David Bowie - Space Oddity

[BlueSoulJim]

same place, same setting as Ashes to Ashes video

[paisleybabee]

Bowie looks genuinely freaked here! I wonder what the story is behind this? Oh yeah and props to the bit about refusing Knighthood!

[JoTheSnoop]

@DocBrewster I made the comment as a reply to the comment listed below mine.

If someone offered me some honour like that, I would easily decline it.

[blueleadguitar]

@JoTheSnoop I totally agree with you, so would I. A knighthood, and OBE's etc etc are just delusions of grandeur.

[bobrec3GTI]

david bowie was punched in the eye when he was younger which caused him to have one eye with a permanently dialated pupil

[bonsoloco]

H E R M O S A  VERSION.

[mamaredify]

Love the song... his mis-matched pupils freak me the hell out, though...

[5winston]

thanks for posting this, can't believe I've never seen it, have the song on the Sound & Vision boxed set. Clearly this was shot on the set of the Ashes to Ashes video. ;)

[MrStratcaster]

Das musste erstmal hinkriegen

[labyofariadna]

Escucho esta canción y me recuerda porque adoro a Bowie...Luce genial, ¡FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS BOWIE!(este 8 de enero) Ojála que vinieras a México a dar un concierto...

[012345fer]

q buena version de space oddity

[151320141]

hes a monster lmao

[Nes232]

what drum synth is he using

[HaXXoR12345]

He got a brown eye and a green!

:D Luv bowie :]

[summerof2004]

David got blue eyes! Left eye's pupil is permanently dilated...

[herewefukingo]

take ure protein pills and put your helmet on!!

[michaelpister]

"Planet Earth is blue and there's nothing i can do". No other line marks the 70's and early 80's pop culture better. "Can you hear me, Major Tom?" Gorgeous David in a movie about himself. And then there's that immortal, almost casual acoustic guitar riff again. A classic for ages, man.

[thisismilkyway]

muy buena cancion!

[varj780816]

muy emotivo

[dietyoftime999]

I love this song... my dad was the one to tell me about it.

[FelixVanOost94]

Haha same here.

[atlantideales]

canzone meravigliosa!!!

[fairyfly24]

great song

[Psychonium]

WOW.

[andtheawardgoes2]

perfect

[ruhovkil]

amazing

[phatman52]

bowie should be a knight.

[JoTheSnoop]

It has been said that David Bowie actually refused an offer of  knighthood.

[notesleb]

that's awesome if true

[svenpenie]

@JoTheSnoop in an interview he said that if he would be selected to get an knighthood he would refuse it so there must be some truth in that i guess

[TheBookWorm1718]

@svenpenie He said that he'd suggest they gave it to somebody who gave a damn instead of someone like him who wouldn't know what to do with it, and I think you have to admire that that he's not just in it for the titles and the glory and whatever.

[DocBrewster]

@JoTheSnoop Why wouldnt ya?

[Shadowkiss1]

As JoTheSnoop said. This is from Wikipedia: Bowie has previously declined the British honour Commander of the British Empire in 2000, and a knighthood in 2003.

[Astrosimi]

I had never noticed the pupil.

[Aznsup]

this is a great song but doesn't it sound a bit different from the other ones?

[LIFEINTOKYO555]

i cried.....too impressed

[Zarathustramp]

They write i overload my comment so many time lately,i must be lonely or have to much time also on my hand...I am a Major Tom...all alone lost in my space not even with a god...been the unbeleiver i am...Ground control must be on her life off...can i hear me!!!can i hear me!!!loud and clear...it's time to start the countdown now...time to go...see you on the way down...128...122...116...110..­.104...98...93...88...83...78.­..73...68...63...58...53...48.­..43...38...33...27...23...18.­..13...8...4...

[Junktart22]

i lik bowie but i dont listen to him that much my favorite band is pink floyd

[Trapper2159]

Pink Floyd is the best band ever

[Nelson676]

definatly

[BrianCarmelo]

wow .... good profomance but jesus he looks like he has a major concusion ...just look at his eyes ...

[scumfuck20x3]

he had an eye injury when he was young, his pupil is permamnently like that.....just havta say this but DUUUUUHHHHHHHH

[BrianCarmelo]

you have to much time on your hands.

[finsfannumerouno]

got to love the dialated pupil. wonder what that's a reference to? hmm big pupils? lsd maybe ziggy?

[LittleD3]

I love the sound of Bowie playing this son on his 12 string. but I have to say. My over all Favorite is the one from 1972.

[nesplayer94]

Isn't this the version on Scary Monsters?

[lollape]

it is;

i love bowie from that period so damn sexy and interesting

[cupofcino]

this vrsion was performed on the kenny everett show

[damedavid]

Best. clip. ever. Look at those eyes!

You're not really friends with Ricky Gervais I hope Mr Bowie, now *he* is a Cupid Stunt. Just my opinion.

