Major Tom (Coming Home)

Album

Error in the System

Label

Elektra Records

Genre

Space Rock

Composer(s)

Peter Schilling

Entered Chart

Sep 24, 1983

Peak Date

Dec 24, 1983

Released

24 March 1983

Recorded

1983

Catalog #

Elektra 7-69811

B-Side

N/A

This is a sequel to a song by another artist. It's a follow-up to David Bowie's 1969 song "Space Oddity," and continues the story of Major Tom, an astronaut who cuts off communication with Earth and floats into space. >Musically, it is nothing like the David Bowie song it is based on, as Schilling used a techno beat. In this song, having determined that Major Tom is, in fact, sober, Earth decides to bring Tom home. However, just as he is about to turn on the thrusters and jet down to Earth, he cuts off communication with the line "give my wife my love" and turns off the power to the ship. It is assumed that, sadly, Tom died in the process of re-entry, but in fact he has faked his death so he can return to the depths of space, which he now considers his home. >> Bowie released his own sequel to "Space Oddity" in 1980 called "Ashes To Ashes," where Major Tom reestablishes communication with Earth. Schilling is from Germany, where his German-language version of this song ("Major Tom (Völlig Losgelöst)") was a huge hit, going to #1. His German version was used in the 2017 movie Atomic Blonde in a scene set in Berlin in 1989. In America, "Major Tom" was Schilling's only hit. The song got a big lift when MTV put the video in rotation. This was thanks to a woman named Robin Sloane, who was working at Elektra Records as head of video promotion - a job title that existed for that short time when MTV could be pitched videos. During a commercial for the 2010 Lincoln MKZ a cover of this song by the synth rock band Shiny Toy Guns was played. This was a follow-up to an advert featuring a cover by Cat Power of David Bowie's "Space Oddity." In a memorable scene on the US television show Breaking Bad (episode: "Bullet Points"), the character Gale Boetticher (David Costabile) is shown in a video singing karaoke to this song. The entire song was filmed, but only a few seconds were shown on the actual show. In the German language dub, he instead sings along to "Völlig Lösgelost." The song also appears in episodes of The Americans ("The Day After" - 2016) and The Blacklist ("T. Earl King VI" - 2015). >>

Standing there alone,
The ship is waiting.
All systems are go.
"Are you sure?"
Control is not convinced,
But the computer
Has the evidence.
No need to abort.
The countdown starts.

Watching in a trance,
The crew is certain.
Nothing left to chance,
All is working.
Trying to relax
Up in the capsule
"Send me up a drink."
Jokes Major Tom.
The count goes on...

4, 3, 2, 1
Earth below us
Drifting, falling.
Floating weightless
Calling, calling home...

Second stage is cut.
We're now in orbit.
Stabilizers up,
Runnning perfect.
Starting to collect
Requested data.
"What will it affect
When all is done?"
Thinks Major Tom.

Back at ground control,
There is a problem.
"Go to rockets full."
Not responding.
"Hello Major Tom.
Are you receiving?
Turn the thrusters on.
We're standing by."
There's no reply.

4, 3, 2, 1
Earth below us
Drifting, falling.
Floating weightless
Calling, calling home...

Across the stratosphere,
A final message:
"Give my wife my love."
Then nothing more.

Far beneath the ship,
The world is mourning.
They don't realize
He's alive.
No one understands,
But Major Tom sees.
"Now the light commands
This is my home,
I'm coming home."

Earth below us
Drifting, falling.
Floating weightless
Coming home...
Earth below us
Drifting, falling.
Floating weightless
Coming, coming
Home...
Home.....