Yeah... juxtaposing the trappings of success against it just being a tin can... feelings of helplessness and powerlessness, going fast yet going nowhere... looking down on a depressing "blue" earth, realizing there's nothing to truly return to.
David Bowie was a groundbreaking muscician in every sense of the imagination always providing his listeners with a msucial journey that took you far far away!!!!
Fun fact: this song was released only weeks before the moon landing but it was refused to be played on air due to the implied demise of Major Tom, so nobody really heard it until after the astronauts came back home safely.
This was released in the same year (1969) as the Apollo 11 space mission to the moon. Many speculated that this song was about drugs, though, or perhaps a metaphor for an overdose. Bowie had so many different phases in his career, from Ziggie Stardust to the Thin White Duke; and you're absolutely right, he was extremely versatile. Cheers!
Actually the song was about a Russian Cosmonaut. If I remember right during his Spacewalk something malfunctioned in the suit causing it to grow so large he couldn't fit back into the capsule. He was cut free to float forever in Space. Americans always self important thought is was about an Astronaut & immediately were trying to figure which Astronaut died that weren't told about but he did? To clear things up David told everyone the origin of the pilot.
They also aired the song during the coverage in Britain on BBC of that first landing on the moon, so it became quite embedded in British minds as part of that big event in humanity. It was Bowie's first big hit song.
@@danrowley6934 Bowie explained: "In England, it was always presumed that it was written about the space landing, because it kind of came to prominence around the same time. But it actually wasn't. It was written because of going to see the film 2001, which I found amazing. I was out of my gourd anyway, I was very stoned when I went to see it, several times, and it was really a revelation to me. It got the song flowing. It was picked up by the British television, and used as the background music for the landing itself. I'm sure they really weren't listening to the lyric at all (laughs). It wasn't a pleasant thing to juxtapose against a moon landing. Of course, I was overjoyed that they did. Obviously, some BBC official said, 'Oh, right then, that space song, Major Tom, blah blah blah, that'll be great.' 'Um, but he gets stranded in space, sir.' Nobody had the heart to tell the producer that."
Peter Shilling wrote a sequel song to Space Oddity also. Continuing the Major Tom story called Major Tom. Different sounding. More of a 80’s sound with some techno. Great song to check out on your own or on the channel.
Then Bowie made a third part 'Hallo Spaceboy'. I think there was a fourth part too but can't remember without looking it up. On one of Bowie's latter albums - might even be on the last one. Yep just checked it, 'Blackstar' so there were four parts to the story from 1969 to 2016!
Metaphors aside, think about it, its 69, and most of the world knows very little about space flight, but Bowie took the time to learn all kind of details like ground control, protein pills, space walks, the feeling of weightlessness, the claustrophobia of a tin can, the way the stars look different, missing your spouse in the loneliness of space, and so on and wrapped it up in such an awesome song.He put himself in the astronaut's shoes and took us all on a journey.
All that Bowie, or anyone, would have had to do would be go see the film 2001, which came out in 1968. Plus anybody who's ever been to school or read any science fiction would know of the weightlessness in space. And anyone who's ever set foot in a school would know that the stars only seem to "blink" because of the atmosphere of Earth. In space, where there is no atmosphere, the stars don't blink. I graduated from high school in 1967 and I knew all that. I'm sure Bowie went to school too or maybe even saw 2001 . By the way, the space race started in the 50s and all those things were very well known by the entire world. People even, in some areas, which were under the path of Sputnik, the first satellite ever, actually saw it pass overhead. No mystery there.
It is generally thought that this is actually about a trip. Bowie made a follow-up song, Ashes to Ashes, where he sings "Ashes to ashes, funky to funky, we know Major Tom's a junkie"…
Yeah, but that wasn't about the same "Major Tom" as this song, that one was about him ... it was a reflection on his own addiction and how it was connected to his success (which really started with Space Oddity).
Space Oddity was definitely about an astronaut. Ashes to Ashes is more ambiguous and could be about Major Tom Bowie, or both but the original is definitely about an astronaut, written to coincide with the Apollo 11 Moon mission. Bowie himself said as much. Though he also said that Ashes to Ashes could also put a bit of a different spin, retroactively, on Space Oddity. :)
Bowie was a genius musician and vocalist. He brought so many different sounds to his recordings. Saw him live in the early 80's. Peter Frampton on lead guitar. It was awesome.
Bowie was one of the most talented song writers that ever lived. He wrote hit songs for other artists as well. This story explains why he was so great. Mott the Hopple was one of the bands that opened for Bowie in the early days and they were going to call it quits since they couldn't afford to keep going. So Bowie sat down, wrote the hit song "All the Young Dudes" for them in 15 minutes, and even sang backup vocals on the song for them. It was such a big hit that they were able to keep playing gigs until they wanted to retire.
Until my late 20's, I thought All the Young Dudes was actually a Bowie song. Plus there are a dozen plus songs that I liked and knew by heart, but didn't even know it was a Bowie Song for the longest time (Modern Love for example)... Bowie was one of the all time greats. Maybe the best.
I've always interpreted the song as literally going to space in the early days of space travel and feeling both in awe on how beautiful space is and how small and insignificant major tom feels in the vast scale of it all. When they say "your circuits dead" that's means he's not saying anything in the radio, so they ask if everything is okay and the only thing he can say is "here I am sitting in my tin can..." his small capsule space craft "...there's nothing I can do" meaning he's powerless to effect anything on such a grand scale
Cassette tapes in 1969? How cute! Cassette tapes popped in the late 70's and faded out in the late 80's when CD's began to take over. 1969 was still the era of vinyl records and AM pop radio (soon to be eclipsed by FM rock radio).
