Comments on: Space Music, Please!

Question: Space Music, Please!

batcrazy — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 03:51:59 -0800

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!

By: olinerd

olinerd — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 04:04:27 -0800

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?

By: Happy Dave

Happy Dave — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 04:16:09 -0800

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

David Bowie, Space Oddity?

By: Happy Dave

Happy Dave — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 04:19:07 -0800

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."

By: ldenneau

ldenneau — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 04:19:37 -0800

They Might Be Giants, Apollo 18, "Space Suit".

By: Gungho

Gungho — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 04:19:39 -0800

Apogee- Jethro Tull
For Michael Collins, Jeffery, and me - Jethro Tull
Space Oddity- David Bowie
Starman- David Bowie
Rocket Man - Elton John

By: Gungho

Gungho — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 04:20:45 -0800

w/o lyrics... Telstar - The Ventures et al

By: beniamino

beniamino — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 04:24:11 -0800

Cheesy, educational and fun: Space Songs

By: Cat Pie Hurts

Cat Pie Hurts — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 04:27:57 -0800

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.

By: Helga-woo

Helga-woo — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 04:29:55 -0800

The Universe Song by Monty Python. Yes it has lyrics, but they are 'tolerably accurate'.

By: oh pollo!

oh pollo! — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 04:41:58 -0800

Brian Eno: Apollo. It's what NASA used - and is on iTunes.

By: saladin

saladin — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 04:48:04 -0800

Starship Trooper - Yes

By: Lokheed

Lokheed — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 04:58:46 -0800

Christine Lavin: Planet X. The most accurate song about Pluto that you will ever find. Seriously.

By: Skyanth

Skyanth — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 05:04:34 -0800

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.

By: fire&wings

fire&wings — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 05:28:06 -0800

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

By: bashos_frog

bashos_frog — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 05:30:10 -0800

Sounds For The Space-Set!!

By: bashos_frog

bashos_frog — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 05:31:02 -0800

(p.s. not on itunes, but downloadable & free)

By: IndigoJones

IndigoJones — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 05:33:05 -0800

Telstar by the Tornados.

By: superfurry

superfurry — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 05:35:13 -0800

The intro to Spaceman by Bablylon Zoo.

By: jaded

jaded — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 05:37:16 -0800

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.

By: Max Power

Max Power — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 06:11:23 -0800

Floyd! Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun

By: Hey, Cupcake!

Hey, Cupcake! — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 06:38:01 -0800

ELO, Ticket to the Moon

By: daveyt

daveyt — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 06:41:02 -0800

Alpha, by Vangelis, from

By: saladin

saladin — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 06:46:19 -0800

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?

By: zackola

zackola — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 06:46:58 -0800

Rocket (Smashing Pumpkins)

By: notsnot

notsnot — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 06:56:47 -0800

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.

By: Fat Guy

Fat Guy — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 06:57:34 -0800

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)

By: andrewraff

andrewraff — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 07:01:45 -0800

Gustav Holst, The Planets

(for something rock instead of classical, I'd second the Man... or Astroman idea)

By: Benny Andajetz

Benny Andajetz — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 07:14:14 -0800

Walking on the Moon - The Police

By: amtho

amtho — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 07:15:22 -0800

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.

By: erikgrande

erikgrande — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 07:15:31 -0800

Moon Patrol!

By: rmless

rmless — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 07:28:27 -0800

As Cat Pie Hurts said, I think Holst's Planets would be perfect. Saturn was always my favorite. Listen to a sample here.

By: hydrophonic

hydrophonic — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 07:29:34 -0800

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)

By: whoda

whoda — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 07:49:55 -0800

I am thirding "Space Oddity" by David Bowie.

By: KevinSkomsvold

KevinSkomsvold — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 08:10:53 -0800

"Space Guitar" by Johnny "Guitar" Watson for a bluesier presentation.

By: ITheCosmos

ITheCosmos — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 08:13:07 -0800

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.

By: willpie

willpie — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 08:25:16 -0800

Older Pink Floyd might do the trick. Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun or Astronomy Domine, maybe?

By: rfs

rfs — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 08:41:16 -0800

Destination Moon by Dinah Washington

By: Oriole Adams

Oriole Adams — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 08:50:48 -0800

Fun in Space by Roger Taylor

By: LionIndex

LionIndex — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 09:02:55 -0800

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

By: Pastabagel

Pastabagel — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 09:11:47 -0800

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.

By: fidelity

fidelity — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 09:25:27 -0800

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.

By: number9dream

number9dream — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 09:37:53 -0800

I second the Floyd songs, Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun, and Astronomy Domine.

By: ROU_Xenophobe

ROU_Xenophobe — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 09:39:49 -0800

If there is any part that is at all retro-ish, Deep Purple's "Space Truckin'" off Machine Head.

By: micayetoca

micayetoca — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 09:58:14 -0800

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.

By: citron

citron — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 10:27:58 -0800

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.

By: Weebot

Weebot — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:25:16 -0800

"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.

By: Weebot

Weebot — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:28:48 -0800

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.

By: np312

np312 — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 12:22:57 -0800

I like Spacewalk by Lemon Jelly

By: porn in the woods

porn in the woods — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 13:12:39 -0800

Cluster and Harmonia

By: ignignokt

ignignokt — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 13:45:44 -0800

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.

By: fuzzbean

fuzzbean — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 13:46:46 -0800

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).