# Why no really positive songs about space flight? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 23, 2003, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-really-positive-songs-about-space-flight/203387 "2003-09-23T20:07:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-really-positive-songs-about-space-flight/203387/1 "2003-09-23T20:07:55Z")
All the songs about space flight I can think of seem pretty depressing. Elton John - Rocket Man Planet P - Why Me? David Bowie - Space Oddity Peter Schilling - Major Tom (coming home) Are there any strongly positive songs about space flight? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-really-positive-songs-about-space-flight/203387/2 "2003-09-23T20:27:11Z")
Isn’t there one about Skyrocket in flight… Afternoon delight? ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-really-positive-songs-about-space-flight/203387/3 "2003-09-23T20:50:14Z")
_I lost my heart to a starship trooper_ - Sarah Brightman & Hot Gossip ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-really-positive-songs-about-space-flight/203387/4 "2003-09-23T20:50:33Z")
Rush - “Countdown”: "The earth beneath us starts to tremble With the spreading of a low black cloud A thunderous roar shakes the air Like the whole world exploding Scorching blast of golden fire As it slowly leaves the ground Tears away with a mighty force The air is shattered by the awesome sound" ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-really-positive-songs-about-space-flight/203387/5 "2003-09-23T21:05:35Z")
The original good Jefferson Starship’s [Blows Against the Empire](http://www.classicalmusicreview.com/Blows_Against_the_Empire_B000002X2B.html) “tells a science fiction story, with a wonderfully naive concept, about the hijack of the first starship (build in secrecy by the government) by a group of hippies.” It was even nominated for a Hugo Award as best Dramatic Presentation. But I think that tells you a lot about why space flight per se is not well thought of. Too associated with the government and bureaucracy. And I have also found - to wildly overgeneralize - that ouside the science fiction field, most artists of all stripes are ignorant and fearful of science to the point of active hostility. I’ve never understood why, but you can find examples that date back to the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. This [really cool Space Rock site](http://www.wildsscene.com/music/oddpop/space_r.html) only comes up as a Google cache, and doesn’t really have very much content (and includes many instrumentals, which shouldn’t count) but you definitely should take a look. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-really-positive-songs-about-space-flight/203387/6 "2003-09-23T21:08:44Z")
And the reason I didn’t give the info to get you to the Google cache is? HYP RECORDS/Odd Pop: Space Rock [www.wildsscene.com/music/oddpop/space\_r.html](http://www.wildsscene.com/music/oddpop/space_r.html) - ---
**Author:** ![criminalcatalog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e68b1a/32.png) [@criminalcatalog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/criminalcatalog)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-really-positive-songs-about-space-flight/203387/7 "2003-09-23T21:10:44Z")
Well what about the song **“A Day in Space”** by Ballboy? it’s about as pro-space as you can get. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-really-positive-songs-about-space-flight/203387/8 "2003-09-23T21:12:19Z")
Hawkwind “Silver Machine” for sci-fi space/time travel ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-really-positive-songs-about-space-flight/203387/9 "2003-09-23T21:13:42Z")
Does “Star Trekking across the Universe” count? Or maybe not. “It’s worse than that, it’s physics, Jim!” ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-really-positive-songs-about-space-flight/203387/10 "2003-09-23T21:14:04Z")
I’ll just throw in “Faith of the Heart”, sung by Rod Stewart as the them song from _Enterprise_. While not specifically about space travel, it’s still pretty damn upbeat, especially with the montage of images of Amelia Earheart, Chuck Yeager and Neil Armstrong. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-really-positive-songs-about-space-flight/203387/11 "2003-09-23T21:16:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chronos \* > \*\*Does “Star Trekking across the Universe” count? > > Or maybe not. “It’s worse than that, it’s physics, Jim!” \*\* You’re conflating two seperate lines. The McCoy chorus is “It’s worse than that; he’s dead, Jim!” The Scotty chorus is “You canna change the law of physics!” The Spock chorus, by the way, is “It’s life, Jim, but not as we know it.” ---
**Author:** ![dbygawdcapn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dbygawdcapn/32/3995_2.png) [@dbygawdcapn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dbygawdcapn)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-really-positive-songs-about-space-flight/203387/12 "2003-09-23T21:46:49Z")
Dan Hicks does a rousing version of “Hell I’d Go”. It’s all about taking a joy ride on a UFO if given the opportunity. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-really-positive-songs-about-space-flight/203387/13 "2003-09-23T22:24:03Z")
Schoolhouse Rock’s **Interplanet Janet** , not only positive, but educational! ---
**Author:** ![Roadwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@Roadwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadwalker)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-really-positive-songs-about-space-flight/203387/14 "2003-09-23T23:25:52Z")
Bony M’s Nightflight To Venus. Anyone know that one? ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-really-positive-songs-about-space-flight/203387/15 "2003-09-23T23:40:23Z")
While not easy to find, Leslie Fish and Diana Gallagher-Wu have recorded many positive songs about space flight ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-really-positive-songs-about-space-flight/203387/16 "2003-09-24T00:21:04Z")
The main theme to _The Right Stuff._ ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-really-positive-songs-about-space-flight/203387/17 "2003-09-24T00:40:23Z")
Cynthia something or other…she’s a filk singer. Did the most space-positive song ever called ‘One Way To Go’ “But there’s only one way to go from here One way to go It’s logical it’s clear There’s only one way to go from here Without a doubt The only way to go from here is out!” ---
**Author:** ![Junior\_Spaceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Junior\_Spaceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Junior_Spaceman)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-really-positive-songs-about-space-flight/203387/18 "2003-09-24T00:51:15Z")
Heavy Metal dinosaurs **Saxon** did a song which I remember as being very positive about the first moon landing - _The Eagle Has Landed_. I just found [the lyrics](http://www.inlyrics.com/display/Saxon_Lyrics/The_Eagle_Has_Landed_Lyrics/75939.htm), and they’re touching in their perspective … > [@](#): > > Take a giant step for mankind > On a distant lunar sea > As you travel across the universe > Will you take a step, take a step for me ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-really-positive-songs-about-space-flight/203387/19 "2003-09-24T00:57:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bryan Ekers \* > You’re conflating two seperate lines. The McCoy chorus is “It’s worse than that; he’s dead, Jim!” The Scotty chorus is “You canna change the law of physics!” > > The Spock chorus, by the way, is “It’s life, Jim, but not as we know it.” Complete Trekie geek _and_ a sense of humor. Now that’s something I could respect in the morning. ---
**Author:** ![Papermache\_Prince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Papermache\_Prince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papermache_Prince)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-really-positive-songs-about-space-flight/203387/20 "2003-09-24T01:08:17Z")
“[Fly me to the moon](http://www.1try.com/song_lyrics/Fly_Me_to_the_Moon.html) And let me play among the stars Let me know what spring is like On Jupiter and Mars” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-really-positive-songs-about-space-flight/203387.md?page=2)