Brief History of "Space Oddity"

Since arriving to Thailand, the song “Space Oddity” by David Bowie has been playing non-stop in various clubs. In fact, every Tuesday night at My Secret Café in Chiangmai, a local band called Beer, Pound, and Dong does a very convincing version. Because I have come to enjoy the song, I decided to take a deep dive into further understanding the origins and its makings. 


David Bowie wrote "Space Oddity," about a fictional astronaut named Major Tom, partly inspired by Stanley Kubrick's film 2001: A Space Odyssey, while feeling isolated about this time in his career. The lyrics were not optimistic and highlighted the loneliness of being out in space and away from home. It is now considered one of Bowie's finest recordings and remains one of his most popular songs. Bowie’s former manager Kenneth Pitt, who died at the age of 96 knew they were on to something special from the first time he heard the song. Spencer Kaufman said, "The song was revolutionary for its time, musically and lyrically, and it helped introduce the masses to one of the most dynamic and creative music acts we will ever know."

 


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