# Astronomy songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 5, 2019, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astronomy-songs/841326 "2019-10-05T20:23:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2019, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astronomy-songs/841326/41 "2019-10-07T07:23:54Z")
[quote=“madsircool, post:13, topic:841326”] Blue Oyster Cult Astronomy [/QUOTE] Also [Workshop of the Telescopes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOZhVZPDvbI). ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2019, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astronomy-songs/841326/42 "2019-10-07T12:25:23Z")
> [@peedin](#): > > “The Galaxy Song” from Monty Python’s Meaning of Life. > [@kenobi\_65](#): > > And, as covered by Stephen Hawking: > > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfcC6FYyL4U](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfcC6FYyL4U)\*\* > > 😃 I came to mention Clint Black’s cover from his _D’lectrified_ album because there’s a story. I was going to a friend’s home for dinner, where I understood Clint Black would be present. Not a huge country fan, and not wanting to be embarrassed, I scrambled around on YouTube, listening to as much of his work as I could find. I enjoyed some of his harmonica playing and I loved his cover of _The Galaxy Song_. So, after a nice meal we were sitting around drinking and chatting. I brought up his harp playing and mentioned some of my favorite blues harp players. I was sort of surprised that he knew the artists I liked. Then, I mentioned that _Galaxy_ was my favorite Clint Black song. He laughed and slapped my back. Apparently my favorite was the favorite of everyone who wasn’t a country music fan. We all had a good laugh. Clint autographed a C Harmonica and gave it to me for being a good sport. ---
**Author:** ![Art\_Rock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/art_rock/32/525_2.png) [@Art\_Rock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Art_Rock)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2019, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astronomy-songs/841326/43 "2019-10-07T13:53:56Z")
More than 40 posts, and no-one mentioned Bowie’s _Life on Mars?_ ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2019, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astronomy-songs/841326/44 "2019-10-07T15:17:42Z")
> [@Art\_Rock](#): > > More than 40 posts, and no-one mentioned Bowie’s _Life on Mars?_ I’d argue that’s not a song about astronomy, it merely mentions mars in context of the emo girl complaining about wanting to get away. My contribution: [Jethro Tull - Orion](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40coItA-EJY) ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2019, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astronomy-songs/841326/45 "2019-10-07T17:10:01Z")
Under the MIlky Way The Church Great song - [The Church - Under The Milky Way - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA54NBtPKdI) ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2019, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astronomy-songs/841326/46 "2019-10-07T17:41:19Z")
“Einstein On The Beach” - Counting Crows “Airbag” - Radiohead ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2019, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astronomy-songs/841326/47 "2019-10-07T18:40:54Z")
Another one that rhymes “stars” with “Mars” - [Stars](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvq4LdngkD4)by Hum. _She thinks she missed the train to Mars She’s out back counting stars_ ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2019, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astronomy-songs/841326/48 "2019-10-07T20:02:13Z")
From almost four years ago, _A Child’s Introduction To Outer Space_. **The Wandering Stars** _Mercury Venus Earth and Mars Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus Neptune and Pluto! The Wandering Stars!_ **Meet Space Pilot Jones** _Meet Space Pilot Jones His body, it looks like a barrel…_ **(the one about satellites)** _Is it raining in Paris? Will it snow in New York?_ > [@LP ID: Old record for children about the solar system](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lp-id-old-record-for-children-about-the-solar-system/314735/6): > > I remember this, in fact, I have been searching on and off for a long time. > > The lyrics and tune I remembered were “Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars…” but it was useless to search because the lyrics are so common! > > Thanks for finding it. > > The other lyrics I remember is: > > “Seven miles a second > Seven miles a second > A rocket ship could make the trip in > Seven miles a second” > > I found it at [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eliDhERy3E](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eliDhERy3E) and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwmGiPvEWbA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwmGiPvEWbA) ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2019, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astronomy-songs/841326/49 "2019-10-07T20:02:48Z")
> [@GargoyleWB](#): > > I’d argue that’s not a song about astronomy, it merely mentions mars in context of the emo girl complaining about wanting to get away. > > My contribution: > [Jethro Tull - Orion](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40coItA-EJY) Excellent! Many answers are casting a very wide net. Maybe I should have narrowed it to constellation songs. But then the thread would be a lot shorter. I felt I had to start the thread because: \*\*Eustacia \*\*went to a dark-sky park with a telescope the other weekend. When she came back she asked me about the pronunciation of that constellation that looks like a W. I said /ˌkæsiəˈpiːə/, of course. She said someone had criticized another astronomer there for pronouncing it that way, insisting the stress accent should go on the 3rd instead of 4th syllable: /ˌkæsiˈoʊpiːə/. Well, that guy was wrong. So I wondered how Sara Bareilles had pronounced it, and I went and played the song loud. She adjusted the pronunciation to the melody and meter of the line: /kæsiˌoʊpiːˈɑː/. (Artistic license.) Because she put stress on the O, I speculated that the mispronunciation guy had gotten it from the song. So anyway, ever since then the song has been stuck in my head, remaining extraordinarily persistent for much longer than the usual song-stuck-in-my-head. I started this thread out of desperation, hoping that externalizing it here might help get it out of my head. (Didn’t work.) I like the song, but too much is more than enough already. I’m going to listen to Tull’s “Orion” again and any other constellation song you guys come up with. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2019, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astronomy-songs/841326/50 "2019-10-07T20:05:33Z")