About 3 years later, Elton John did “Rocket Man”. Sort of a companion piece. Not trying to copy Bowie…more a complimentary song on the same theme. Remember this was the early days of manned rocketry and the space race with the former Soviet Union. You should check it out!
I’m 23 but grew up listening to classic rock/pop. Rock Lobster by the B-52s was my favorite song from like 3-5 maybe 6 lol. Ever since seeing the movie Rocket Man and the scene with the song it really has started to carry a much different tone
Complementary? Do you mean that? That's a different meaning. Complimentary works, too. Just curious. I remember back in the early '70's thinking that Elton & Bernie were sort of co-opting Bowie's song, which came first.
@Cody Pritt I think most people would disagree, but art is in the eyes and ears of the beholder. If it’s about a rock star to you…then that’s what it is. I can see our hero being a “rock star” astronaut but, not feeling like one, when he says “it’s just my job five days a week”.
@@kennethlatham3133 I guess I meant “complimentary” as in complimentary colors, not as a compliment to Bowie. I had to look it up but Taupin is quoted as saying that “(he) has denied that the Bowie song was an inspiration”.
"The papers want to know who's shirts you wear..." English shirts are a big deal to rich people and often, a shirtmaker will have a "royal warrant' (and display plaque) to make shirts for a particular member of the royal family. Business men are known to hide the names of their tailors though the papers want to know. The Rolling Stones made a reference to this kind of thing as well. Prominent people can boost the sales and image of a shirtmaker with the mere mention. Edit:”whose shirts” - courtesy of Helen Trope
That story of thing happened a lot back then. If I recall the story correctly someone found out what brand of toothpaste JFK used and there was a huge boost in sales, they couldn't keep it on the shelves.
This sound, THIS SOUND is why David Bowie was so iconic. No one ever did this before or since. Everything about this was so unique. No one was really ready for this. This song came out in 1969 (11 days before Apollo 11 launched interestingly) and other than this song performing well, he didn't become very popular, despite every album in this Era being gold and well loved now, until his fifth album Ziggy Stardust which really enhanced his signature sound. While all Bowie fans like most of his works, this Era of Bowie and his androgynous personas are the most loved and seen as his "Golden Era" which ended in truly in around 75 or 76 but can still be felt all the way to 1980 with his Scary Monsters album (listen to Ashes To Ashes).
Context is important here. In 1969, when this song was released, the space program was at its zenith and the U.S. had just landed two men on the moon, an achievement that captivated the world. Very relevant at the time. BTW, love your videos!
In fairness, though - Brad only ever stops it at the most exciting bit (and YOU are thinking "DON'T stop it here, don't stop it..................oh, shit !") ;-)
David Bowie was incredible. Ground breaking. One of my favorite songs by him is 'Rebel Rebel'. He is a terrific actor as well. He killed it in the role of Pontius Pilate in the movie 'The last temptation of Christ'.
The “recommended” list for Bowie is insanely long-and spans genres and all of his transformations. Not as popular, but will certainly entertain Brad’s pursuit of understanding lyrics: I recommend Bowie’s The Width of a Circle.
Well Brad, now you know what to get Lex for her birthday next year...a ticket to space. It's only about $500,000, or if you wanna splurge, you can send to the ISS for a mere $55 million.
I really wanted to send my ex wife to the ISS , but, on my salary I had to settle with moving into a hovel and splitting everything down to my left and right shoes with her. So...lucky astronauts.
My Dad was actually involved in the early space missions. This was before computers were even invented! Everyone was glued to their TVs any time a craft was launched or landed. Apollo 13 actually DID have a similar experience with having to abort their original mission (to land on the moon) to an actual rescue mission to bring them home again. There is a movie about it, which captures the desperation of everyone to just keep these guys from floating off into their deaths. I remember as a child, praying in the classroom for their safe return to earth. This song makes gives me chills even today.
The absolute definition of irony: this song came out in 1969, just less than a year before the Apollo 13 flight, which almost identically mirrored this song. Fortunately the Apollo 13 flight had a happier ending than the song.
You are so young! When we traveled to space back in the 60’s the entire planet cheered mankind’s accomplishments! Yes Space Oddity is played and loved by astronauts!
Just getting into your channel a month ago.. and I still enjoy that Lex looks excited and enjoys every song and Brad always looks like he is saying WTF is going on. Don't get me wrong it's very entertaining. I am enjoying the journey you two are taking.
Lex is a cutie! But I cringe everytime I see Brad's shoulder rotate toward the screen because I know he's going to stop the song, usually during a crucial part of the song! It drives me nuts! I don't understand how he can get a feel for the song when he chops it up into pieces!
Great choice and great reaction. You have to remember that we were still in the infancy of space travel when this was written. It was heroic. it was the culmination of everything we had learned as a species to that point. Imagine being one of the first human beings to ever look at the earth from afar and realize it is a speck of dust in a vast cosmos. To think about the countless wars and suffering that occurred to rule that speck of dust. It captured all of our imaginations.
This was Bowie's first hit single, but there wasn't another for a while and people were saying he was a one-hit wonder. Little did they know. One astronaut did make a video of this song while on the space station. It's on TH-cam somewhere.
I think you would like Peter Schilling's Major Tom (Coming Home), he wrote it as an homage to David Bowie's Space Oddity. It was quite popular in Germany so he made an English version that became popular too, the English version is on Peter Shilling's TH-cam page. I love your insight into the music, some things I never thought about till you mentioned them.
