Thursday, October 14, 2010

Mine rescue/moon landing comparisons abound.

At bottom are lyrics to two songs. The first, released in 1967, was written and performed by Australia’s the Bee Gees; the second, released five days before the July 16, 1969 Apollo 11 lift-off, by England’s David Bowie.

For both the Bee Gees and Bowie, these songs were their first U.S. singles. The Bee Gees's "New York Mining Disaster 1941" was a top-10 hit, while Bowie's "Space Oddity" hovered at #124.

NEW YORK MINING DISASTER 1941
(Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb)

In the event of something happening to me
There is something I would like you all to see
It's just a photograph of someone that I knew

(chorus)
Have you seen my wife, Mr. Jones?
Do you know what it's like on the outside?
Don't go talking too loud
you'll cause a landslide, Mr. Jones

I keep straining my ears to hear a sound
Maybe someone is digging underground
Or have they given up and all gone home to bed?
Thinking those who once existed must be dead?

(chorus)

In the event of something happening to me
There is something I would like you all to see
It's just a photograph of someone that I knew

(chorus)

SPACE ODDITY
(David Bowie)

Ground control to Major Tom
Ground control to Major Tom
Take your protein pills and put your helmet on
(Ten) Ground control (Nine) to Major Tom (Eight)
(Seven, six) Commencing countdown (Five), engines on (Four)
(Three, two) Check ignition (One) and may god's (Blastoff) love be with you

This is ground control to Major Tom, you've really made the grade
And the papers want to know whose shirts you wear
Now it's time to leave the capsule if you dare

This is Major Tom to ground control, I'm stepping through the door
And I'm floating in a most peculiar way
And the stars look very different today
Here am I floatin' 'round my tin can far above the world
Planet Earth is blue and there's nothing I can do

Though I'm past one hundred thousand miles, I'm feeling very still
And I think my spaceship knows which way to go
Tell my wife I love her very much, she knows
Ground control to Major Tom, your circuit's dead, there's something wrong
Can you hear me, Major Tom?
Can you hear me, Major Tom?
Can you hear me, Major Tom?
Can you...
Here am I sitting in my tin can far above the Moon
Planet Earth is blue and there's nothing I can do

No comments:

Post a Comment