# Ground Control to Major Tom

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ground-control-to-major-tom/56753>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 4, 2001, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ground-control-to-major-tom/56753 "2001-03-04T21:53:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![pezwookiee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@pezwookiee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezwookiee)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2001, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ground-control-to-major-tom/56753/1 "2001-03-04T21:53:48Z")

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Hey teemings masses!

I was wondering if any rock n’ rollers out there might know the story behind the two Major Tom songs: David Bowie’s “Major Tom” and Peter Schimmel’s (Schilling?, Schimmelman? can’t remember right now) “Major Tom (Coming Home).”

Both about Major Tom the astronaut, but different songs if I recall correctly.

Straight dope?

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**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2001, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ground-control-to-major-tom/56753/2 "2001-03-04T22:01:03Z")

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Bowie’s was called Space Oddity.

Shilling’s Major Tom was a direct reference to SO.

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**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2001, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ground-control-to-major-tom/56753/3 "2001-03-04T22:01:15Z")

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> **[Was "Major Tom" the astronaut a real person?](https://www.straightdope.com/21342658/was-major-tom-the-astronaut-a-real-person)**
>
> A STAFF REPORT FROM THE STRAIGHT DOPE SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD

[http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mmajort2.html](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mmajort2.html)

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**Author:** ![pezwookiee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@pezwookiee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezwookiee)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2001, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ground-control-to-major-tom/56753/4 "2001-03-04T22:11:39Z")

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Wow, that was quick.

```
   --pez
```

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**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2001, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ground-control-to-major-tom/56753/5 "2001-03-05T05:22:12Z")

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I think the most common interpretation of “Space Oddity” is that it’s an allegory for drug use. “Major Tom” is not an astronaut, but a junkie. The astronaut who drifts off intof into space. losing contact with ground control, symbolizes a junkie getting high and drifting farther and farther away from reality.

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**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2001, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ground-control-to-major-tom/56753/6 "2001-03-05T05:53:26Z")

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And don’t forget “Major Tom’s a junkie” from Bowie’s _Ashes to Ashes_.