David Bowie's "Space Oddity" Turned into Children's Book

[Mad Old Lu]

https://exclaim.ca/News/david_bowies_space_oddity_turned_into_childrens_book

Many of David Bowie's lyrics have sunk into our psyches over the years, filling our minds with images of diamond dogs and heroes. The story he set up in his 1969 single "Space Oddity" is an especially memorable one, however, which might explain why it's popped up as an illustrated children's book.

Artist Andrew Kolb, who has designed T-shirts for Tokyo Police Club, was so inspired by the equally wondrous and terrifying tale of space exploration that he whipped up an entire book celebrating it.

"Have you ever listened to a song and your mind's eye is immediately filled with visuals?" Kolb posted on his website. "David Bowie's classic space epic is one such song for me. Every lyric paints such a vivid picture that I figured 'Oh hey, I guess I'll make that into a children's book!' Yes, I talk like this."

Cutesy characters reenact the voyage of Major Tom, with the protagonist gleefully leaving his craft to marvel at the stars, which you may remember looked very different that day. Despite the adorable drawings, things still get a little blue once you realize his circuit's dead and he's lost in space forever.

Kolb designed the book for "his own jollies" and is offering it up for free as a downloadable pdf here, and you can see some pages here. A physical copy doesn't exist, but he'd definitely be interested in getting this on your shelf.

"If you like the book, spread the word and we'll make this happen!" he said.

Pretty cool! I love the style, and it's really fun til you get to the downbeat end! I think he could have expanded on the story and gone the 2001 route and had Major Tom encounter the obelisk and evolve to the next level of man, like Dave.

Also, Venture Brothers did this already:

[ame="https://youtu.be/6ptc0cYDJgg"]302 Found[/ame]

 

[Kuzeh]

I guess the author doesn't know the meaning of the song... !!!
Bowie was all stoned while watching Space Odyssey and the song is just an analogy for that trip!! !
Yep, that's sounds great for a Children's book!!!

 

[pixletwin]

I guess the author doesn't know the meaning of the song... !!!
Bowie was all stoned while watching Space Odyssey and the song is just an analogy for that trip!! !
Yep, that's sounds great for a Children's book!!!

Sorry but that sounds like folk tale crap teenagers tell eachother around camp fires in the 70's.

 

[Kuzeh]

Sorry but that sounds like folk tale crap teenagers tell eachother around camp fires in the 70's.

Sorry but it is... Ashes to Ashes is the follow up to that song and it explains it all...
Even Bowie said he was stoned when he wrote the song...

 

[Mad Old Lu]

Looks like he got a cease and desist:

https://www.fastcompany.com/1778370/go-the-fk-to-space

But he did get a lot of attention for it, including possible jobs!

 

[Batty]

I hope it still makes it to print. I'd love a copy.

And here's what Bowie said about writing the song:

In a 2003 interview with Performing Songwriter magazine, Bowie explained: "In England, it was always presumed that it was written about the space landing, because it kind of came to prominence around the same time. But it actually wasn't. It was written because of going to see the film 2001, which I found 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. It was picked up by the British television, and used as the background music for the landing itself. I'm sure they really weren't listening to the lyric at all (laughs). It wasn't a pleasant thing to juxtapose against a moon landing. Of course, I was overjoyed that they did. Obviously, some BBC official said, 'Oh, right then, that space song, Major Tom, blah blah blah, that'll be great.' 'Um, but he gets stranded in space, sir.' Nobody had the heart to tell the producer that."

 

[meth head]

I would also dearly love a copy of this!

Also when will we get a catalogue boxset like the one Pink Floyd is just releasing? Bowie is worthy of this treatment!!!

 

[Jedah Kalm]

Looks like he got a cease and desist:

https://www.fastcompany.com/1778370/go-the-fk-to-space

But he did get a lot of attention for it, including possible jobs!

That explains why it said "not found" when I clicked on the link to download it. and I wanted it...

 

[karamazov80]

I hope it still makes it to print. I'd love a copy.

And here's what Bowie said about writing the song:

Same thing happened with Ronald Reagan trying to use Springsteen's "Born in the USA" as his re-election campaign song.

 

[Mad Old Lu]

Guys, PM me if you're still curious.

 

[meth head]

Guys, PM me if you're still curious.

What does that mean exactly?

 

[Mad Old Lu]

Teddy, I just sent you a PM.

 

[meth head]

Teddy, I just sent you a PM.

Thats awesome! Thank you Mad Old Lu

 

[devilof76]

I would think that this would scare the living crap out of any child who read it, or had it read to them.