Space Music, Please!

October 25, 2007 3:51 AM

I need some space songs! I'm putting together a power point slide show for a teachers' awards ceremony. The teachers just finished participating in a professional development program that focused on space science, so I'd like the slide show to have space music to go with the photos.

I'm thinking I'll need maybe 15 minutes worth of music, plus or minus. (3-5 songs total?)

Criteria:
1. I need specific song names/titles that are available for download off of iTunes. (I have to finish the presentation today in between meetings, so I don't have time to do anything but download what I need).

2. My preference is for songs without lyrics, but I can be swayed if the song is cool enough.

3. I'd like space-themed music that doesn't necessarily evoke a particular movie (for example, no star wars theme songs).

Thanks, Hive Mind!

posted by batcrazy to Media & Arts (51 answers total)

Best answer: I'm pretty sure I did a powerpoint about planets in middle school where I used Holst's "The Planets" as a sound track. It's classical music, with one piece written for each planet. Maybe check that out?
posted by olinerd at 4:04 AM on October 25, 2007

Also Sprach Zarathustra, AKA the 2001: A Space Odyssey opening theme, is good, although tied to 2001 quite strongly.

David Bowie, Space Oddity?
posted by Happy Dave at 4:16 AM on October 25, 2007

Also, this site may help.

From their site description:

"MusicSpace celebrates music that is written for space exploration. Or is about space exploration. Or is played in space. Or makes you feel like you are in space. Or is actually from space.

So the space hit list ranges from Elton John's Rocket Man to Holst's Planets to Bach played with the accompaniment of the winds of Mars."
posted by Happy Dave at 4:19 AM on October 25, 2007

They Might Be Giants, Apollo 18, "Space Suit".
posted by ldenneau at 4:19 AM on October 25, 2007

Apogee- Jethro Tull
For Michael Collins, Jeffery, and me - Jethro Tull
Space Oddity- David Bowie
Starman- David Bowie
Rocket Man - Elton John
posted by Gungho at 4:19 AM on October 25, 2007

w/o lyrics... Telstar - The Ventures et al
posted by Gungho at 4:20 AM on October 25, 2007

Cheesy, educational and fun: Space Songs
posted by beniamino at 4:24 AM on October 25, 2007

Best answer: While they don't quite meet your criteria, I did think it worth mentioning Gustav Holst's The Planets and Vangelis' Mythodea. (Both iTunes URLs)

Mythodea was specifically written for the Mars Odyssey Mission.
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 4:27 AM on October 25, 2007

The Universe Song by Monty Python. Yes it has lyrics, but they are 'tolerably accurate'.
posted by Helga-woo at 4:29 AM on October 25, 2007

Brian Eno: Apollo. It's what NASA used - and is on iTunes.
posted by oh pollo! at 4:41 AM on October 25, 2007

Starship Trooper - Yes
posted by saladin at 4:48 AM on October 25, 2007

Christine Lavin: Planet X. The most accurate song about Pluto that you will ever find. Seriously.
posted by Lokheed at 4:58 AM on October 25, 2007

Don't know if it is available on iTunes, but "What do you see?" or "The surface of the sun" from the Sunshine soundtrack. And the other tracks from the Sunshine soundtrack.
posted by Skyanth at 5:04 AM on October 25, 2007

Muse spring to mind. They have space themed songs that sound a bit spacey and also rock, best would be -

Bliss
Space Dementia
Hyper Music
Dark Shines
Hysteria
Supermassive Black Hole
posted by fire&wings at 5:28 AM on October 25, 2007

Sounds For The Space-Set!!
posted by bashos_frog at 5:30 AM on October 25, 2007

(p.s. not on itunes, but downloadable & free)
posted by bashos_frog at 5:31 AM on October 25, 2007

Telstar by the Tornados.
posted by IndigoJones at 5:33 AM on October 25, 2007

The intro to Spaceman by Bablylon Zoo.
posted by superfurry at 5:35 AM on October 25, 2007

Space by Jupiterhead is a nice ambient track. It has Leonard Nimoy ( I think ) saying the word "Space" over and over again.

I don't know if iTunes has it. It's on disc 2 of the "Amberdelic Space" ambient music collection.

If you can't find a copy my email is in my profile.
posted by jaded at 5:37 AM on October 25, 2007

Floyd! Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun
posted by Max Power at 6:11 AM on October 25, 2007

ELO, Ticket to the Moon
posted by Hey, Cupcake! at 6:38 AM on October 25, 2007

Alpha, by Vangelis, from
posted by daveyt at 6:41 AM on October 25, 2007

Also:

Jupiter - Cave-In
The Stars are Projectors - Modest Mouse
Dark Center of the Universe - Modest Mouse
Space Travel is Boring - Modest Mouse
Nussun - Three Mile Pilot


Pretty much every single song ever recorded by Man... Or Astroman?
posted by saladin at 6:46 AM on October 25, 2007

Rocket (Smashing Pumpkins)
posted by zackola at 6:46 AM on October 25, 2007

I can't believe no-one's mentioned the late-nite weekend NPR staple, Hearts of Space.

