Understanding Major Tom, the Astronaut Who Abandoned Planet Earth

Bowie Was Inspired By the Film Space Odyssey

The ’60s were an era of psychedelic exploration, cosmic lyrics, and an overall space craze. Our fascination with the universe peaked in 1969 when Neil Armstrong stepped foot on the moon. And a few days before the launch, David Bowie released his song about Major Tom.

David Bowie posing for a photograph circa 1969

Photo by I T N / Shutterstock

While many believed the song had to do with Apollo 11, Bowie confessed it was inspired by a film he saw a few months earlier- 2001: A Space Odyssey. He explained, “[the film] was amazing. I was out of my gourd anyway, I was very stoned when I went to see it several times, and it was really a revelation to me. It got the song flowing.”