[2ndpinkberlin]

I love this version, It seems more desperate somehow. I experience more emotion listening to this version than when I listen to the original version. Either way, Bowie is a genious, and this is an amazing song no matter which version.

[Josenismyname]

I still think this is better ;)

[Josenismyname]

I love this, but it makes me sad for some reason, best version of this song I've heard.

[GlssSpders]

have you heard the serious moonlight version?

[Josenismyname]

No, but I'll check it out right now ;)

[GlssSpders]

good..it's reallly excellent

[motownmagic55]

nice version

[chikatink]

GRAND CONTROLE DE MES TETONS XD

[romarina]

This video was filmed for an episode of Kenny Everet.

[JonnyLee02]

Daora

[aoxoltlii]

RIP Arthur C. Clarke!

[heks9966]

Love it!

[promixcuous]

Anyone know where I can get an MP3 of this?

[jaffa30]

it is the b side on the single Alabama Song Rcabow5

[ZachMonson]

hey dave, did you notice something is wrong with your eye

[ChoppinBroccoli22]

his eye is permanently dilated due to a fight

[ChoppinBroccoli22]

his eye is permanently dilated due to a fight

[bobgreen623]

I really like this version as well as the original (in fact, isn't there an even earlier almost demo version floating about somewhere?) Bowie is one of those people, like Dylan and Elvis Costello, who can constantly reinterpret his own songs, rather than just constantly churn out 'the original version' all the time, which only became the 'original' versions after much variation in styles, arrangements etc before they ever got released. It's called evolution

[jeannec1]

Yes, the original can be found in the Deram collection; it was also featured in Bowie's film 'Love you till Tuesday'. I totally agree; I just got a bunch of singles from the Heathen period where he re-recorded some earlier works. I love it when artists do that, it really brings some of the spark back in their work.

[spazmo62]

Kinda like "Ashes to Ashes" promo video. Cool.

Ahhh someone gets the point, well, sorta.

logical that he would do this along with 'ashes' the finale of the song, pay attention to phrasing, chord structure ect, You'll get it!

[john66]

what's so interesting about this is how similar it is in production to lennon's "plastic ono band" lp, and it was made in 79. bowie obviously was a big lennon fan.

[emmaviolinist]

not as good as the original.

[MyTunnel]

Dude. Musicians write a song. They record it. They then go on to play it again live. The song will change a bit, things will be added, removed, blah blah blah. Would you just prefer that this video not exist? Should the 'original' be the only version available? Get your head out of your ass.

[emmaviolinist]

No need to get touchy. I just meant that I like the original better. Of course this version should exist, some people probably like it better. I guess I should have put "imo" in my original post.

[jeannec1]

This version isn't just a live recording; you can get it on the CD remastering of Scary Monsters from Ryko. I personally like this one better than the original and demo, but mainly because I like the idea re-workings.

[Earthling14]

Kinda like "Ashes to Ashes" promo video. Cool.

[hanman1]

This version was released as a single with Alabama Song on the flip don`t think it made the charts.

[aeroremins]

I think this video has a lot of character.

The people of the blue planet needs more of you Mr Bowie.

[MagnificentUrufu]

He looks better with the mullet he had in the movie Labyrinth. That was so awsome!

[Zwaan]

He was involved in the design of the album sleeves for Hunky Dory (1971), The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars (1972) albums/posters/flyers, graphics for The 1980 Floor Show and The Man Who Fell To Earth book cover.

[Zwaan]

He has an enlarged pupil that remains permanently open, giving them an ununusual appearance. Contrary to popular belief David DOESN'T have two different coloured eyes - they are both the same colour. The enlarged pupil only gives the "effect" of two different coloured eyes. David and George are to this day still life-long friends. George played in early Bowie groups and eventually became a commercial artist.

[Zwaan]

More info:

He has a condition called anisocoria, which is the medical term for unequal pupils. In 1962, aged 14, he got punched in the eye by his schoolfriend George Underwood, during an argument over a girl named Carol Goldsmith. George's knuckle caught David's eye and dislodged something. David was admitted to Farnborough Hospital, where it was found that the sphincter muscles in his left eye were damaged and he underwent two eye operations.

[Zwaan]

The truth about David's eyes:

Bowie was born with blueish eyes. In 1962, he got into a fight with his longtime school friend George Underwood (over George's girlfriend), and a punch from Underwood damaged Bowie's left eye. His pupil was paralyzed, becoming unable to dilate or contract according to the ambient light.

As a result, Bowie's left eye now appears to be a different colour to his right eye, appearing either brown or green depending on the ambient light.

[GoodFellaAK47]

I' ve heard that the left eye is either green or brown depending on lightning

[mercyxground]

most things that are a light colour seem to change colour depending on the lighting... If you have a white sheet and you shine a red light on it, the sheet appears to be red right?

