Written by David Bowie, “Space Oddity” was released as a 7-inch single on 11 July 1969 and later opened his second album, David Bowie. Produced by Gus Dudgeon and recorded at Trident Studios in London, it tells the story of the fictional astronaut Major Tom. Its title and subject matter were partly inspired by 2001: A Space Odyssey, while Bowie’s feelings of alienation also informed the writing. The single was rush-released to coincide with the Apollo 11 Moon landing and was used by the BBC during its coverage; it reached number five in the UK.
A psychedelic folk and folk rock ballad, “Space Oddity” moves beyond the music-hall style of Bowie’s debut toward an acoustic, space-themed arrangement. Although centred on C major, it uses shifting chords and harmonic colour, including an E7 in the second verse and a descending bridge progression under “Planet Earth is blue.” Its through-composed sequence includes a 12-bar opening verse, countdown and liftoff sections, guitar breaks and solos, and a fading outro. Bowie performed it regularly until 1990; Chris Hadfield’s 2013 cover, filmed in space, later gained widespread attention.
