With all the Mars and Pluto stuff recently….What are the best songs that mention planets? The moon doesn’t count, but “Fly Me To The Moon” does because it also mentions Jupiter and Mars. A dark horse here could be “It’s Getting Hot In Here”, which mentions Neptune.
What are the best songs that mention the possibility of life on other planets? The only one I can think of is “Life on Mars”, but there must be others.
Update. I’ll go with this, as my favorite planet-related lyric from Cole Porter’s “Well Did You Evah”
Have you heard? It’s in the stars. Next July we collide with Mars.
Belafon
No new threads until my question about Tom’s video is answered.
/pout
Betty Cracker
Planet Claire. No one ever dies there. No one has a heeeeeeeaaaad.
Germy Shoemangler
paul mccartney & wings “Venus & Mars” (are alright tonight)
Lavocat
“Astronomy Domine” by Pink Floyd circa the Syd Barrett years.
ranchandsyrup
Stars by Hum
“she thinks she missed the train to Mars, she’s out back counting stars.”
dedc79
Third Planet – Modest Mouse.
Tom Levenson
Mentions? Well, sort of, in this my (not)gift to y’all.
Lavocat
Also, “Hallucinating Pluto” by the B-52s.
Pharniel
Queen‘s 39 is explicitly about going forth and finding strange new worlds, and the price therein.
Train‘s Drops of Jupiter – I can’t forget this song, we licensed 45 seconds for our hold music Back In The Day. It was nightmarish.
On happier thoughts Queen‘s Don’t Stop me Now references mars.
Cheating – Bananarama‘s Venus
Edit to add – KLF‘s Space – Not sure if available again. The band quit the band and burned the masters for most of their work on the way out.
slimslowslider
Lots of Sun Ra like “Rocket Number Nine Take Off For the Planet Venus” and “On Jupiter.”
Annamal
Probably not the best songs but the War of the Worlds rock opera deserves at least a mention:
The chances of anything coming from mars
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As0v-tzU-PY
Germy Shoemangler
Does “Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft” count?
pacem appellant
“Interplanet Janet” has nine planets and a an alien rocket(?) named Janet. And it’s catchy.
Lavocat
And then there’s “Saturn Return” by R.E.M., from “Reveal”.
Doug!
@Pharniel:
I feel your Train pain. Hey Soul Sister is on a continuous loop at my grocery store.
Brachiator
Gustav Holst, The Planets. Not a song, but come on!
The Fifth Dimension, or the original soundtrack, “Aquarius.”
“When Jupiter aligns with Mars”
Rob
This doesn’t quite fill the bill (and I don’t understand German), but Fred is from Jupiter:
Fred vom Jupiter from die Doras und die Marinas, from 1981
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf3iWc6krj8
trollhattan
“Sirens of Titan” by Al Stewart is basically a musical telling of the Vonnegut book. The Stones’ “2000 Light Years from Home” skips our solar system entirely.
ETA, forgot Jimi–“Moon, Turn The Tides… Gently, Gently Away”
Mustang Bobby
Elton John’s Rocket Man mentions Mars.
Germy Shoemangler
“Spaceman” by Harry Nilsson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5OEwaH0hyw
“Hey mother earth, won’t you bring me back down, safely to the sea…”
No mention of Mars, so… never mind.
dedc79
Planet Telex – Radiohead
New Planet – Medeski Martin & Wood
Betty Cracker
@Belafon: See below.
Doug!
@trollhattan:
We’ve never discussed Al Stewart as much as we should here. He’s very polarizing.
I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet
@Belafon: A blurb:
HTH.
Cheers,
Scott.
(Who hasn’t watched it yet, either.)
Belafon
@Belafon: OK. The thread can continue. :)
@Betty Cracker: Thanks.
Bill
Ziggy Stardust
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIXmFL9ckGE
Germy Shoemangler
Well, there’s Bowie’s “Starman”
There’s a starman waiting in the sky
He’d like to come and meet us
But he thinks he’d blow our minds
There’s a starman waiting in the sky
He’s told us not to blow it
‘Cause he knows it’s all worthwhile
He told me
Let the children lose it
Let the children use it
Let all the children boogie
NobodySpecial
“Children of the Sun” by Billy Thorpe. Or maybe “Rocket Man” by Elton John.
