DAVID BOWIE - SPACE ODDITY

David Bowie wrote and recorded the song Space Oddity in 1969. The song was released on his second album - his second self-titled album - and it was released as a single. The pressings were rushed to coincide with Apollo 11's historic first moon landing on July 20th, 1969. The song was inspired by Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film 2001: A Space Oddesey. Bowie's Space Oddity was used by the BBC as background music for the broadcast of moon landing, helping the song hit #5 on the UK charts. The song didn't get as much attention in the United States, and only managed to place #124 on the charts a month after the Apollo 11 landing. By 1971 Bowie had gained attention in the United States with his hit song Changes, and later with Jean Genie. In 1972 Bowies second album was re-released in the US after being re-titled Space Oddity. And the title song was re-released in the US where it became his first US Top 40 hit, peaking at #15. In 1975 the song was re-released in the UK, and it became his first #1 hit there.