Rare Earth
3 HN recommenders · recommended in 9 months, 2013–2025
5:31 · 57M views · May 12, 2013
Commander Chris Hadfield performs a revised version of David Bowie's Space Oddity, recorded aboard the International Space Station. It was released as a music video in 2013.
Commenters recommend it for the sense of wonder and chills it gives, and bring it up in threads about Bowie, space and astronauts.
9 comments from Hacker News
The chances that anyone here hasn't seen it are almost zero, but just in case, if you haven't seen Chris Hadfield's cover of Space Oddity, recorded on the ISS, you really should: this video I don't have a source but I heard that David preferred this version to the original.
Chris Hadfield recorded a cover of Bowie's Space Oddity on the ISS [1], including playing the guitar in space. It gives me chills every time I listen to it. [1] this video
Complaints about Civ's omission of the dark side of history ring hollow to me. Civ is, at its heart, a deeply aspirational and optimistic game. Watching the Baba Yetu intro from Civ IV[1] gives me the same sense of wonder and pride in humanity that Chris Hadfield's rendition of Space Oddity[2] does. Dwelling on the darkness in our history would be so discordant for a game like Civ. [1] [LINK] [2] this video
Perhaps Canada isn't sufficiently "grand", but: [LINK] and [LINK] respectively the first Canadian and just one of the twelve Canadians to have been in space. How about Spain? Recently: [LINK] (There are at least two current MEPs who have been in space, but I will grant you that few people in most EU member-states can name their own MEP, let alone any of the others elected from their country). One might also compare John Glenn, who while alive, was certainly well known in the USA: [LINK] Certainly there are many U.S. and Canadian astronauts who have never been anything close to well known public figures, but both sets certainly have enjoyed state propaganda (even on the official state broadcaster): [LINK] (for example) Perhaps "grand scheme" implies international name recognition? How soon Chris Hadfield's international prominence fades away is an open question; he certainly appears in the UK often enough (he was a "get" -- as in an invited guest the production staff felt fortunate to have present -- on more than one of the the annual BBC astronomy shows put together by Brian Cox and Dara Ó Briaian) and he has been on a number of other broadcasts as part of an "outreach" programme. You yourself may well remember him from this video
To quote the wikipedia article: > When Danse macabre was first performed on 24 January 1875, it was not well received and caused widespread feelings of anxiety. The 21st century scholar, Roger Nichols, mentions adverse reaction to "the deformed Dies irae plainsong", the "horrible screeching from solo violin", the use of a xylophone, and "the hypnotic repetitions", in which Nichols hears a pre-echo of Ravel's Boléro. And Bowie's been covered in space: this video It's impossible to forecast what future generations will and won't like.