Roger Moore
No Doubt- “Artificial Sweetener”
ETA: Nope, just mentions the planet, not possibility of life.
Tom Levenson
And then there’s Julie Brown’s classic…
Youth, mine, mispent it was.
Knight of Nothing
Almost anything by Chris Mars.
MomSense
Plan A by the Dandy Warhols probably doesn’t count since it doesn’t mention a specific planet but it’s a good song.
Pharniel
@Tom Levenson: Dammit. I knew I missed something.
Mister Papercut
The Animaniacs’ “Planet Song.”
JMG
The classics are best: Flying Purple People Eater
Germy Shoemangler
The Galaxy Song by Monty Python
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIy76M-4txo
“And pray that there’s intelligent life somewhere out in space because there’s bugger-all down here on earth.”
delurkingtopost
a couple deep cuts:
The Byrds, CTA 102: “On our radio telescope/ science tells us that there’s hope/ life on other planets might exist…”‘
American Music Club, Sick of Food: “I must have been born on the planet Mercury”
Calouste
Does Earth as a planet count?
Jimi Hendrix “Third Stone from the Sun”
Germy Shoemangler
@JMG: Sheb Wooley was some interesting cat:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheb_Wooley
zzyzx
Life on Mars? isn’t really about Life on Mars though. It’s about going to see a movie. The life on Mars line just seems to be a lament about how bad it is on Earth.
Thoughtful Today
It doesn’t meet your criteria but Holst’s ‘The Planets’ deserves a mention.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHVsszW7Nds
H.K. Anders
Saturn, by Stevie Wonder: https://youtu.be/Vp_LmmxZFWQ
Southern Beale
@ranchandsyrup:
I love Hum!
@Knight of Nothing:
If you’re dyslexic, Jason Mraz may count, too
Germy Shoemangler
The Star Trek theme with lyrics by Gene Roddenberry:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT0w-_Eh1dQ
schrodinger's cat
39 by Queen is about the twin paradox due to relativistic effects.
bemused
Our two year old granddaughter knows the words to Fly Me To The Moon because her mom has sung it to her since she was a baby. Now they sing it together, sweetest thing a grandparent could hear.
joel hanes
Mars ain’t the kind of place to raise your kids
In fact, it’s cold as hell
And there’s no one there to raise them
If you did
Southern Beale
Not a planet per se but I vote for Nick Drake’s “Pink Moon.” Love that song.
“Pink, pink, pink, pink, pink …
MOON.”
Poopyman
Miss Janie used to sing:
“Bend and stretch
Reach for the stars
Here comes Jupiter
There goes Mars …”
Yep, there’s nothin’ like the classics….
Omnes Omnibus
Another Girl, Another Planet by The Only Ones.
BlueNC
I’m the only child of the 80s here??
We’re heading for Venus (Venus)
And still we stand tall
‘Cause maybe they’ve seen us (seen us)
And welcome us all, yeah.
With so many light years to go
And things to be found (to be found)
I’m sure that we’ll all miss her so.
(Europe, The Final Countdown)
Southern Beale
Also, Pacificka’s “Amor Planeta.”
Central Planning
A few that come to mind:
Deep In The Heart Of Texas mentions the big and bright stars at night.
TMBG’s How Many Planets is another.
And anything by Bruno Mars.
ETA: My wife plays The Solar System Song for the kids in her class: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ-qLUIj_A0
joel hanes
Hendrix Voodo Child
Well, the night I was born
Lord I swear the moon turned a fire red
…
He took me past to the outskirts of infinity,
And when he brought me back,
He gave me a Venus witch’s ring
…
Well my arrows are made of desire
From far away as Jupiter’s sulphur mines
Say my arrows are made of desire, desire
From far away as Jupiter’s sulphur mines
(Way down by the Methane Sea, yeah)
dedc79
@BlueNC: The only time I could ever tolerate that song was when watching Arrested Development.
Betty Cracker
@NobodySpecial: OMG, “Children of the Sun”! I’d forgotten all about that big ol’ slice of Velveeta.
trollhattan
@Doug!:
These gosh darn kids will be all, “Al who?”
kdaug
@Doug!:
Fuck off.
“On the Border” was last week’s earworm. Has nothing to do with planets… OR DOES IT?
