Coming Home

Major Tom - Peter Schilling (03:36)

Ha estado sonando mucho últimamente este clásico ochentero, gracias en parte a cierto anuncio de automóviles en televisión. Me parece un poco desafortunado, por decir lo menos, utilizar una canción sobre una misión espacial con final trágico para anunciar un auto, pero bueno... ¿quién soy yo para criticar el trabajo de los publicistas profesionales? Finalmente no es el peor contrasentido que he visto: recuerden que hace algún tiempo salió un anuncio de una cementera que tenía como música de fondo la canción Goodbye Blue Sky de Pink Floyd: una canción que habla sobre el terror y la destrucción provocada por los bombardeos aéreos.

Pero volviendo a Peter Schilling: éste cantante alemán no sacó la idea de Major Tom de la nada. Prácticamente es un cover de la canción Space Oddity, de David Bowie. Alguna vez dijo que no se fusiló la canción, sino que era un homenaje a David Bowie. Le daremos el beneficio de la duda. Aquí abajo les dejo la letra de ambas canciones, para que vean cuánto se parecen.

Space Oddity - David Bowie (03:49)

Major Tom (Coming Home)

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 effect 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...

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 life commands this is my home
I'm coming home

Space Oddity

Ground control to major tom (bis)
Take your protein pills and put your helmet on
Ground control to major tom
Commencing countdown, engines on
Check ignition and may gods love be with you

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 liftoff

This is ground control to major tom
Youve really made the grade
And the papers want to know whose shirts you wear
Now its time to leave the capsule if you dare

This is major tom to ground control
Im stepping through the door
And Im floating in a most peculiar way
And the stars look very different today

For here Am I sitting in a tin can
Far above the world
Planet earth is blue
And theres nothing I can do

Though Im past one hundred thousand miles
Im feeling very still
And I think my spaceship knows which way to go
Tell me wife I love her very much she knows

Ground control to major tom
Your circuits dead, theres 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 floating round my tin can
Far above the moon
Planet earth is blue
And there's nothing I can do.