You did one of my favorites David...one of a kind! 'Moon Age Daydream" Would be a very good song of his to react to. I watch more of your reactions then anyone else's your channel was one of the first reactions I started watching.
It's about losing control on a drug trip. Ground control and major Tom are two aspects of his psyche. The countdown is particularly very cool. That moment of apprehension that comes when the drugs hit, and you don't know what you're in for. A leap of faith into the unknown
Not sure if that's the actual intention behind the song but I like this interpretation. Anybody who has done psychedelics knows that feeling you described, where you're struggling to let go and let the trip take you.
@@RSpracticalshooting but honestly that moment a trip takes you too a bad place .you still knows its the trip so you take the storm for about30 mins till it subsides then its amazing
@@brooksboyd1959 Exactly right! Glad to hear more people saying this. It's pretty clear to me that he's not doing this channel out of a love for music. But I really love Lex and everything about her.
At the time this was written, any travel above Earth's atmosphere was brand-new. That was - and still is, really - terrifyingly dangerous. The fact that technology has advanced enough in 40-50 years that private companies and private citizens can get up there and back down is amazing.
Roger Ebert, widely considered as the greatest movie critic of all time said of the 1973 movie "The Exorcist" this movie does not rest on the screen, it is a frontal assault on your senses and Space Oddity is he musical equivalent. This is a song that you experience, it's a journey, it's profound and once you hear it, it will live with you for the rest of your life
I'd like to reccomend Lazarus from his last album. It was made before he passed and deals with him accepting his mortality before the end, similar to Hurt by Johnny Cash, really heavy and emotionally driven imo, a great listen! :)
It always seemed like a literal man lost in space song. However, years later, he recorded another song called “Ashes to Ashes.” That song contained the lyric: “Ashes to ashes, funk to funky We know Major Tom's a junkie Strung out in heaven's high Hitting an all-time low” So, in typical Bowie fashion, he plays around a bit lyrically.
I would venture to say it is more along the lines of "Rocky Mountain High"... aside from the euphoric and disconnected feelings one can get from hypoxia, there is also the overwhelming wonder of a truly unique and "out of this world" experience that I think he was alluding to, just like John Denver referred to... Totally lost in the wonder and the feeling and not wanting to return to the "mundane" world.... Just a thought from when I heard it while watching the Apollo missions.
So many interesting interpretations of drug induced inspiration, and Bowie writing of a trip. David was influenced by the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey (an incredibly 'trippy' movie for its time), one of the lines of his lyrics were taken from the movie said by Dave Bowman (one of the crew of a space ship from the movie) - "the stars look different" when he wrote this song. He also acknowledged the risks (the Russian cosmonaut who died etc), loneliness, detachment and of the space race that was going on at the time and the whole song reflects the growing intensity and feeling of anticipation of this race. Apollo 11 was launched a week (perhaps a few weeks?) after this song was first aired. Also, the song never explicitly describes Major Tom's death - again one of the many things taken from 2001: A Space Odyssey - he might have, he might not have.
I am not sure that Lex has perfectly grasped Orbital Re-entry Thermodynamics - maybe take another look at that chapter- I am told it will be on the test.
Bowie wrote the song after having seen the 1968 movie 2001: A space odyssey in which the theme of isolation and helplessness in space had a big impact on him.
In 1969, although cassette tapes existed, they weren't very popular, it's more likely that you'd be listening to this on LP record or 8-track tape. Cassettes became popular in the mid '70s and Sony introduced the Walkman portable stereo cassette player in 1979.
Your reaction videos often bring me to tears and this is another one. I love you guys and I love David Bowie too, so that's probably why. I was so sad and disappointed when he died that I didn't get the chance to see him live in concert. He had just realised a new album as well, so I thought there was a chance. Sadly not... Æx 🙏
The way I hear this (I could be wrong) is that Major Tom gets up there and thinks about how "blue" the Earth is -- blue meaning sad, full of wars and hatred and all that, and decides he doesn't want to go back.
Yes. My impression has always been that Major Tom deliberately disconnected his communication with Ground Control and set himself adrift...(Hence the request to pass a message to his wife)...
Yes blue is a clever double play on the word by Bowie. Also when Ground Control ask "can you hear me Major Tom, can you hear...." and Major Tom replies "... am I floating in my tin can" so hear doubles as here. Bowie was always good with words.
Lex, you are pretty tuned in on this stuff. One minor correction though, everyone had eight track tapes up until about 1976. Then we started switching over to cassette tapes. Just FYI, LOL. You're pretty sharp on how you pick up on what's going on in songs, I'm impressed. I'm 65 years old now and grew up through all of that beginnings of space adventures. Was a long long time ago ...
This album is a master piece and is timeless. David Bowie was a pioneer in electronic/rock music. Later in his career he did a lot to work with Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails. Such an amazing Rocker/Producer/Songwriter. Man I miss Bowie.
Please please please The Decemberists "Crane Wife 1,2,&3" "The Infanta" "Yankee Bayonet" or "The Mariner's Revenge Song" ..... or anything else by them
One of the first questions I ask people when I'm getting to know them is whether they like and listen to music regularly. It tells you a whole lot about them and how you might or might not relate to them.
At 1:39, I see nothing to laugh about, yet you do...? WTH? How's about if you stop pausing stuff so soon, and wait until the song actually 'plays out' for a while? Is that possible?
@@guidosarducci It's getting old for me too. I only watch songs that I think he might like or understand. I'm also starting to think she might listen or research some of the songs before they "react" to it. She gets the meaning of the song after he pauses in the first 30 seconds? Most of the time she doesn't even follow the lyric video.