It's great to get high to, as well.
posted by notsnot at 6:56 AM on October 25, 2007

Life on Mars? - David Bowie
Eclipse - Pink Floyd
Rockit - Herbie Hancock
Pump Up The Volume - M.A.R.S.
Wheel In The Sky - Journey
Dark Star - The Grateful Dead
Moon Rocks - The Talking Heads
I Get Wild/Wild Gravity - The Talking Heads
The Joker - Steve Miller Band (some people call him the space cowboy)
posted by Fat Guy at 6:57 AM on October 25, 2007

Best answer: Gustav Holst, The Planets

(for something rock instead of classical, I'd second the Man... or Astroman idea)
posted by andrewraff at 7:01 AM on October 25, 2007

Walking on the Moon - The Police
posted by Benny Andajetz at 7:14 AM on October 25, 2007

Best answer: Re: Holst's "The Planets" -- there's one movement (section) of that work that features a wordless choir of women's voices. I think it's Neptune. Ethereal and mysterious, inspiring even, without being cheaply new-agey. I think it might be perfect for you.
posted by amtho at 7:15 AM on October 25, 2007

Moon Patrol!
posted by erikgrande at 7:15 AM on October 25, 2007 [1 favorite]

Best answer: As Cat Pie Hurts said, I think Holst's Planets would be perfect. Saturn was always my favorite. Listen to a sample here.
posted by rmless at 7:28 AM on October 25, 2007

How about some music by Sun Ra? He's possibly the finest musician to come from the planet Saturn.

Space is the Place (9:52) and Outer Space Incorporated (9:59) have lyrics. The music might get a bit overwhelming, especially if you're going to be talking over it.

On the gentler side of things, there's the instrumental Love in Outer Space (5:05). Here's a solo piano version (5:15) that would be lovely. (iTunes links)
posted by hydrophonic at 7:29 AM on October 25, 2007

I am thirding "Space Oddity" by David Bowie.
posted by whoda at 7:49 AM on October 25, 2007

"Space Guitar" by Johnny "Guitar" Watson for a bluesier presentation.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 8:10 AM on October 25, 2007

Definitely Sun Ra.
I was listening to these the other day, and they're much mellower than a lot of his music, and no vocals.
posted by ITheCosmos at 8:13 AM on October 25, 2007

Older Pink Floyd might do the trick. Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun or Astronomy Domine, maybe?
posted by willpie at 8:25 AM on October 25, 2007

Destination Moon by Dinah Washington
posted by rfs at 8:41 AM on October 25, 2007

Fun in Space by Roger Taylor
posted by Oriole Adams at 8:50 AM on October 25, 2007

No lyrics, but most likely not iTunes compliant:
Ecstasy in Slow Motion - Spacemen 3
Dreamweapon - Spacemen 3
Symphony Space - Spiritualized

With lyrics:
Ladies & Gentlemen, We Are Floating in Space - Spiritualized
Space Song - The Church
Another Earth - The Church
posted by LionIndex at 9:02 AM on October 25, 2007

38 comments and no Tangerine Dream? Here's a link to the Tangerine Tree project, which makes available many of their live concerts for free download (with the band's consent). The audio quality in many cases is perfect.

You can also check out their regular studio albums as well. The late 70's and earlier stuff is brilliant, but perhaps too psychedelic. But TD recorded some albums in the 80's specifically as "soundtracks" to mars missions, etc.

These guys epitomize space music.
posted by Pastabagel at 9:11 AM on October 25, 2007 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Tomita has a recording of Holst's Planets. It's spacey as all get-out (in a Moogy sort of way), but I don't know whether it's on this "iTunes" thing.
posted by fidelity at 9:25 AM on October 25, 2007

I second the Floyd songs, Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun, and Astronomy Domine.
posted by number9dream at 9:37 AM on October 25, 2007

If there is any part that is at all retro-ish, Deep Purple's "Space Truckin'" off Machine Head.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:39 AM on October 25, 2007

This record by Vocal Sampling features a great a capella version of Also Sprach Zaratustra, perhaps you can buy that song by itself online somewhere.
posted by micayetoca at 9:58 AM on October 25, 2007

Weird Al Yankovic - Slime Creatures from Outer Space
I-F - Space Invaders Are Smoking Grass

OK, those are not really appropriate.. :)

There's always Man or Astro-man?, they didn't actually have any lyrics, it's punk/surf rock stuff..
And the second half of Bowie's Low has no lyrics for the most part, plus inspired by The Man Who Fell to Earth so still fairly.. spaced out.
posted by citron at 10:27 AM on October 25, 2007

"Yuri-G", PJ Harvey!

Actually, it's a terrible song for a PowerPoint presentation. I just wanted to chime in with it. I have a thing for songs about the Soviet Space Program. If the Arcade Fire hadn't named one of their songs "Laika", I probably wouldn't have ever gotten into them.

Some day I'm going to make a Cosmonaut mix that'll kill.
posted by Weebot at 11:25 AM on October 25, 2007

Now that I look at the thread, I'll have to second Brian Eno. Asides from Apollo, you'll probably find something appropriate if you skim through his discography.
posted by Weebot at 11:28 AM on October 25, 2007

I like Spacewalk by Lemon Jelly
posted by np312 at 12:22 PM on October 25, 2007

Cluster and Harmonia
posted by porn in the woods at 1:12 PM on October 25, 2007

Gamma Ray - Beyond the Black Hole (has vocals, but is pretty evocative of a journey into space)

Actually, all the songs from that album, Somewhere Out in Space would probably work.
posted by ignignokt at 1:45 PM on October 25, 2007

The album "Flying Saucer" by Astronaut Wife is all about...um...flying saucers. All songs have lyrics, though. I particularly recommend "Flying Saucer" (the song).
posted by fuzzbean at 1:46 PM on October 25, 2007