Hallo Spaceboy
Encyclopedia
"Hallo Spaceboy" is a song by David Bowie
from his 1995 album Outside, and was issued as a single in 1996. Bowie and Brian Eno
co-wrote the song. It features a return of Major Tom
, a character seen in previous Bowie songs "Space Oddity" and "Ashes to Ashes
".
-like vibe. Bowie went on to say:
) version of the single featured the Pet Shop Boys
remix as the lead track, not the original album version. In contrast to the original, the single remix was far more disco
-oriented and featured additional lyrics sung by Neil Tennant
. The introduction was sampled from the opener to Outside, "Leon Take Us Outside". Bowie initially expressed reservation about the additions, which referenced and "cut-up
" the lyrics to Space Oddity
, but later agreed that they worked well so long as Tennant sung them.
The 12" remix, which was only released on promo 12", eventually surfaced on Pet Shop Boys
' remix collection Disco 4
, which was released by EMI in . In 2004, it was already released on the bonus disc of the re-released Bowie album.
Bowie and the Pet Shop Boys performed a live version of the remixed song at the Brit Awards
in February 1996.
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
from his 1995 album Outside, and was issued as a single in 1996. Bowie and Brian Eno
Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno , is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex,...
co-wrote the song. It features a return of Major Tom
Major Tom
Major Tom is a fictional astronaut created by David Bowie, heard in his songs "Space Oddity," "Ashes to Ashes," and "Hallo Spaceboy." Bowie's own interpretation of the character evolved throughout his career. 1969's "Space Oddity" depicts an astronaut who casually slips the bonds of a crass and...
, a character seen in previous Bowie songs "Space Oddity" and "Ashes to Ashes
Ashes to Ashes (David Bowie song)
"Ashes to Ashes" is a single by David Bowie, released in 1980. It made #1 in the UK and was the first cut from the Scary Monsters album, also a #1 hit. As well as its musical qualities, it is noted for its innovative video, directed by Bowie and David Mallet...
".
Song development
Bowie wrote the song in mostly-improvised sessions with his band in 1995, and purposefully wrote it with a Nine Inch NailsNine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
-like vibe. Bowie went on to say:
Chart performance
Hallo Spaceboy was the most successful single from the Outside album in the UK. It stayed in the charts for 5 weeks and reached number 12.Remixes
The commercial (i.e. non-promoPromo
Promo may refer to:*Promotion , one of the four aspects of marketing*Promotional music videos, such as those played on MTV*Promotional recording, a recording distributed free in order to promote a commercial recording...
) version of the single featured the Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
remix as the lead track, not the original album version. In contrast to the original, the single remix was far more disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
-oriented and featured additional lyrics sung by Neil Tennant
Neil Tennant
Neil Francis Tennant is an English musician, singer and songwriter, who, with bandmate Chris Lowe, makes up the successful electronic dance music duo Pet Shop Boys.-Childhood:...
. The introduction was sampled from the opener to Outside, "Leon Take Us Outside". Bowie initially expressed reservation about the additions, which referenced and "cut-up
Cut-up technique
The cut-up technique is an aleatory literary technique in which a text is cut up and rearranged to create a new text. Most commonly, cut-ups are used to offer a non-linear alternative to traditional reading and writing....
" the lyrics to Space Oddity
Space Oddity (album)
-Release history:-7" open reel tape releases:There was only one release of Space Oddity on open reel, in 1972 duplicated by Magtec, North Hollywood, CA 91605. This is a high speed 7.5 ips release...
, but later agreed that they worked well so long as Tennant sung them.
The 12" remix, which was only released on promo 12", eventually surfaced on Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
' remix collection Disco 4
Disco 4
Disco 4 also known as Disco Four is the eighteenth album by the UK electronic music duo Pet Shop Boys and the fourth in the band's "Disco" series. It was released on October 8, 2007, on compact disc and vinyl...
, which was released by EMI in . In 2004, it was already released on the bonus disc of the re-released Bowie album.
