David Bowie's "Space Oddity" performed by Johnny J. Blair - from WE'RE GETTING CLOSER TO THE SUN

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My goal in covering this David Bowie song point towards the childlike faith/sci-fi themes of my album, WE’RE GETTING CLOSER TO THE SUN https://johnnyjblairsingeratlarge.bandcamp.com/album/new-album-were-getting-closer-to-the-sun In Bowie’s “Space Oddity,” the astronaut-hero Major Tom took a fateful trip into the cosmos. Bowie never really explained what Tom was about, leaving the story open to interpretation. Some interpret “Space Oddity” as a dystopian story of futility and failure. I beg to differ. If you study the indicators in Bowie’s music, he enjoyed a spiritual quest, a pursuit of God’s heart in the cosmos, inner and outer. There’s no sign that Bowie killed off Major Tom. Instead, Bowie reprised the Major Tom character as a conflicted man, “…Strung out on heaven’s high, making an all-time low,” seeking redemption from his foibles while expressing awe at the vast potential of creation. On that note, I offer my cover of his song. In making this recording I was blessed to work “a galaxy of talents” (credits):

Uma Robin Mackey: harmony vocals & “Lt. Uhura countdown”
Robert M. Powell: ebow & pedal steel guitar
Prairie Prince: drums
Chris von Sneidern: electronic percussion & mixing
Me: bass, guitars, Mellotron, percussion, piano, Stylophone, vibraphone, lead & harmony vocals (and video-making)

Bowie (who makes a posthumous cameo appearance in this video) said the song was partially inspired by the film "2001: A Space Odyssey." In this video I used clips of the "2001 star-gates" as well as images of actor Keir Dullea, who played astronaut David Bowman. Additional footage came from Frank Cone, Nicola Nirracci, Mikhail Nilov, Ingrid North, Pexels, and public domain stock.

Do you wish to support what I’m doing? Please contact me to do an online concert (blairproductions32@gmail.com) and/or drop something into the tip jar PayPal.Me/johnnyjblair and/or become a Patreon patron https://www.patreon.com/johnnyjblair …and please subscribe to my Youtube channel! (Thank you so much!)

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Song written by David Bowie © 1969 Bucks Music Group/Essex Music/Onward Music Ltd. BMI. Licensed by permission.