Description
This video is a new edit and restoration, of the 1969 Swiss TV Hits à Gogo footage, extended and synched to the original 1969 album version of Space Oddity.
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Like so many other kids of the 70’s and 80’s, Space Oddity is where I entered the Bowie Universe. It was one of those omnipresent oldie radio songs that must have been lurking in my sub consciousness for many years. Then at some point, probably around late ’77 the song suddenly and inexplicably became something very meaningful to me. I was thereby compelled to go out to a local record shop – Goodness Records in Caterham if memory serves - and for the first time in my life, buy an album. ChangesOneBowie was the start of my falling in love with David Bowie and his art.
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There are several early videos of Space Oddity. In February 1969, a video was shot for the early version of the song that was recorded that month. The video appeared in the film Love You till Tuesday. Then in December 1972, Mick Rock shot a video of Bowie miming to the classic June 1969 recording of the song, filmed during the sessions for Aladdin Sane. The resulting music video was used to promote the 1973 US reissue of the Space Oddity single.
Later, in 1979, a promotional video of the newly re-recorded version debuted in the UK on Kenny Everett's New Year's Eve Show. Also in 1979, Bowie recorded a mimed performance of the classic 1969 version of Space Oddity, for inclusion in the US NBC TV special Sensational Shocking Wonderful Wacky 70’s, presented by TV host Dick Clark.
Only in the late 1969 Hits a-Go Go TV footage, do we have a mimed performance that is actually contemporary to the classic June 1969 recording/November album release and Bowie’s brief flirtation with a curly perm.
Fortunately, the footage survives in decent quality. I don’t know what the story is with the very stark contrast that basically totally blacks out Bowie’s face throughout a good deal of the performance. Perhaps it was the original intention of the TV show to add mystery, or some such? Or perhaps somewhere in the last 50 years, extreme contrast was added to mask graininess in the picture? Regardless, when the great man’s fresh young face does come into view, it’s a joy.
In 2019, I extended and synched the footage to the then-new Tony Visconti remix. Since then, I’ve been asked to do the same to the original album version. And so, here we are.
Hope you dig it!
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Credits
Video Source:
David Bowie | Space Oddity | From the Swiss TV Show Hits à Gogo | Broadcast 12th of November 1969
Audio Source:
David Bowie | Space Oddity | Originally recorded and released in 1969
℗ 2019 Jones/Tintoretto Entertainment Company LLC under exclusive license to Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
David Bowie | Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Stylophone, Synthesizer
Herbie Flowers | Bass
Keith Christmas | Acoustic Guitar
Mick Wayne | Guitar
Rick Wakeman | Mellotron
Terry Cox | Drums
Tony Visconti | Flutes, woodwind
Gus Dudgeon | Production
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Always more videos to follow, so please keep your electric eye on me babe!
I don't own the rights, and I'm not making any money out of this etc. Just a fan making videos for other fans.
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