Bowie and the Pet Shop Boys performed a live version of the remixed song at the Brit Awards
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
in February 1996.
CD: BMG-Arista / 74321 35383 2 Europe
- "Hallo Spaceboy (Pet Shop BoysPet Shop BoysPet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
remix)" – 4:25 - "Under PressureUnder Pressure"Under Pressure" is a 1981 song recorded by Queen and David Bowie. It marked Bowie's first released collaboration with another recording artist as a performer, and is featured on Queen's 1982 album Hot Space. The song reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart. It was also number 31 on VH1's 100 Greatest...
(live)" (MercuryFreddie MercuryFreddie Mercury was a British musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range...
/DeaconJohn DeaconJohn Richard Deacon is a retired English multi-instrumentalist and song writer, best known as the bassist for the rock band Queen. Of the four members of the band, he was the last to join and also the youngest, being only 19 years old when he was recruited by the other members of the band...
/TaylorRoger Meddows-TaylorRoger Meddows Taylor , known as Roger Taylor, is a British musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the drummer, backing vocalist and occasional lead vocalist of British rock band Queen. As a drummer he is known for his "big" unique sound and is considered one of...
/MayBrian MayBrian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
/Bowie) – 4:07
- released in a card sleeve
CD: RCA-BMG 74321 35384 2 United Kingdom
- "Hallo Spaceboy" (Pet Shop BoysPet Shop BoysPet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
remix) – 4:25 - "Under PressureUnder Pressure"Under Pressure" is a 1981 song recorded by Queen and David Bowie. It marked Bowie's first released collaboration with another recording artist as a performer, and is featured on Queen's 1982 album Hot Space. The song reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart. It was also number 31 on VH1's 100 Greatest...
" (live) (Mercury/Deacon/Taylor/May/Bowie) – 4:07 - "Moonage DaydreamMoonage Daydream"Moonage Daydream" is a song written by David Bowie in 1971 and first released as a single under the name Arnold Corns. A rerecorded version was released in 1972 on the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars....
" (live) (Bowie) – 5:25 - "The Hearts Filthy LessonThe Hearts Filthy Lesson"The Hearts Filthy Lesson" is a song by David Bowie, from his 1995 album Outside, and issued as a single ahead of the album. It showcased Bowie's new, industrial-influenced sound. The lack of an apostrophe in the title is deliberate. Lyrically, the single connects with the rest of the album, with...
" (Radio Edit) (Bowie/Eno/Gabrels/Kizilcay/Campbell) – 4:56
CD: BMG-Arista / 74321 35382 2 Europe
- "Hallo Spaceboy" (Pet Shop BoysPet Shop BoysPet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
remix) – 4:25 - "Under PressureUnder Pressure"Under Pressure" is a 1981 song recorded by Queen and David Bowie. It marked Bowie's first released collaboration with another recording artist as a performer, and is featured on Queen's 1982 album Hot Space. The song reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart. It was also number 31 on VH1's 100 Greatest...
" (live) (Mercury/Deacon/Taylor/May/Bowie) – 4:07 - "Moonage DaydreamMoonage Daydream"Moonage Daydream" is a song written by David Bowie in 1971 and first released as a single under the name Arnold Corns. A rerecorded version was released in 1972 on the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars....
" (live) (Bowie) – 5:25 - "The Hearts Filthy LessonThe Hearts Filthy Lesson"The Hearts Filthy Lesson" is a song by David Bowie, from his 1995 album Outside, and issued as a single ahead of the album. It showcased Bowie's new, industrial-influenced sound. The lack of an apostrophe in the title is deliberate. Lyrically, the single connects with the rest of the album, with...
" (Bowie Mix) (Bowie/Eno/Gabrels/Kizilcay/Campbell) – 4:56
CD: BMG-Arista / BVCA-8820 Japan
- "Hallo Spaceboy" (Pet Shop BoysPet Shop BoysPet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
remix) – 4:25 - "Under PressureUnder Pressure"Under Pressure" is a 1981 song recorded by Queen and David Bowie. It marked Bowie's first released collaboration with another recording artist as a performer, and is featured on Queen's 1982 album Hot Space. The song reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart. It was also number 31 on VH1's 100 Greatest...
