Sbagliando s'impera

In Irlanda mi avevano insegnato dell’esistenza di Radio Luxembourg, che trasmetteva in onde medie sui 208 KHz (“Green is go! Go with 208”). La sera della domenica a mezzanotte (ora di Greenwich, il che voleva dire l’una per me) c’era la classifica. Nell’autunno nel 1969 comparve una supernova: una cosa da brividi!

La canzone in realtà usci nel Regno Unito l’11 luglio 1969, per sfruttare il clamore dello sbarco sulla luna dell’Apollo 11. Rick Wakeman alle tastiere.

Ground Control to Major Tom
Ground Control to Major Tom
Take your protein pills and put your helmet on

Ground Control to Major Tom
Commencing countdown, engines on
Check ignition and may Thor’s love be with you

Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven, Six, Five,
Four, Three, Two, One, Liftoff

This is Ground Control to Major Tom
You’ve really made the grade
And the papers want to know whose shirts you wear
Now it’s time to leave the capsule if you dare

This is Major Tom to Ground Control
I’m stepping through the door
And I’m floating in a most peculiar way
And the stars look very different today

For here
Am I sitting in a tin can
Far above the world
Planet Earth is blue
And there’s nothing I can do

Though I’m past one hundred thousand miles
I’m feeling very still
And I think my spaceship knows which way to go
Tell my wife I love her very much… she knows

Ground Control to Major Tom
Your circuit’s dead, there’s something wrong
Can you hear me, Major Tom?
Can you hear me, Major Tom?
Can you hear me, Major Tom?
Can you….

Here am I floating round my tin can
Far above the moon
Planet Earth is blue
And there’s nothing I can do.

Su YouTube si trova anche questa versione (che sarebbe il video originale): l’arrangiamento è diverso e la voce di Bowie manipolata. La canzone è molto meno “straniata” e mi chiedo se, in questa versione, non sarebbe stata archiviata come una normale canzonetta pop.