Taking Sides: "Major Tom (Coming Home" by Peter Schilling vs. "Whisper To a Scream (Birds Fly)" by the Icicle Works

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Put both on mix disc recently for a friend of mine, and found I still swoon at each of them. They both sound like pop music from another dimension these days. How Schilling ever got away with this bit of Bowie pilferage remains a mystery, but the soaring final "Hoooooome" towards the song's climax forgives all.

The `Works' finest hour, meanwhile, features an equally celestial chorus (Ian McNabb's voice resounding from a thousand stories high....though singin' about God knows what), and the manic thwacking of those toms coupled with those chiming guitars..? Perfection! Too bad they never managed anything as great (though "Understanding Jane" weren't bad).

I have a sneaking suspicion Icicle Works might win this one, but I've certainly been wrong before when it comes to anticipating ILM reactions.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 23 May 2005 13:31 (twenty years ago)

Both are lovely songs; my vote goes to Pete Schilling ("FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE!")

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Monday, 23 May 2005 13:35 (twenty years ago)

hmm - i have both as 45s. but i bought the icicle works on a high school trip to england (same trip where i picked up my beloved sigue sigue sputnik t-shirt) so that one always seemed more exotic to me...

― chr1sb0y (chr1sb0y), Monday, 23 May 2005 13:52 (twenty years ago)

Two brilliant songs and hard to compare, really. But if pressed I'd have to go with Schilling as well. Wait - are we talking the German version or English?

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Monday, 23 May 2005 13:54 (twenty years ago)

Good grief, you're asking the 1983-era me to choose between incredible brilliances! I refuse to choose.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 23 May 2005 13:56 (twenty years ago)

I was referring to Schilling's english version (pedants may cite that I put the sleeve of the German version at the top of this thread, but the German one had a better cover and it was the right size, so whatever).

Surprised to see Schilling getting such love here.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 23 May 2005 14:08 (twenty years ago)

Not from me. "Major Tom" = "edgy" annoying eighth-notes and talk-singing, as well as an already-done-better story. "Whisper to a Scream" = huge-sounding, anthemic, incoherent generational pride. Easy choice, I say.

― Rick Massimo (Rick Massimo), Monday, 23 May 2005 14:12 (twenty years ago)

See, now that's the type of answer I was originally expecting. I have to say, in 1983, I think I felt the same way about "Major Tom (Coming Home)". Something about Schilling's slightly clipped English and the fact that the narrative of the song was lifted wholesale from a not-at-all obscure classic rock warhorse, it just seemed a bit pointless. Over the years, though, I've forgiven its inherent silliness. I think the production is amazing, and once again, when the song builds to its lung-straining fruition (the afore-mentioned Coming...Coming HOOOOOOOOOOOME, I do practically fuckin' well up and get all emotional. Pathetic and troubling, really, but it does do that to me.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 23 May 2005 14:38 (twenty years ago)

"I do practically fuckin' well up and get all emotional."

It's especially emotional when one's in a club, dancing, drunk.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Monday, 23 May 2005 14:52 (twenty years ago)

This is a great TS 'cause I can't easily pick. I can tell you that at the time, I preferred Major Tom but of either of these two, this lyric, 'we are we are we are we're just children finding our way around indecision' is more likely to pop up from my subconscious nowdays.

― M. White (Miguelito), Monday, 23 May 2005 15:12 (twenty years ago)

Lyrically, "Space Oddity" > "Major Tom". But I prefer the way the lyrics are *delivered* in "Major Tom". The staccato notes and over-enunciated words do a fantastic job of building tension and making you sit up and take notice of them. Bowie's words can get lost and drift by amongst the hazy psychedelia of "Space Oddity".

So yeah, "Major Tom" = brilliant, and I'd rank it barely above the similarly majestic "Whisper to a Scream".

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Monday, 23 May 2005 15:20 (twenty years ago)

Icicle Works, though the Schilling song is great.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Monday, 23 May 2005 15:24 (twenty years ago)

we learned the german lyrics for high school german class! so peter schilling wins.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 23 May 2005 16:29 (twenty years ago)

I too am shocked by the Schilling love, but I defintely liked it better at the time and so I gotta stick with it now, though it is really close in my mind.

I actually have a soft spot for the Icicle Works' "Understanding Jane." A lost classic! I love it!

― Hutlock (Hutlock), Monday, 23 May 2005 16:38 (twenty years ago)

this thread is nothing without YSIs.

Anyone?

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 23 May 2005 16:41 (twenty years ago)

"Send me up a drink", jokes Major Tom / The count goes on...

Fantastic stuff - gets my vote. Great video too, which concludes with the eponymous spacefarer's ascent to Heaven, where pretty waitresses in red hotpants roller-skate in formation through drifting clouds of dry ice. Mmm.

― Palomino (Palomino), Monday, 23 May 2005 18:57 (twenty years ago)

Everybody now....

"EARTH BELOW US.....DRIFTING, FALLING....FLOATING WEIGHTLESS....COMING, COMING HOME.....:"

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 23 May 2005 19:03 (twenty years ago)

NEIN!!!

"Völlig losgelost
von der Erde
schwebt das Raumschiff
vollig schwerelos ... "

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 23 May 2005 19:27 (twenty years ago)

I like the one by the guy in the bloody sock who helped the Red Sox win the World Series.

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Monday, 23 May 2005 21:28 (twenty years ago)

Ooh, I do like the former but Icicle Works wins out for me. It doesn't help that it's been stuck in my head all week, either.