" (live) (Mercury/Deacon/Taylor/May/Bowie) – 4:07 - "Moonage DaydreamMoonage Daydream"Moonage Daydream" is a song written by David Bowie in 1971 and first released as a single under the name Arnold Corns. A rerecorded version was released in 1972 on the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars....
" (live) (Bowie) – 5:25 - "The Hearts Filthy LessonThe Hearts Filthy Lesson"The Hearts Filthy Lesson" is a song by David Bowie, from his 1995 album Outside, and issued as a single ahead of the album. It showcased Bowie's new, industrial-influenced sound. The lack of an apostrophe in the title is deliberate. Lyrically, the single connects with the rest of the album, with...
" (Rubber Mix) (Bowie/Eno/Gabrels/Kizilcay/Campbell) – 4:56
UK 7" version
- "Hallo Spaceboy (Pet Shop BoysPet Shop BoysPet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
remix)" – 4:25 - "The Hearts Filthy LessonThe Hearts Filthy Lesson"The Hearts Filthy Lesson" is a song by David Bowie, from his 1995 album Outside, and issued as a single ahead of the album. It showcased Bowie's new, industrial-influenced sound. The lack of an apostrophe in the title is deliberate. Lyrically, the single connects with the rest of the album, with...
(Radio edit)" (Bowie/Eno/Gabrels/Kizilcay/Campbell) – 3:33
12": BMG / SPACE 3 United Kingdom
- "Hallo Spaceboy" (Double Click mix) – 7:47
- "Hallo Spaceboy" (Instrumental) – 7:41
- "Hallo Spaceboy" (Lost in Space mix) – 6:29
12": Virgin / SPRO-11513 United States
- "Hallo Spaceboy" (12" remix) – 6:45
- "Hallo Spaceboy" (Pet Shop BoysPet Shop BoysPet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
remix) – 4:25 - "Hallo Spaceboy" (Double Click mix) – 7:47
- "Hallo Spaceboy" (Lost in Space mix) – 6:29
- US promo
Production credits
- ProducersRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
:- David BowieDavid BowieDavid Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
- Brian EnoBrian EnoBrian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno , is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex,...
- David RichardsDavid Richards (record producer)David Richards is an English-born Swiss-based record producer, engineer and musician. In the Mountain Studios in Montreux, owned by the rock band Queen, and in Attalens he engineered and co-produced many albums by Queen, David Bowie and other artists. Richards also played keyboards on some records...
- David Bowie
- Musicians:
- David Bowie: Vocals, Keyboards, Guitar, SaxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
- Brian Eno: Synthesizers
- Reeves GabrelsReeves GabrelsReeves Gabrels is an American guitarist, known for virtuosity, versatility, and originality. His compositions and improvisations defy genre and "explore sonic extremes with a great, adaptive intuition for what each song needs most."...
: Guitar - Erdal KizilcayErdal KizilcayErdal Kizilcay is a multi-instrumental musician of Turkish birth who has worked with, among others, David Bowie. He lives in Aegerten, Switzerland.-With David Bowie:*Never Let Me Down...
: Bass, Keyboards - Mike GarsonMike GarsonMike Garson is an American pianist, most notable for his work with David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails, Billy Corgan, Free Flight, and The Smashing Pumpkins.- Early career :...
: Piano - Sterling CampbellSterling CampbellSterling Campbell in New York City, New York, is an American rock drummer who has worked with numerous high-profile acts. He rose to attention in 1986, touring with Cyndi Lauper on her her True Colors World Tour, in 1986, and in 1987, joined Duran Duran...