There are many interpretations of this song. Some say it's about alienation, some say it's about dropping the "normal" ("your circuit's dead") to go your own way (to stop caring about "whose shirts you wear"). The mundane doesn't matter ("planet Earth is blue and there's nothing I can do"). It definitely has drug overtones (Bowie was into a lot of things) but I see this song as a piece of art.
Brad, in 2013, an astronaut broadcast himself singing this song from the International Space Station.
Chris Hadfield from Canada. He also did a lot of cool demonstrations requested by people on earth. Amazing spokesman for space exploration.
Chris Hadfield is his name.
He changed the lyrics a bit, though :)
Or so the Russians would have us believe...
th-cam.com/video/KaOC9danxNo/w-d-xo.html
I think it's about alienation and isolation. It's a masterpiece. No one will ever be cooler than David Bowie. Always ahead of his time.
Truth Mary 💜💜
@@jaquestraw1 Thank you!
He was even ahead of the times on what the internet would become. He was just insanely special.
@@MrBaronCabron .. "INSANELY SPECIAL.... A really perfect way to describe him.
Yeah... juxtaposing the trappings of success against it just being a tin can... feelings of helplessness and powerlessness, going fast yet going nowhere... looking down on a depressing "blue" earth, realizing there's nothing to truly return to.
David Bowie was a groundbreaking muscician in every sense of the imagination always providing his listeners with a msucial journey that took you far far away!!!!
Yeah he's a grape munition ain't he ✌️💖🖖
As a kid in the late 60’s watching the sky from roof (short drop now) I loved this song.
Even more now.
R.I.P. Mr. Bowie.
He was indeed. And he was an artist and he could also play several instruments.
@Miles Doyle And who do you think, will find some answers in the post that you did?
Fun fact: this song was released only weeks before the moon landing but it was refused to be played on air due to the implied demise of Major Tom, so nobody really heard it until after the astronauts came back home safely.
It's not an implied demise at all. He deliberately severes the communications, abandoning the trash fire of Earth to drift.
@@grabble7605 no, the song is based on 2001 a space odyssey so I believe it is assumed that he dies
I always perceived it less as he dies, and more as he loses his mind. Sort of an mental death, but not necessarily a physical one
R.I.P. David.."The Stars Look Very Different Today" 🙏 ❤
He Fell To Earth and returned to the stars.
He will be vibeing and rocking on mars
They wouldn't know who David was
YOU ARE SO RIGHT...MISS DAVID..
David Bowie is iconic and a legend with millions of devoted fans.
@Miles Doyle Psalm 22: OT "My god etc" NT...Read the Roman Messiah...
This was released in the same year (1969) as the Apollo 11 space mission to the moon. Many speculated that this song was about drugs, though, or perhaps a metaphor for an overdose. Bowie had so many different phases in his career, from Ziggie Stardust to the Thin White Duke; and you're absolutely right, he was extremely versatile. Cheers!
Yeah
Absolutely, theres certainly a drug related aspect, especially if you also listen to the next song in the arc "ashes to ashes "
Actually the song was about a Russian Cosmonaut. If I remember right during his Spacewalk something malfunctioned in the suit causing it to grow so large he couldn't fit back into the capsule. He was cut free to float forever in Space. Americans always self important thought is was about an Astronaut & immediately were trying to figure which Astronaut died that weren't told about but he did? To clear things up David told everyone the origin of the pilot.
They also aired the song during the coverage in Britain on BBC of that first landing on the moon, so it became quite embedded in British minds as part of that big event in humanity. It was Bowie's first big hit song.
@@danrowley6934 Bowie explained: "In England, it was always presumed that it was written about the space landing, because it kind of came to prominence around the same time. But it actually wasn't. It was written because of going to see the film 2001, which I found amazing. I was out of my gourd anyway, I was very stoned when I went to see it, several times, and it was really a revelation to me. It got the song flowing. It was picked up by the British television, and used as the background music for the landing itself. I'm sure they really weren't listening to the lyric at all (laughs). It wasn't a pleasant thing to juxtapose against a moon landing. Of course, I was overjoyed that they did. Obviously, some BBC official said, 'Oh, right then, that space song, Major Tom, blah blah blah, that'll be great.' 'Um, but he gets stranded in space, sir.' Nobody had the heart to tell the producer that."
Sooo…”Space Oddity” has a sequel song, “Ashes To Ashes.” Might be interested in that. 🤷🏻♀️
Ashes to Ashes is one of the best songs ever made, so much to it.
Peter Shilling wrote a sequel song to Space Oddity also. Continuing the Major Tom story called Major Tom. Different sounding. More of a 80’s sound with some techno. Great song to check out on your own or on the channel.
Then Bowie made a third part 'Hallo Spaceboy'. I think there was a fourth part too but can't remember without looking it up. On one of Bowie's latter albums - might even be on the last one.
Yep just checked it, 'Blackstar' so there were four parts to the story from 1969 to 2016!
@@studa68 Shiny Toy Guns does an ABSOLUTELY SPECTACULAR cover of Major Tom. It's one of my favorite songs of all-time!
@@samurairob5299 yes they do! I found out downloading it by mistake! Lol!
Metaphors aside, think about it, its 69, and most of the world knows very little about space flight, but Bowie took the time to learn all kind of details like ground control, protein pills, space walks, the feeling of weightlessness, the claustrophobia of a tin can, the way the stars look different, missing your spouse in the loneliness of space, and so on and wrapped it up in such an awesome song.He put himself in the astronaut's shoes and took us all on a journey.