― Ian Riese-Moraine is on toffuti break! (Eastern Mantra), Monday, 23 May 2005 22:55 (twenty years ago)

Major Tom. And yes, I actually do prefer it to the Bowie song, although both are great...especially giddy over the drawn out, quiet repetition of "I'm coming home." earlier in the song. "Whisper To a Scream" always seems a bit bombastic in delivery to me...

― John Justen (johnjusten), Monday, 23 May 2005 23:45 (twenty years ago)

Icicle Works, though the Schilling song is great.

-- Tim Ellison (timelliso...), May 23rd, 2005 9:24 AM. (later)

OTM

Oh yeah those 80s, where KROQ was the best thing ever!

Whisper to a Scream (Birds Fly) does win this one, barley. Now you make me what to listen to Ultravox for some odd reason.

― BeeOK (boo radley), Monday, 23 May 2005 23:51 (twenty years ago)

Well, I'm tempted not to answer until I've heard both again back to back, but if you told me I only had 10 seconds to answer I'd go with Schilling. At the time, I bought the Schilling album on the strength of the single (and I found it really hard to find, too - I think I had to special order it) and don't remember liking it much.

My best friend in high school was an Icicle Works fanatic. I never bought any of their records besides this single. I wonder now if they had any other singles chart in other countries. Certainly not in the U.S.

― The Silent Disco of Glastonbury (Bimble...), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 01:50 (twenty years ago)

"Love is a Wonderful Colour" did better than "Birds Fly" in Britain if I'm not mistaken.

― Ian Riese-Moraine is on toffuti break! (Eastern Mantra), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 02:10 (twenty years ago)

Major Tom, easily. the 12" still gets played with some frequency around here.

― biz, Tuesday, 24 May 2005 02:16 (twenty years ago)

Major Tom. Looove loooove it. It's got that icy- yet so hummable quality like few other songs I can think of except "I ran". I downloaded some of his other stuff and it was good too (although samey but just more of a good thing.)

I like Birds Fly, but I was just listening to the album a few days ago, and I actually like it much less than most of the other songs on there! Great album. I think Love is a Wonderful Colour, Factory in the Desert and Cauldron of Love are all better tunes. I just never "got" that one. What is he singing about?

― -rainbow bum- (-rainbow bum-), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 03:08 (twenty years ago)

the first icicle works rekkid was pretty good, but after that they went downhill FAST and FAR. another reason why the 1st 1/2 of the 80s was better than the 2nd 1/2, i suppose.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 03:56 (twenty years ago)

Since I started an "ID this tune" thread about 'Major Tom', my answer's pretty obvious.

I first heard it (several times) in its German version blaring out over a PA while trying to ice skate for the very first time, in Germany. A cute German girl took pity on me and dragged me round the rink. Not sure who was the more embarrassed, her or me.

― Jeff W (zebedee), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 15:49 (twenty years ago)

seven months pass...

Oooh, 'Major Tom'. I even love the German version.

― Edward Bax (EdBax), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 01:43 (nineteen years ago)

I choose "Major Tom" but "Whisper To A Scream" is grebt too - and the radio's playing it RIGHT THIS SECOND! Reminds me of "Circle Sky" (live version) by the Monkees, for some reason.

Ah, 1984.

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 18:03 (nineteen years ago)

one year passes...

The chorus of "Major Tom" is amazing.

― Curt1s Stephens, Sunday, 1 April 2007 19:32 (eighteen years ago)

You know in the end I've decided I can't choose between these two. I'm sorry, I know I said I could before, but I can't.

― Bimble, Sunday, 1 April 2007 20:06 (eighteen years ago)

i miss alex in nyc

;__;

― Eisbaer, Sunday, 1 April 2007 20:10 (eighteen years ago)

THAT KIND OF MEWLING EMOTIONAL RESPONSE PUKEAGE IS UNWORTHY OF ALEX'S LEGACY, GO DROWN YOURSELF IN AMNIOTIC FLUID UNTIL YOU SHIT YRSELF AND DIE

― Dimension 5ive, Sunday, 1 April 2007 20:12 (eighteen years ago)

8--]

― Dimension 5ive, Sunday, 1 April 2007 20:13 (eighteen years ago)

GO EAT SOME KENTUCKY-FRIED EXCREMENT

;-)

(is that more alex-esque?)

― Eisbaer, Sunday, 1 April 2007 20:14 (eighteen years ago)

Hahahahahahahah

Who says we need Alex? You guys are doing just fine.

― Bimble, Sunday, 1 April 2007 20:37 (eighteen years ago)

i heard MAJOR TOM a while back for the first time in ages - the vocals are, um, not good (english version anyway)
whisper to a scream is too played
draw

― gershy, Sunday, 1 April 2007 21:26 (eighteen years ago)

"Major Tom", no contest. One of my favorite songs ever (along with "Sexual Healing", "Wimoweh", "You Can't Miss What You Can't Measure", "Ashes to Ashes" and about a billion others). Icicle Works song is fine, too.

― Pye Poudre, Monday, 2 April 2007 13:28 (eighteen years ago)

two years pass...

AUF DEUTSCH

God, I love this song. It's even better in German.

― EN Save-A-Ken BB (ENBB), Monday, 6 April 2009 04:01 (sixteen years ago)

five years pass...

stuck in my head. "FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE!"

― licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Wednesday, 1 October 2014 08:02 (ten years ago)

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