TS: "Space Oddity" vs. "Rocket Man"

Bowie once slammed Elton John for writing Rocket Man, claiming that he only wrote it to rival "Space Oddity". And Tad, there is a BIG difference between Elton John and phil Fucking Collins (Elton may have written "Can You Feel The Love Tonight", but it sure isn't "Sussudio"!)

http://a.yfrog.com/img616/5049/9tlrug.jpg

"When do you think you'll be able to shift my furniture?"
"I don't know mate, busy month. I think it's going to be a long long time."

Bowie once slammed Elton John for writing Rocket Man, claiming that he only wrote it to rival "Space Oddity".

I thought it was inspired by that Pearls Before Swine song, errrrr, "Rocket Man"

There's a bit in Angie Bowie's autobio where she recalls telling David "It's OK, other people are allowed to write songs about space as well".

So I always understood the story of "Space Oddity" to be that Major Tom looks down at Earth from outer space, realizes how 'blue' (unhappy) it is and how there's nothing he can do about it, and disconnects himself, deciding that he never wants to go back. My gf's interpretation was just that there was some kind of technical malfunction that Major Tom can do nothing about and so he gets lost in space, with "blue" just referring to the colour. AMG and Wikipedia ("Major Tom") seem to back me up, at least a bit... Has Bowie actually said it's about an astronaut on drugs?? Or does the OP just mean that Bowie was on smack at the time?

Latter

Has Bowie actually said it's about an astronaut on drugs??

Ashes to ashes, funk to funky, we know Major Tom's a junky

Bit of Glass Onionizing going on there, if you ask me

In regards to "Rocket Man", does he go up in space for a five-day stretch every week? If so, that's harsh working conditions. Or does up come back down every evening, which is a utter waste of resources and the like.

Also, what type of work is he doing up there (as science isn't your man's strong point)?

"Rocket Man" is the superior song, by the way.

^^^^ yep

"Space Oddity" is a song that never overcomes its conceptual origin: it sounds like songwriting to order. I listened to it once and have never returned to it, whereas "Rocket Man" gets weirder with each listen. Plus, Elton's gorgeous singing matches the melody.

otm

There were definitely some prescient things about "Space Oddity." The dramatic singing, the weirdness of the acoustic guitar chords and the last few notes of the guitar solo. It's not just the concept of coldness (though it was probably hugely influential in that area), I think this stuff was also formative, ultimately, for the whole concept of machine music in pop.

I like that explanation.

Such totally different songs, vibes, everything.

The great thing about Rocket Man is that you can relate to it in two completely different emotional states: you could be the weary working schlub (9-5er, trucker, traveling salesman, or rock star I guess) saying goodbye to the wife, missing home, doing your thing and feeling kind of blue about it (the long "Rocket - - MA-AAAA-AAH-AAAAN" at the end of the "cold as hell" verse i think epitomizes this).

But you're also reinventing yourself, a secret superhero: "I'm not the man they think I am at home - OH NO NO NO!" That part is followed directly by the soaring weird sound in the background (which actually does remind one a bit of "Space Oddity"). So suddenly it's fun to be the Rocket Man - and then just as suddenly it's sad again: burning up a fuse, up here alone (and the spacey sound drifts down to Earth). I don't have a reading that quite synthesizes these two things but it's interesting how comfortably they work together in this song. I guess maybe it just helps that it's not just a relentless melancholic dirge or a super-coherent but super-ordinary Tale of Alienation in Space, which I do think "Space Oddity" runs close to being.

But come on, "Space Oddity" is pretty great! "Tell my wife I love her very much - she KNOWS!" - can't hate on that too much. I get what Alfred's saying about songwriting-to-order though.

i have a pretty hard time believing soto has heard "rocket man" only once, no whiney

Dr Casino, Shatner famously employed his acting techniques in interpreting this dual nature of "Rocket Man"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j8LDZreZ7M

Sad space dude of the '70s song #3.

"Spaceman" definitely my favorite of all three of these, if a bit histrionic in places and more explicit in its emotional content than "Rocket Man." Bang, bang, shoot 'em up, destinyyyy...

i have a pretty hard time believing soto has heard "rocket man" only once, no whiney

Uh that's not what I wrote.

And, yeah, "Spaceman" is actually my favorite one of the three.

Actually got kind of choked up singing 'Rocket Man' at karaoke the other day. That doesn't happen for me often with songs, so either it was just a weird night, or Elton knew what he was up to. Great song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV_jDmSmu2g

have never really loved 'space oddity,' but i'm in love with this version, from 1979:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMR-yyQn21A

i'd go with Rocket Man in a heartbeat BUT here's the incredible version of Space Oddity that opened the 1990 Sound And Vision tour

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvDvtgVG-xo

I always really liked how "Space Oddity" knicked and used the cresendo part of "A Day in the Life". It's kind of funny how they get around it on the Live at Santa Monica 72 in that live version.

I just realized “Space Oddity” is a play of words on “Space Odyssey!” lol

so how does commuting to space work, is there a space bus

re: Rocket Man

Space shuttle, I've heard.

kinda surprised at my high placement of "spaceman" above - i fuckin love that song but it doesn't have the richness and perfection of "rocket man."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH1YAPcydGo

"so how does commuting to space work, is there a space bus"

C'mon let's go Space Truckin'

Just watching David Bowie doing an updated (and very sparse) version of "Space Oddity" on, of all things, the Kenny Everett Video Show.

... followed by Thin Lizzy with Steve Jones and Paul Cook doing a Christmas medley.

"Ashes to Ashes">>"Rocket Man">>"Space Oddity"

OMG can't believe the Thin Lizzy/Pistols thing is real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKoWD6UH_QQ

Can I vote Major Tom instead?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO0A0XcWy88