All that Bowie, or anyone, would have had to do would be go see the film 2001, which came out in 1968. Plus anybody who's ever been to school or read any science fiction would know of the weightlessness in space. And anyone who's ever set foot in a school would know that the stars only seem to "blink" because of the atmosphere of Earth. In space, where there is no atmosphere, the stars don't blink. I graduated from high school in 1967 and I knew all that. I'm sure Bowie went to school too or maybe even saw 2001 . By the way, the space race started in the 50s and all those things were very well known by the entire world. People even, in some areas, which were under the path of Sputnik, the first satellite ever, actually saw it pass overhead. No mystery there.
This was Bowie's first big hit . He wrote many great songs during the 70's . His fans were devoted . When he died it was the end of an era .
It is generally thought that this is actually about a trip. Bowie made a follow-up song, Ashes to Ashes, where he sings "Ashes to ashes, funky to funky, we know Major Tom's a junkie"…
Yeah, but that wasn't about the same "Major Tom" as this song, that one was about him ... it was a reflection on his own addiction and how it was connected to his success (which really started with Space Oddity).
Another sequel would be Peter Schilling's "Major Tom" or perhaps a reboot of sorts.
Space Oddity was definitely about an astronaut. Ashes to Ashes is more ambiguous and could be about Major Tom Bowie, or both but the original is definitely about an astronaut, written to coincide with the Apollo 11 Moon mission. Bowie himself said as much. Though he also said that Ashes to Ashes could also put a bit of a different spin, retroactively, on Space Oddity. :)
@Charles Ewing Smith AT ONE TIME in his life. Not his whole life.
Strung out in heavens high, living an all time low!
Peter Schilling - Major Tom, a song tribute to Bowie's Major Tom character!
Yes, they really need to listen to that now.
Lex... you are a very intelligent young lady.. you totally got it.
Unfortunately Brad didn't...
@@mikezak8812 not this time.. but he's very insightful in his own right. It just depends on the song.
Bowie was a genius musician and vocalist. He brought so many different sounds to his recordings. Saw him live in the early 80's. Peter Frampton on lead guitar. It was awesome.
@Miles Doyle
And this has what to do with David Bowie?
I get very emotional everytime I hear this one. Not necessarily a sad song, but something about the structure of the song and the vocal harmony
I wanna cry when the Major Ton don't answer, i don't now why
Bowie was one of the most talented song writers that ever lived. He wrote hit songs for other artists as well. This story explains why he was so great. Mott the Hopple was one of the bands that opened for Bowie in the early days and they were going to call it quits since they couldn't afford to keep going. So Bowie sat down, wrote the hit song "All the Young Dudes" for them in 15 minutes, and even sang backup vocals on the song for them. It was such a big hit that they were able to keep playing gigs until they wanted to retire.
Until my late 20's, I thought All the Young Dudes was actually a Bowie song. Plus there are a dozen plus songs that I liked and knew by heart, but didn't even know it was a Bowie Song for the longest time (Modern Love for example)...
Bowie was one of the all time greats. Maybe the best.
I've always interpreted the song as literally going to space in the early days of space travel and feeling both in awe on how beautiful space is and how small and insignificant major tom feels in the vast scale of it all. When they say "your circuits dead" that's means he's not saying anything in the radio, so they ask if everything is okay and the only thing he can say is "here I am sitting in my tin can..." his small capsule space craft "...there's nothing I can do" meaning he's powerless to effect anything on such a grand scale
I don't know. I think Major Tom is checking out. "Tell my wife i love her very much..." ... he is outside of his capsule , drifting away.
Circuit's dead, you ain't coming back, there's nothing I can do
@Miles Doyle buzz off
Brad, can you be any more inattentive about what's going on? Lex is ON IT!!! She gets it!
Bowie was a marketing genius. He released this right before Apollo 11 landed on the moon and he got tons of airplay!
Space X trying their 3rd attempt at launching the starship tomorrow morning!! Thats why im listening to david bowie’s song!!
Cassette tapes in 1969? How cute! Cassette tapes popped in the late 70's and faded out in the late 80's when CD's began to take over. 1969 was still the era of vinyl records and AM pop radio (soon to be eclipsed by FM rock radio).
…& don’t forget 8-tracks lol
I mean, they are technically not wrong. The first cassette tape decks for cars was sold in 1968.
But you're right. They weren't popular until the 70s.
I had a cassette player in 1968, and commercial recording were available by then.
I was somewhat wanting a Techmoan comment in here, but no...
Lex "I Wanna go fast. Like SPLAT" LMAO. the things she says and the places her mind goes are so awesome! Love your channel guys!
About 3 years later, Elton John did “Rocket Man”. Sort of a companion piece. Not trying to copy Bowie…more a complimentary song on the same theme. Remember this was the early days of manned rocketry and the space race with the former Soviet Union. You should check it out!
I’m 23 but grew up listening to classic rock/pop. Rock Lobster by the B-52s was my favorite song from like 3-5 maybe 6 lol. Ever since seeing the movie Rocket Man and the scene with the song it really has started to carry a much different tone
Complementary? Do you mean that? That's a different meaning. Complimentary works, too. Just curious. I remember back in the early '70's thinking that Elton & Bernie were sort of co-opting Bowie's song, which came first.
@Cody Pritt I think most people would disagree, but art is in the eyes and ears of the beholder. If it’s about a rock star to you…then that’s what it is. I can see our hero being a “rock star” astronaut but, not feeling like one, when he says “it’s just my job five days a week”.
@@kennethlatham3133 I guess I meant “complimentary” as in complimentary colors, not as a compliment to Bowie. I had to look it up but Taupin is quoted as saying that “(he) has denied that the Bowie song was an inspiration”.
rocket man by elton john is based off ray bradbury book "illustrated man" with it being based off the book also called rocket man
"The papers want to know who's shirts you wear..."
