t return), but she mourns the fact that he still suffers from “space euphoria”.

Mrs. Major Tom
K.I.A. (2003)
You went up, so bright Tom
Thought my love was rocketing you along
When you didn’t come back, and didn’t come back
My nova heart collapsed
To a black, black hole

Floating on sine waves in inner space
Awaiting a signal of grace
From ground control, to lost control,
Ballet to battle, halo to hole

You were so far gone
Right was wrong, up was down.
By going still further on,
you hoped to come around.
It was light years long, dear husband Tom.
At last back you’ve come…
Yet still, you’re gone.

Floating on sine waves in inner space
Awaiting a signal of grace
From ground control, to lost control,
Ballet to battle, halo to hole

I watched the skies, for all that time,
And now your asteroid eyes
Say you were never mine.
Never mine, never mine,
Never, never mine…

Floating on sine waves in inner space
Awaiting a signal of grace
From ground control, to lost control,
Ballet to battle, halo to hole

You didn’t burn up, my Major Tom.
You just burnt out.
You just burnt out.

———-
I have little to offer on the song “Empty Glass” by Tea Party other than Major Tom seems to have obtained cult status not only in our world, but in the world of the songs. The voice of the songs seems to be asking the now more deified Major Tom for spiritual guidance as if he has transcended (to the starchild, or rather now starman, of “2001: A Space Odyssey” and it’s sequels?).

Empty Glass
Tea Party (2004)

These premonitions shine like stars that
Fall to earth too fast
I see the empty glass

Where do we belong
Tell me Major Tom
Because nothing’s making sense
I listen and lament

For golden years that pass like thunder
And soldier on through time
This empty glass is mine

Where do we belong
Could you help us Major Tom
Because nothing’s making sense
I listen and lament

A starman will come
When diamond dogs run
We need ground control
We’re losing our souls

A starman will come
When diamond dogs run
We need ground control
We’re losing our souls

We’re losing our souls
We’re losing our souls
We’re losing our souls

What do y’all think? Do you know of any more Major Tom songs or perhaps a Major Tom movie (I could have sworn that there was a feature length or a short based on the songs) or stories?

Mood: undecided

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