: Drums
- David Bowie: Vocals, Keyboards, Guitar, Saxophone
Live versions
- Bowie performed the song with the Pet Shop Boys at the 1996 Brit AwardsBrit AwardsThe Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
. - In the autumn 1995, Bowie performed this song together with Nine Inch NailsNine Inch NailsNine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
. - A version recorded in 1996 at the Phoenix Festival in England was released on the various artist compilation Phoenix Festival in 1997 and on the live album LiveAndWell.comLiveAndWell.comLiveandwell.com is a 1999 limited edition live album by David Bowie. It is not available commercially and could only be acquired by being subscribed to BowieNet at the time....
in 2000. - At Bowie's 50th Birthday Bash in New York January 1997, the song was performed together with Foo FightersFoo FightersFoo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
. This version featured Zachary Alford, William GoldsmithWilliam GoldsmithWilliam Goldsmith is an American drummer best known for being the drummer of the popular Seattle Alternative band Sunny Day Real Estate and for his tenure as the drummer of the alternative rock band Foo Fighters...
and Dave GrohlDave GrohlDavid Eric "Dave" Grohl is an American rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter who is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter for Foo Fighters; the former drummer for Nirvana and Scream; and the current drummer for Them Crooked Vultures...
on three different drum sets and Nate MendelNate MendelNathan Gregor "Nate" Mendel is an American bassist for the bands Foo Fighters, The Jealous Sound, Sunny Day Real Estate, and The Fire Theft.-Biography:...
and Gail Ann DorseyGail Ann DorseyGail Ann Dorsey is an American musician considered one of the premier bass guitarists and vocalists within the alternative rock scene. With a distinguished career as a session musician, it has been most notably her long association performing in David Bowie's band, from 1995 to the present day,...
on two bass guitars. - Bowie performed the song at BBC Radio Theatre, London, 27 June 2000. This was released on the bonus disc following the first releases of Bowie at the BeebBowie at the BeebBowie at the Beeb is a compilation album by David Bowie, first released in 2000. Originally, it came in a three CD set, the third, bonus CD being a recording on at the Portland BBC Radio Theatre...
.
Other releases
- The Pet Shop Boys remix was released as an additional track on Outside – version 2.
- Several of the remixes (mostly from the 12" promo singles) was released on the 2004 limited 2CD edition of Outside.
- The extended Pet Shop Boys remix of Hallo Spaceboy is included on the Pet Shop Boys album Disco 4Disco 4Disco 4 also known as Disco Four is the eighteenth album by the UK electronic music duo Pet Shop Boys and the fourth in the band's "Disco" series. It was released on October 8, 2007, on compact disc and vinyl...
, released on 8 October 2007.
Cover versions
- Pet Shop BoysPet Shop BoysPet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
performed the song live with Sylvia Mason-JamesSylvia Mason-JamesSylvia Mason-James born in 1959 is a British singer who has worked extensively as a backing vocalist and solo artist.She started her career with the disco band Voyage in 1977....
singing the Bowie part. This was released on the video Somewhere – Live at the Savoy (1997). - Behemoth (band)Behemoth (band)Behemoth is a Polish blackened death metal band from Gdańsk, formed in 1991. They are considered to have played an important role in establishing the Polish extreme metal underground, alongside bands such as Vader, Decapitated, Vesania and Hate....
recorded the song during their Thelema.6 recording session. This was released on the Antichristian Phenomenon EP in 2001 - Indie band First of June recorded their version of the song for the tribute album Spiders from Venus: Indie Women Artists and Female-Fronted Bands Cover David Bowie in 2003.
- Norwegian power/progressive metal band Pagan's MindPagan's Mind-Biography:Founded in 2000 from the band Silverspoon by Nils K. Rue, Thorstein Aaby, and Stian Kristoffersen. Pagan's Mind released their first album, Infinity Divine, that same year. The following album, Celestial Entrance, was released in 2002 and was a relatively big success even outside of...
covered the song on their 2007 album God's EquationGod's EquationGod's Equation is the fourth album by the Norwegian progressive metal band Pagan's Mind. It was released on November 9, 2007 in Europe and on January 15, 2008 in the US....
.