English shirts are a big deal to rich people and often, a shirtmaker will have a "royal warrant' (and display plaque) to make shirts for a particular member of the royal family. Business men are known to hide the names of their tailors though the papers want to know. The Rolling Stones made a reference to this kind of thing as well. Prominent people can boost the sales and image of a shirtmaker with the mere mention.
Edit:”whose shirts” - courtesy of Helen Trope
That story of thing happened a lot back then. If I recall the story correctly someone found out what brand of toothpaste JFK used and there was a huge boost in sales, they couldn't keep it on the shelves.
You guys really love your shirts. Respect
*whose shirts
@@heliotropezzz333 Thank you. I dictate my entries.
Even more today people look at celebrities to see what designer brands they're wearing.
This sound, THIS SOUND is why David Bowie was so iconic. No one ever did this before or since. Everything about this was so unique. No one was really ready for this. This song came out in 1969 (11 days before Apollo 11 launched interestingly) and other than this song performing well, he didn't become very popular, despite every album in this Era being gold and well loved now, until his fifth album Ziggy Stardust which really enhanced his signature sound. While all Bowie fans like most of his works, this Era of Bowie and his androgynous personas are the most loved and seen as his "Golden Era" which ended in truly in around 75 or 76 but can still be felt all the way to 1980 with his Scary Monsters album (listen to Ashes To Ashes).
In his own words, he struggled with his urge to fame and his urge to make good art.
Lex is on fire, her fashion is so cool. Love the outfit.
Context is important here. In 1969, when this song was released, the space program was at its zenith and the U.S. had just landed two men on the moon, an achievement that captivated the world. Very relevant at the time. BTW, love your videos!
Brad, dude, give pause control to Lex. Lex, pause when you FEEL it’s right.
Love y’all no matter what, though.
Yeah he don’t ever seem in tune with the song
In fairness, though - Brad only ever stops it at the most exciting bit (and YOU are thinking "DON'T stop it here, don't stop it..................oh, shit !") ;-)
@@AG-lm5uf Yeah. He was like, “There was a whole build up and then did the same thing,” and I’m like, “Listen to the song. He blasted off into space.”
David Bowie was incredible. Ground breaking. One of my favorite songs by him is 'Rebel Rebel'. He is a terrific actor as well. He killed it in the role of Pontius Pilate in the movie 'The last temptation of Christ'.
"I'm going kicking and screaming" had me laughing right along with Brad. That's a woman I'd kill for.
David Bowie = the absoulute best! Such a unique voice
Bowie is one of the greatest performers in all of rock music!
I even had the pleasure of shaking his hand once.
Space Oddity was the first ever 45 RPM vinyl single song I ever bought ! Still my favorite ever Bowie song ! I'm dating myself I know !
When I was 9 years old, I would be _totally_ transfixed by this record whenever it came on the radio. So evocative of that time ...and space.
You've got to hit Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.
Winston - I thought "We are the Dead" was more to your taste.
Great song. Bowie is something else. Try life on Mars, changes, let's dance or sound and vision.
The “recommended” list for Bowie is insanely long-and spans genres and all of his transformations.
Not as popular, but will certainly entertain Brad’s pursuit of understanding lyrics: I recommend Bowie’s The Width of a Circle.
@@dwe4 great song! I think of that album as Bowies Led Zep. Ronson's guitar playing is on fire.
This song warped my fragile little mind as a kid. I play it over and over. Nice to see others discover it.
Well Brad, now you know what to get Lex for her birthday next year...a ticket to space. It's only about $500,000, or if you wanna splurge, you can send to the ISS for a mere $55 million.
I really wanted to send my ex wife to the ISS , but, on my salary I had to settle with moving into a hovel and splitting everything down to my left and right shoes with her. So...lucky astronauts.
🤣
My Dad was actually involved in the early space missions. This was before computers were even invented! Everyone was glued to their TVs any time a craft was launched or landed. Apollo 13 actually DID have a similar experience with having to abort their original mission (to land on the moon) to an actual rescue mission to bring them home again. There is a movie about it, which captures the desperation of everyone to just keep these guys from floating off into their deaths. I remember as a child, praying in the classroom for their safe return to earth. This song makes gives me chills even today.
That's cool but computers were invented before the space program.
Bletchley park to major tom
The absolute definition of irony: this song came out in 1969, just less than a year before the Apollo 13 flight, which almost identically mirrored this song. Fortunately the Apollo 13 flight had a happier ending than the song.
Major Tom wasn't lost in space.
He was taken aback by all the awesomeness around him.
It was influenced by the ending trip passage of Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey (which Bowie had seen stoned out of his mind).
David Bowie was a troubled man, but this song is a work of genius!
You are so young! When we traveled to space back in the 60’s the entire planet cheered mankind’s accomplishments! Yes Space Oddity is played and loved by astronauts!
Lexi knows good music when she hears it. 😎
Major Tom is in "Space Oddity", "Ashes to Ashes", "Hallo Spaceboy", and "Blackstar" all by david bowie
Just getting into your channel a month ago.. and I still enjoy that Lex looks excited and enjoys every song and Brad always looks like he is saying WTF is going on. Don't get me wrong it's very entertaining. I am enjoying the journey you two are taking.
Lex is a cutie! But I cringe everytime I see Brad's shoulder rotate toward the screen because I know he's going to stop the song, usually during a crucial part of the song! It drives me nuts! I don't understand how he can get a feel for the song when he chops it up into pieces!