[_Eight-Foot Two, Solid Blue_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBf4oe3UA4s) - Alan Sherman _Eight foot two, solid blue, Five transistors in each shoe, Has anybody seen my gal? Lucite nose, rust-proof toes, And when her antenna glows, She’s the cutest Martian gal._ ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2019, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astronomy-songs/841326/51 "2019-10-07T20:30:03Z")
How about, “Aquarius,” by The Fifth Dimension? When the moon is in the Seventh House And Jupiter aligns with Mars Then peace will guide the planets And love will steer the stars (Far out, man!) ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2019, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astronomy-songs/841326/52 "2019-10-07T20:40:15Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > I felt I had to start the thread because: \*\*Eustacia \*\*went to a dark-sky park with a telescope the other weekend. When she came back she asked me about the pronunciation of that constellation that looks like a W. I said /ˌkæsiəˈpiːə/, of course. She said someone had criticized another astronomer there for pronouncing it that way, insisting the stress accent should go on the 3rd instead of 4th syllable: /ˌkæsiˈoʊpiːə/. Well, that guy was wrong. So I wondered how Sara Bareilles had pronounced it, and I went and played the song loud. She adjusted the pronunciation to the melody and meter of the line: /kæsiˌoʊpiːˈɑː/. (Artistic license.) Because she put stress on the O, I speculated that the mispronunciation guy had gotten it from the song. I’ve heard both pronunciations, long before anyone ever heard of Sara Bareilles. I think this is one of those things you pick up from the people around you, and you never bother checking. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2019, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astronomy-songs/841326/53 "2019-10-07T21:07:09Z")
Also by Blue Oyster Cult. [Take Me Away](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1NYhbiiiFw) ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2019, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astronomy-songs/841326/54 "2019-10-10T20:57:49Z")
Blur - Far out. Great song. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2019, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astronomy-songs/841326/55 "2019-10-10T22:40:30Z")
[Star Trekking](https://youtu.be/M3k_CgzdR2s). ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astronomy-songs/841326/56 "2019-10-11T03:51:38Z")
“Stars Fell on Alabama,” 1934, about an 1833 Leonid meteor shower. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astronomy-songs/841326/57 "2019-10-11T20:11:47Z")
Jethro Tull also had a song called “Astronomy”. B-52’s had “Hallucinating Pluto”. Canadian prog group FM had a track called “Aldebaran”. A star name for those who didn’t know. Aimee Mann’s “The Other End of the Telescope”. Early (pre Steve Perry) Journey had a track called “Kohoutek”, after the comet of the same name. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2019, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astronomy-songs/841326/58 "2019-10-12T10:12:53Z")
I wrote a song for my friend in the early 1980s that began PKS 200-300 yes you know it’s out there In deepest outer space, whether or not, uh, you really care But a wink from God’s eye was the making of this mighty quasar Radiant mind life with the power of a billion stars At the time, [PKS 2000-330](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PKS_2000-330) was the most distant object known. ---
**Author:** ![breezman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@breezman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/breezman)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2019, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astronomy-songs/841326/59 "2019-10-13T15:35:29Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > “Saucerful of Secrets”, “Interstellar Overdrive”, “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun”, by Pink Floyd. And the alternate / original lyrics to Echoes. Planets meeting face to face One to the other cry “how sweet If endlessly we might embrace A perfect union deep in space If heaven might this once relent And give us leave to shine as one Our two lights here forever one light blended” And in that longing to be one The parting summons sound is drawn “I see you’ve got to travel on And on and on around the sun” ---
**Author:** ![Simmerdown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simmerdown/32/14859_2.png) [@Simmerdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simmerdown)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2019, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astronomy-songs/841326/60 "2019-10-14T00:55:23Z")
Brian Eno & John Cale: [Spinning Away](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-INeMspNSQ0) XTC: [We’re All Light](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SfAoKxt4bw&list=RD9SfAoKxt4bw&start_radio=1) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astronomy-songs/841326.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astronomy-songs/841326.md?page=4)