@LarrysSciFiTop Seven Sci-Fi Pop Songs
Top Seven Lists
Why seven? We could make up a crazy theory about how we love prime numbers here, or of our intense respect for Terry Nation's vision in Blake's 7, but that would just be a lie. Basically it's just that we're too lazy to do all the work of a top ten list. And since 70% is still passing for most schools, we went with that.
Pop Songs
The following opinions are by Larry Coffey
Number Seven - Telstar by The Tornados
Released: 17 August 1962
Written by: Joe Meek
Performed by: Joe Meek
This novelty song announced the beginning of the space age commemorating the launch of Telstar, which provided the first transatlantic satellite communications link that allowed live television feeds between the U.S. and Great Britain. The song itself was a collection of strange electronic sounds behind a distorted melody line which created an eerie, spacey feel.
Number Six - Age of Aquarius by The 5th Dimension
Released: May 1969
Written by: James Rado, Gerome Ragni, Galt MacDermot
Performed by: The 5th Dimension
Though actually an astrological message of peace, love, and happiness from the musical Hair, the hopeful moral that peace will guide the planets and love will steer the stars is a common theme in many Science Fiction stories thus warranting this song's inclusion in this list. Besides that, it's just plain fun to listen to.
Number Five - Major Tom (Coming Home) by Peter Schilling
Released: 1983
Written by: Peter Schilling
Performed by: Peter Schilling
This 80's hit responds to David Bowie's 1969 hit Space Oddity, where Major Tom gets lost during a space walk. Peter Schilling captures the mood faultlessly while providing a happy ending to the supposed accident, whether self-inflicted (as implied in the original) or mechanical in nature.
Number Four - In the Year 2525 (Exordium and Terminus) by Zager & Evans
Released: 1969
Written by: Rick Evans
Performed by: Zager & Evans
This song takes us through the future history of mankind from the year 2525 up through 9595. The use of key changes between verses creates an anticipation that the song is building toward a climax. The song focuses on humanity's struggle with technological advancements, culminating with the prophetic message: "Now it's been ten thousand years, man has cried a billion tears. For what he never knew, now man's reign is through."
Number Three - Star Wars Theme / Cantina Band by Meco
Released: 1977
Written by: John Williams
Performed by: Meco (Domenico Monardo)
Capturing the essence of the Star Wars craze at the height of the disco era was this danceable version of the Star Wars theme, complete with electronic effects. If you were a Science Fiction buff, you saw Star Wars multiple times. And even the most die-hard rocker could relive the movie just a little bit more when Meco's version came on the A.M. car radio. Staying two weeks in the number one position on Billboard's charts in October 1977, to date it is the biggest-selling instrumental single in the history of recorded music.
Number Two - Rocket Man by Elton John
Released: 17 April 1972
Written by: Elton John, Bernie Taupin
Performed by: Elton John
This song describes the flight of a working-class astronaut, a "rocket man", who treats working in space as just a job. He paints a picture of a lonely life, burning out his fuse up here alone and noting that Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids. Elton John captures the feeling perfectly in lyrics and melody of what life must be like for this rocket man.
Number One - Space Oddity by David Bowie
Released: 11 July 1969
Written by: David Bowie
Performed by: David Bowie
This masterful story-in-a-song highlights an astronaut named Major Tom and takes the listener through liftoff, a spacewalk, and his apparent lapse into insanity. Not only is this an amazing song in its own right, but the timing of its release coincided with the Apollo 11 moon landing on July 20, 1969. The orchestration and production of the composition are quite simply brilliant, creating an aural ambience the allows the audience to practically visualize themselves sitting in a tin can far above the world.
Honorable Mentions:
- Brain Damage/Eclipse by Pink Floyd
- Eight Miles High by The Byrds
- Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft by The Carpenters
- Bad Moon Rising by Creedance Clearwater Revival
- Walking on the Sun by Smash Mouth
- Man in the Moon by REM
- Fly Me to the Moon by Frank Sinatra
- Space Cowboy by Steve Miller
- Starship Trooper/Life Seeker by Yes
- Also Sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss (Sunrise portion as used in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey, and of course the popular version, by Eumir Deodato)
- Theme from Close Encounters of the Third Kind by John Williams
- Mean Green Mother from Outer Space by Levi Stubbs (Little Shop of Horrors)