I always thought the same! Brad always looks lost especially when lex explains anything.
Great choice and great reaction. You have to remember that we were still in the infancy of space travel when this was written. It was heroic. it was the culmination of everything we had learned as a species to that point. Imagine being one of the first human beings to ever look at the earth from afar and realize it is a speck of dust in a vast cosmos. To think about the countless wars and suffering that occurred to rule that speck of dust. It captured all of our imaginations.
This was Bowie's first hit single, but there wasn't another for a while and people were saying he was a one-hit wonder. Little did they know. One astronaut did make a video of this song while on the space station. It's on TH-cam somewhere.
I think you would like Peter Schilling's Major Tom (Coming Home), he wrote it as an homage to David Bowie's Space Oddity. It was quite popular in Germany so he made an English version that became popular too, the English version is on Peter Shilling's TH-cam page. I love your insight into the music, some things I never thought about till you mentioned them.
Excellent suggestion 🙌🏼
Loving your TARDIS @darren 👍🏼
I love how brad is so honest while reacting. No fake emotions
You did one of my favorites David...one of a kind! 'Moon Age Daydream" Would be a very good song of his to react to.
I watch more of your reactions then anyone else's your channel was one of the first reactions I started watching.
Hahaha, that would give Brad some lyrics to wonder about!!
The best version of Moonage Daydream is the video of his live performance from a 1973 concert. David Bowie's live performance were always great!
@@troywilliams2777 So troy You think Brad would be wondering if David was really an alligator?
@@robperry5293 Lol
That's a great track. I love 'Star Man'
Saw David 1974 in Indy...what a trip.
It's about losing control on a drug trip. Ground control and major Tom are two aspects of his psyche. The countdown is particularly very cool. That moment of apprehension that comes when the drugs hit, and you don't know what you're in for. A leap of faith into the unknown
Thats debatable some say he wrote it after watching 2001 a space oddessy. Ashes to ashes is defo drug song.
It's both, space song/story mostly but very trippy too.
@@mikephillips8810 i love the songs trippy vibes but whether it was actually about a trip im not sure.
Not sure if that's the actual intention behind the song but I like this interpretation. Anybody who has done psychedelics knows that feeling you described, where you're struggling to let go and let the trip take you.
@@RSpracticalshooting but honestly that moment a trip takes you too a bad place .you still knows its the trip so you take the storm for about30 mins till it subsides then its amazing
You guys are fun to listen to. Lex is a riot and Brad is a perfect partner for your conversations. Please keep making these videos.
@TLM You took the words right out of my mouth.
Rebel Rebel or Suffragette City maybe next. My favorites though are Starman and Life On Mars
Brad always looks so perplexed!
That is because he does not understand music
@@brooksboyd1959 Exactly right! Glad to hear more people saying this. It's pretty clear to me that he's not doing this channel out of a love for music. But I really love Lex and everything about her.
At the time this was written, any travel above Earth's atmosphere was brand-new. That was - and still is, really - terrifyingly dangerous.
The fact that technology has advanced enough in 40-50 years that private companies and private citizens can get up there and back down is amazing.
Roger Ebert, widely considered as the greatest movie critic of all time said of the 1973 movie "The Exorcist" this movie does not rest on the screen, it is a frontal assault on your senses and Space Oddity is he musical equivalent. This is a song that you experience, it's a journey, it's profound and once you hear it, it will live with you for the rest of your life
I'd like to reccomend Lazarus from his last album. It was made before he passed and deals with him accepting his mortality before the end, similar to Hurt by Johnny Cash, really heavy and emotionally driven imo, a great listen! :)
"Oh you pretty things"!
It always seemed like a literal man lost in space song. However, years later, he recorded another song called “Ashes to Ashes.” That song contained the lyric:
“Ashes to ashes, funk to funky
We know Major Tom's a junkie
Strung out in heaven's high
Hitting an all-time low”
So, in typical Bowie fashion, he plays around a bit lyrically.
I would venture to say it is more along the lines of "Rocky Mountain High"... aside from the euphoric and disconnected feelings one can get from hypoxia, there is also the overwhelming wonder of a truly unique and "out of this world" experience that I think he was alluding to, just like John Denver referred to... Totally lost in the wonder and the feeling and not wanting to return to the "mundane" world.... Just a thought from when I heard it while watching the Apollo missions.
This song show the brilliance of the brilliantly talented Bowie
there is a great cover of this that was recorded on the international space station
All he Best and keep up the imaginative and highly articulate descriptions of these tracks you are right more then you are wrong
Long Live Brad & Lex
So many interesting interpretations of drug induced inspiration, and Bowie writing of a trip.
David was influenced by the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey (an incredibly 'trippy' movie for its time), one of the lines of his lyrics were taken from the movie said by Dave Bowman (one of the crew of a space ship from the movie) - "the stars look different" when he wrote this song. He also acknowledged the risks (the Russian cosmonaut who died etc), loneliness, detachment and of the space race that was going on at the time and the whole song reflects the growing intensity and feeling of anticipation of this race. Apollo 11 was launched a week (perhaps a few weeks?) after this song was first aired.
Also, the song never explicitly describes Major Tom's death - again one of the many things taken from 2001: A Space Odyssey - he might have, he might not have.
This chord progression is sooo beautiful. And than take into account that - in the sixties- we were all mesmerized .... Many peomle didn't beieve ..
Deep Purple Child in Time live 1970…cmon
"What, did they bring in a tuba?" That is perfect for a T-Shirt!
Please please please, listen to ALL the song first WITHOUT interrupting it! PLEASE!!!
