I heard (from my beloved) that “Major Tom” was invented when Bowie saw a poster for a circus performer Tom Major (who is actually the father of John Major former PM).
He simply reversed the names…
Dont know if its true of not, just thought I’d share it.
The Staff Report being referenced is: Was “Major Tom” the astronaut a real person?
Kat, it’s helpful if the Original Poster (OP) starting a topic, provide the link to the Column or Staff Report being discussed. Helps keep us all on the same page.
It’s tempting to believe this, especially given that John Major and David Bowie were both born and spent their early childhood in Brixton in the 1940s (Major is a few years older).
Tom Major-Ball was already in his 60s when John Major was born – a bit on the old side still to be practicing as a circus acrobat. Given that he spent his final years a a garden gnome manufacturer and died before John was 20, it is highly unlikely that his circus act was ever advertised during Bowie’s childhood. Of course, that doesn’t rule out the possibility that Bowie saw an old poster from an earlier period with the name “Tom Major” on it, but this is probably just another example of the mythmaking which has surrounded John Major’s early life (granted that it was genuinely somewhat unusual).
After reading the question
right after the questioner refers to Peter Schilling’s version as “retro music,” I just don’t know how to feel.
Either that I’m very old, or that the questioner is very ignorant.