[mrswilberforce]

isn't that the place where he shot Ashes to Ashes? looks very similar :|

[lette7]

Classic Bowie, thanks

[Vader9]

Regarding to 999sasha's question, this version of "Space Oddity" is available as a bonus track on the Rykodisc ressiue of "Scary Monsters"

[littleeggy]

He doesn't have different coloured eyes it's just one pupil is bigger from an accident.

[999sasha]

This is the best version of this song. I like how it's stripped down. Does anyone know what record this is on or if it can be bought?

[mrslinsghost]

In case you're still interested - Space Oddity came out first in 1969 on Space Oddity, there have been several re-issues, one of the latest on EMI CD is from 1999...

[adamrayne]

Thank you so much for uploading this rare Bowie treat. My wife has been looking for it since the 80s. Thank you from both of us.

[ThamesTart]

Just read your comment on the David Bowie "Space Oddity" video from The Kenny Everett 1979 New Year Show. I've just uploaded a better quality version.

[adamrayne]

Thank you very much, and thanks for letting us know :)

[ourmusic]

Wonderful song

[AlainenVicky]

een van de grootste hits aller tijden

[reeth]

great performance, great song

[GuanoLad]

That was a very cool video. Nicely edited and performed.

[Alianger]

This video is so much better than the one on the best of DVD.. like his look at the time also (I think he's been clean since 1977). But I wasn't too keen on the arrangement of the song, sounds too empty.

[obxharry]

this is very rare promo , done on the set of the ashes to ashes video stage.very nice

[DBFan82]

never seen this version of Space Oddity before- love how the same ideas are also in Ashes to Ashes video. really good stuff.

[JuanToomany]

It WAS on Kenny Everett on New Years Eve 1979 and the same set was used on the Ashes to Ashes video

[antster1983]

Same director too - David Mallet.

[drummerhere]

Lol you can def see his eyes are a different color and his right is bigger

[BenZik]

Indeed it was cocaine, he made some kind of overdose around 1976/77. It's true that his eye has been hurt while he was fighting against George Underwood when he was a child (I think they became friends after all). Whatever, this video is awesome, thank you for posting and thank you Youtube.com to permit us discover these incredible videos! (I think I have around 15/20 "space oddity" versions, I didn't know this one!!)

[EmeraldEyedRaspberry]

No he was in a fight as a boy with another boy and banged his head, it messed up his optic nerve on that side so his pupil does not contract. Giving it the usual appearance of brown. Unless of course you're shining light in his face and up that close. Also, as for drugs, yeah he was on them back in those days. Crack I believe or something. ANYWAY THANKS FOR THIS VIDEO I FREAKING LOVE IT!

[darksimulant]

If you look at his eyes you can see that one pupil is dilated..but the other one isnt.

Drugs?

[lovesickpunchdrunk]

Actually, as a child David Bowie was struck in the eye. One of his eyes lost pigment.

[shinhell]

He has two different colored eyes, it's something you get from birth.

[shinhell]

Or an accident in his case, I forgot that story.

[mrisager]

He got it from a fight with band member George Underwood - over a girl, naturally. They're still friends today, though :o)

[star1959]

he had an accident he was about six years old

[drfulmore07]

No. Him and George Underwood got into a fight over a girl and George punched David in his eye.

[loreleisg]

I KNEW IT WAS AN ACOUSTIC IN THE BEGINING! My friend has to give me 5 bucks now. Thanks!

[billydoll]

Totally awesome, if i remember correctly this was shown on Kenny Everette's New Year show back in 1980. First time i've seen it since then.. amazing!

[Linake]

Lovely! I wish that this video were included on the Best of Bowie DVD, as well. I actually prefer it to the older video -- though I do love Mick Rock's photography. The older Space Oddity video (not the REALLY old Love You Till Tuesday version, which was hilarious) just rubs me the wrong way for some reason. His direction of Life on Mars?, however, was fantastic.

David Bowie is my favourite artist. *^_^*

[obxharry]

this was done on the set of ashes to ashes video, 1980

[minymon]

i would love to see the lone ranger. I cant remember who did it but it rocked.

[fernandomunozleon]

Just incredible.

[reeth]

wow, absolute coolness :D!

[emalyse]

Great to see this again. Pre-dates the Ashes to Ashes video (I think this went out on Jan 31 1979 originally). Much of the imagery was reworked for Ashes some months later. I think that the video director David Mallet was also director on Kennys prog. Wish more of the Thames period Kenny Everett was out there.

[convolved]

A rare gem!

[stalepie]

That is the only good music video ever made.

[Licorice1977]

I love this song for all its oddness:)

[spengler129]

David Bowie, you'll always be the greatest.

[josephwahler]

pretty rare and unreleased video not included in best of bowie DVD! and it's a sequel to the excellent Ashes to Ashes!

[Lexx416]

Awsome.. Very awsome.