Lex, you need to react to the reaction of Brad's facial expressions 🤣
And body movements!
When I was a kid and these songs were coming out, they played them in the speakers on the school bus. It was like the coolest thing ever.
Brad & Lex, the best reactor couple anywhere in the Cosmos! ❤🔥😃
''I'm going kicking and screaming. I'm going tied and strapped to the rocket ship''. What a beautiful declaration of love.
Brad seem like a guy that would get confused by his own reflection.
Yeah, the saying "casting pearl before swine" comes to mind with him. The chick has much more depth and curiosity
HAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Is that because he doesn't like the same music you like?
@@lizardlenny I’m sure it’s because he looks confused in every video
He's got 134k more subscribers than we have,,,,,,🤪🤪🤪
I love this song it is so unique just like David. RIP 🙏
The second song in the Major Tom arc "ashes to ashes" is an excellent track well worth a reaction 👍
That cosmonaut's recovered body was frightening and sad.
I am not sure that Lex has perfectly grasped Orbital Re-entry Thermodynamics - maybe take another look at that chapter- I am told it will be on the test.
Dayum, lol!!
Thus was the song that both introduced me to Bowie and is my favorite Bowie song.
Hey Everyone it's Handy Brady 😂
Bowie wrote the song after having seen the 1968 movie 2001: A space odyssey in which the theme of isolation and helplessness in space had a big impact on him.
Good reaction. I'd love to read the book inside Lex's head lol
In 1969, although cassette tapes existed, they weren't very popular, it's more likely that you'd be listening to this on LP record or 8-track tape. Cassettes became popular in the mid '70s and Sony introduced the Walkman portable stereo cassette player in 1979.
I love Lex for her ambition, I love Brad for his being so grounded.
If you haven't joined the Discord. We love having people like you there. People who like what they're getting when they watch this duo.
@@1992WLK I wanted to say thank you. I enjoy their content
Cassette tapes? In the late 60's🤣 I love you guys so much.
Record or 8 track.
Major Tom is a Tripper...He's on his couch "TRIPPIN"!!
Your reaction videos often bring me to tears and this is another one. I love you guys and I love David Bowie too, so that's probably why. I was so sad and disappointed when he died that I didn't get the chance to see him live in concert. He had just realised a new album as well, so I thought there was a chance. Sadly not... Æx 🙏
The way I hear this (I could be wrong) is that Major Tom gets up there and thinks about how "blue" the Earth is -- blue meaning sad, full of wars and hatred and all that, and decides he doesn't want to go back.
Yes. My impression has always been that Major Tom deliberately disconnected his communication with Ground Control and set himself adrift...(Hence the request to pass a message to his wife)...
Yes blue is a clever double play on the word by Bowie. Also when Ground Control ask "can you hear me Major Tom, can you hear...." and Major Tom replies "... am I floating in my tin can" so hear doubles as here. Bowie was always good with words.
I Was 10 Years Old When Bowie Released This One An Absolute Classic. Love Your Reviews😊👍
I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather, not screaming in terror like all the people riding in the car he was driving.
Lex, you are pretty tuned in on this stuff. One minor correction though, everyone had eight track tapes up until about 1976. Then we started switching over to cassette tapes. Just FYI, LOL. You're pretty sharp on how you pick up on what's going on in songs, I'm impressed. I'm 65 years old now and grew up through all of that beginnings of space adventures. Was a long long time ago ...
Why pause it as it’s starts the chorus?
This album is a master piece and is timeless. David Bowie was a pioneer in electronic/rock music. Later in his career he did a lot to work with Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails. Such an amazing Rocker/Producer/Songwriter. Man I miss Bowie.
Please please please The Decemberists "Crane Wife 1,2,&3" "The Infanta" "Yankee Bayonet" or "The Mariner's Revenge Song" ..... or anything else by them
they should react to The Tain ...lol
Crane Wife is great, and a great album (but of course, I haven’t listened to much of their later albums.)
They need to do The Rake's Song lol
Bowie was way ahead of the times ,unique ,and great artist ..he was the 70,s ..
Terrible pause. Had you listened a little longer, you would have noted the climax. Instead you laughed…
I like these guys and watch all their stuff but they pause WAY too much!
One of the first questions I ask people when I'm getting to know them is whether they like and listen to music regularly. It tells you a whole lot about them and how you might or might not relate to them.
Bowie writes this song after watch Stanley Kubrick´s 2001 Space Oddysey on the Cinema...hes a Crack! a Music God!
He’s using music to paint a picture of drug use. The space reference is a metaphor for his trip.
At 1:39, I see nothing to laugh about, yet you do...? WTH? How's about if you stop pausing stuff so soon, and wait until the song actually 'plays out' for a while? Is that possible?
He kills the vibe to every song!
I'm starting to think he's doing it on purpose to get more comments.
@@rsw1227 I agree. Pretty soon he's gonna get LESS comments and views...just sayin'
@@guidosarducci It's getting old for me too.
I only watch songs that I think he might like or understand.
I'm also starting to think she might listen or research some of the songs before they "react" to it.
She gets the meaning of the song after he pauses in the first 30 seconds? Most of the time she doesn't even follow the lyric video.
I wonder what would happen if Lex had her own channel...without crowbar's influence? Just throwin' that out there...
That's just him being his typical condescending prick self
There are many interpretations of this song. Some say it's about alienation, some say it's about dropping the "normal" ("your circuit's dead") to go your own way (to stop caring about "whose shirts you wear"). The mundane doesn't matter ("planet Earth is blue and there's nothing I can do"). It definitely has drug overtones (Bowie was into a lot of things) but I see this song as a piece of art.