Covers are common enough, but it’s not as often that you find one artist reinterpreting the adventures of another artist’s character, particularly a recurring character, since Bowie introduced Major Tom in “Space Oddity” and continued the story in “Ashes To Ashes.” I’ve always wondered what Bowie’s opinion was, but I’ve not been able to find any information.
Well, since David Bowie gets a check for Peter Schilling’s cover of this Bowie-written song, I would expect that would tend to make him think nicely of it.
Plus many stations started to replay Bowie’s original version when Schilling’s cover was popular, which probably led to at least a few more sales of Bowie albums. Again, something pleasant for Bowie.
Generally, songwriters are quite happy when some other artist covers their material.
But it’s not a cover tune. That’s part of a point of the OP. Bowie didn’t write it. Had nothing to do with it. Completely different music and lyrics and Bowie doesn’t get songwriter royalties at all. It’s just about the same story - the doomed astronaut who floats off into space.
It’s more an homage to Bowie’s song.
Like if I wrote a song about a man name Bo Jangles (or a song about the song “Mr. Bo Jangles”).
But it’s not a cover, is a totally new song with the same character, isn’t it? I bet Bowie didn’t get a dime from it.
Elton John’s Rocketman is supposedly inspired by Bowie’s Space Oddity as well. Wonder how he feels about that?
I was just reading that… hoping for a hint.
Yeah I guess when Bowie and Sir Elton wrote their tunes Kubrick’s movie was out and man was landing on the moon so the theme was praobalby de rigueur at the time.
I Googled about a bit and haven’t been able to find anything about whethr r not Bowie has on opinion on Schilling’s ditty either. Hm. Maybe he’s never gone on record with an opinion at all…
Bowie released two versions on the radio. The acoustic-sounding one in 1969 and then another was released in the U.S. in 1972. Maybe t-bonham@scc.net got confused and thought one of them was the Schilling “cover” rather than the techno-boppy 80s tune “Major Tom” (which is now stuck in my head thankyouverymuch.)
I find this unlikely. “Rocket Man” is about some drone working in the aerospace industry “5 days a week” whose only space travel is through getting high as a kite on drugs.
Funny, Bernie Taupin didn’t suggest that when he introduced William Shatner doing his now infamous rendition of the song at a sci-fi con.
Lyrics:
She packed my bags last night pre-flight
Zero hour nine a.m.
And I’m gonna be high as a kite by then
I miss the earth so much I miss my wife
It’s lonely out in space
On such a timeless flight
And I think it’s gonna be a long long time
Till touch down brings me round again to find
I’m not the man they think I am at home
Oh no no no I’m a rocket man
Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone
Mars ain’t the kind of place to raise your kids
In fact it’s cold as hell
And there’s no one there to raise them if you did
And all this science I don’t understand
It’s just my job five days a week
A rocket man, a rocket man
And I think it’s gonna be a long long time…
Let’s do some lyrical analysis:
#1) A wife backing an astronaut’s bag? Not likely. Would make sense for a wife to pack the things for her husband (such as a briefcase) he needs for work.
#2) “Zero hour nine a.m.” Typical start time of salaried worker.
#3) “And I’m gonna be high as a kite by then” Being “high as a kite” is a common slang term for feeling really good on drugs.
#4) “I’m not the man they think I am at home”. His family doesn’t know he is a drug addict.
#5) “Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone”. Wasting his life getting high.
#6) “And all this science I don’t understand”. An astronaut not understanding the science? This makes more sense if the author is some non-techie drone.
#7) “It’s just my job five days a week”. This is the real clincher. Astronauts don’t have a job that they always get 2 day weekends.
This is anecdotal, but I’m sure I recall hearing on the American Top 40 back when the song was on the charts Casey Kasem introing it one time by saying that Peter Schilling got permission from Bowie to use Major Tom in a song.
critter42
rfgdxm, as Robert Frost once said, “The poem will hold any meaning it will bear.”
Critter, based on what Don MacLean said about Casey Kasem
I wouldn’t buy it.
Yes, but in the end did he like the song? Or did he say “Sod it! Why the hell did I let that boob sully Major Tom’s good name??”