The Mythology of Major Tom | Curation

Ground Control to Major Tom!

Today we chart the odyssey of rock’s most famous astronaut — tracing his liftoff, loss, and lingering ghost across five decades of music.

Cory the Curator unpacks the evolving Major Tom Mythos — a trans-artist story told through David Bowie, Elton John, Peter Schilling, and KIA, where each song adds another cosmic verse.

From Space Oddity to Blackstar, this episode explores how one fictional spaceman became a universal symbol for isolation, addiction, identity, and transcendence.

Continue Your Own Exploration:

Extended Playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2DzJ0ksPEMMBSoV4ksmBBu?si=Ff2fXErxRCy4DCs8jshWaw

Abridged Playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/51gbHIHBVmsFfy8eKyZ4HN?si=AsSnICO-QfGfSf76lUrFsQ

"Seeking Major Tom":

https://open.spotify.com/album/6eDZqL9Lr84lGNoDNrFEEE?si=t4EonnX0Tse95mXKozNxzw

The Core Canon:

• “Life on Mars?” (1971) – David Bowie, Hunky Dory

  • The cultural backdrop: Earth’s absurd theater and the hopeful question that sends Tom to the stars.

• “Rocket Man” (1972) – Elton John, Honky Château

  • The pre-launch: domestic longing, duty, and emotional detachment.

• “Space Oddity” (1969) – David Bowie

  • Launch and disconnection: Major Tom is lost beyond radio contact in the iconic sonic adventure.

• “Major Tom (Coming Home)” (1983) – Peter Schilling, Error in the System

  • Continuation of the adventure, canonized by Bowie himself: he survives, transcends, and embraces the void as home.

• “Hallo Spaceboy” (1995) – David Bowie feat. Pet Shop Boys, Outside

  • Tom’s meeting with and/or transformation into Ziggy; chaos, identity crisis, and queer rebirth.

• “Slow Burn” (2002) – David Bowie, Heathen

  • Society continues under surveillance; humanity coping with the void Tom left behind.

• “New Killer Star” (2003) – David Bowie, Reality

  • The legacy of Major Tom: catastrophe becomes inspiration; a new generation “discovers the star.”

• “Ashes to Ashes” (1980) – David Bowie, Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)

  • In the far flung future, the mystery of Tom pervades as a myth on Earth, becoming an allegory for addiction, burn-out, and self-destruction. However, the music video reveals Major Tom’s metamorphosis.

• “Blackstar” (2016) – David Bowie, Blackstar

  • Epilogue I: the death and transfiguration—Major Tom’s spirit rises and is reborn as the cosmic “Blackstar.”

• “Lazarus” - David Bowie, Blackstar

  • Epilogue II: the rebirth of Major Tom, perhaps as ZIggy Stardust before his journey from Mars to warn Earth of the 5 Year Prophecy.

The Myth of Major Tom

The extended playlist of Major Tom mythos including those canonized by Bowie, the "Seeking Major Tom" album, and those claimed by the artists to be inspired by the titular space cowboy. No shuffle. Ordered chronologically according to the story.

• Life on Mars? Hunky Dory David Bowie

• Mr. Blue Sky Out Of The Blue Electric Light Orchestra

• Space Oddity David Bowie (aka Space Oddity) David Bowie

• Rocket Man Honky Chateau Elton John

• Major Tom (Coming Home) Error in the System Peter Schilling

• New Killer Star Reality David Bowie

• Come Sail Away Gold Styx

• Learning to Fly A Momentary Lapse of Reason Pink Floyd

• Walking On The Moon Reggatta De Blanc The Police

• Silver Machine In Search of Space Hawkwind

• Rocket Ship Dead Dog's Eyeball Kathy McCarty

• Hallo Spaceboy Nothing Has Changed David Bowie;Pet Shop Boys

• Mr. Spaceman Fifth Dimension The Byrds

• Starman The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars David Bowie

• Space Cowboy Steve Miller Band

• Slow Burn Heathen David Bowie

• Ashes to Ashes Remaster Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) David Bowie

• Blackstar David Bowie

• Cosmonaut Relationship Of Command At the Drive-In

• Planet Earth Duran Duran

• Ashes To Ashes Saturnine Martial & Lunatic Tears For Fears

• Mrs Major Tom DXLR8 - Downtempo "Best of" K.I.A. & Shinjuku Zulu K.I.A.