The 25 Most Exquisitely Sad Songs in the Whole World: No. 21

'Space Oddity'
David Bowie (1969)
The Breakdown: In the same year as our lunar landing, rock's space alien creates Major Tom, whose remains will travel the galaxy alone forever.
The Waterworks: "Tell my wife I love her very much."
Casualty Count: One astronaut.
Listen to 'Space Oddity'
Buy it on iTunes
Posted by Spinner Staff
Filed under: Songs, The Hit List











Reader Comments(1 of 3)
Moodyat 5-05-2007
Only David Bowie could sing a science fiction song in glam rock gear, and make us weep.
BRAVO!
Julsat 5-05-2007
This song itself is in every americans personal capsule. Children from the 60's and early 70's knows what it meant to have someone to go to the moon. And it was such a mystical thought. He just honored our astronauts I feel.
Andyat 5-05-2007
Man, I would truly say this song makes me cry everytime I hear it.
Andyat 5-05-2007
this song has never failed to make me cry!!! (actually last week I told my daughter it was THE SADDEST sing ever!!)
Crusaderat 5-05-2007
Those were the day's my friend, we thought they would never end.
zerox13at 5-05-2007
marvelous.
Angelat 5-05-2007
I am a total fan of Bowie. This song is great! At the same time sad. Ziggy Stardust and the Spidermonkeys, Diamond Dogs forever!
Edat 5-05-2007
I sang lead in a 60 - 70's rock band and did songs of this era and type. We never considered this one because of the concert strings needed, and we only did what we could do well. I never listened to it the way I did today in the full wandering stereo. It is more music and production than I ever knew before this date.
Sonneyat 5-05-2007
Ground-Control to Major overated freak!
Nice song, though. But the thing with Mick don't fly with me... but then I've been without a lady too long, and I guess I shouldn't be judgemental.
Love to the Bisexuals!
I'm iiikingtom@aol.com and I love ladies for free!
Ask for "Malcolm" in Marion, Illinois of America, ok?
trishyat 5-05-2007
very nicee
Cindyat 5-05-2007
WOW! I AM NOT A HUGE SCIENCE FICTION PERSON BUT THIS SONG IS THE ULTIMATE...AND LOOK OVER THE DECADES WHAT DAVID HAS ACHIEVED! HE IS A ROCK GOD/ALIEN...LOL...KEEP ROCKING!
Hannahat 5-05-2007
This song makes me cry! I love David Bowie. More when he was a sparkly alien, though.
RICK SMITHat 5-05-2007
BEAUTIFUL
Bobby Oat 5-05-2007
That is one of bowie s all time best recordings ever. Been totally Amazed at Bowie as a song writer and performer since I saw him live at the Michigan palace in Detroit In 1974.He is a music visionary. I have everything he s ever done on cd's. Rock on Bowie! Many years to come!
SCat 5-05-2007
I agree with everything everyone's said about this song, but for me the full-circle return in his song 'Ashes to Ashes' is at least as emotional for me. And watching the video, with his own mother walking him down the beach while he lays to rest the Major Tom days. Just very poignant and sad, even in its hopefulness.
Lori Frazierat 5-06-2007
This song may be about an astronaut,but really it can also be translated to ones feelings not being of this earth.. This was my best guy friends favorite song to sing; unfortunately on 9/12/06 he took his life because to him,life was chaos, confussion,and most of all, out of this world... I love this song and sing it in his memory... Thank you !!!....
Lori Frazier
Lori Frazierat 5-06-2007
This is an awesome song !!... It was my best guy friends song to sing.. In his heart this song was of an emontional disorder that he had.. Life of chaos,depression, and most of all, out of this world.. Sadly on 9/12/06 he took his life to stop all the confussion that kept him trap as a prisoner in his own mind.. Now, I sing this song in memory of him.. To him, his was high above the world, and there was NOTHING he could do !!...
Thanks for a song that could put you in a different relm and speak of of how a person couldn't come back, but continue to spin out of control...
I LOVE THIS SONG AN LOVE TO SING IT... IT DOES BRING TEARS TO MY EYES...
THANK YOU Mr. BOWIE, AWESOME SONG ...
BLESSINGS TO ALL,
ms_kittykat1
Lori Frazierat 5-06-2007
This is an awesome song !!... It was my best guy friends song to sing.. In his heart this song was of an emontional disorder that he had.. Life of chaos,depression, and most of all, out of this world.. Sadly on 9/12/06 he took his life to stop all the confussion that kept him trap as a prisoner in his own mind.. Now, I sing this song in memory of him.. To him, his was high above the world, and there was NOTHING he could do !!...
Thanks for a song that could put you in a different relm and speak of of how a person couldn't come back, but continue to spin out of control...
I LOVE THIS SONG AN LOVE TO SING IT... IT DOES BRING TEARS TO MY EYES...
THANK YOU Mr. BOWIE, AWESOME SONG ...
BLESSINGS TO ALL,
ms_kittykat1
Bobbyat 5-06-2007
"China Girl" would count as his more sadder or bittersweet tunes, I guess.
randy grayat 5-06-2007
bo, bo, bo, bo, bo, bowie...... always never say no!