More on topic: water on Mars means easy(ier) greenhouses. Fingers drumming…
Southern Beale
Emmyloy Harris, “Jupiter Rising” …
Chris
Iiiiiii’m a rocket ship, on my way to Mars,
On a collision course,
I am a satellite,
I’m out of controoool…
Bill
@Thoughtful Today: And let’s toss in the Diggable Planets too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cM4kqL13jGM
Aleta
Venus in Furs — Velvet Underground
Venus in Blue Jeans — one of the Bobbys
Venus –Frankie Avalon
Venus (?) by Shocking Blue
Turner Hedenkoff
Frank Zappa, “The Radio is Broken” — “We have to fall in love on Uranus … ” (followed by everyone breaking up laughing)
RSA
Lou Reed, Strawman (which until five minutes ago I would have sworn was titled “Starman”):
Does anyone need another faulty shuttle blasting off to the moon, Venus or Mars?
Not that I agree with the sentiment in these lines, but a good song I think.
MaximusNYC
On Sunday night, on a corner in Manhattan, I watched a woman play “No Moon At All” on a saw during the eclipse. It was magical.
Southern Beale
Almost forgot about Train’s “Drops Of Jupiter.”
Southern Beale
@Aleta:
Those don’t count. They’re referring to the goddess Venus, not the planet.
I call you OUT OF ORDER!
Turner Hedenkoff
Oh, and “One-Way Ticket to Pluto” by the Dead Kennedys. It was a planet at the time, dammit!
wmd
Orbiting Jupiter written and performed by Cheryl Wheeler.
Barney
Watcher of the Skies by Genesis – about leaving Earth, anyway:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FBcz3tBH74
Elizabelle
Thought this might be a Planned Parenthood Congressional hearing post.
Planet Earth is blue, and there’s nothing I can do …
Omnes Omnibus
Satellite of Love by Lou Reed.
Bokonon
Nobody else has brought up “Cygnus X-1” by Rush. The one about the guy who flies his spaceship into a black hole.
Germy Shoemangler
“Everyone’s Gone To The Moon” was a dreadful record in my opinion. I never cared for Jonathan King’s original, and I never cared for the countless cover versions.
[that was my little spasm of negativity for this thread]
Iowa Old Lady
When the moon is in the seventh house,
And Jupiter aligns with Mars…
moderateindy
“Moons of Jupiter” by Scruffy The Cat. Extremely catchy, and includes a short interlude of “I Think We’re Alone Now”.
https://youtu.be/Qhy6SZf_3Gk
Poopyman
I see Atrios put up a post titled “Wooder on Mars”.
It’s a Philly thing.
gian
@Bokonon:
Or 2112 dedicated to the genius of Ayn Rand. Before they grew up
Aleta
@Aleta: oops, Venus In Blue Jeans is by Jimmy Clanton.
@Southern Beale: oops, you are correct !
Jewish Steel
@Lavocat:
Yes! Who doesn’t like a good old fashioned psychedelic freak out?
Cervantes
“Night Flight to Venus,” by Boney M.
May the FSM forgive me.
M. Bouffant
Blue Öyster Cult “Workshop Of The Telescopes”:
Cervantes
@Iowa Old Lady:
Excellent!
Germy Shoemangler
Klaatu’s “Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft” created quite a stir when I was in high school. A powerful rumor was going around (probably started by their agent) that they were in fact The Beatles recording under a pseudonym. This, of course, was untrue.
The Carpenters did a marvelous cover of it for some mysterious reason. Karen Carpenter hit that one out of the ball park:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teBV0EoJJY8
schrodinger's cat
OT: NYT tells me that conservative Congress critters want Trey Gowdy to be the Speaker. What do we know about Mr. Gowdy. Is he a wingnut’s wingnut?
Germy Shoemangler
Well, he is a tireless investigator. That much I know.
the Conster
@schrodinger’s cat:
He’s going to stay as the chair of the Benghazi committee he said on twitter – apparently that’s going to be a lifetime committment.
Felonius Monk
VENUS by Shocking Blue — in case nobody has mentioned it yet.
droog
Robert Onion, by Frank Black and The Catholics.
The planetary reference is concealed in a convoluted way, what with this being Frank Black and all.
OnkelFritze
Deep Purple – ‘Space Truckin’
‘Benson Arizona’ from the movie ‘Dark Star’. Doesn’t mention a strange planet per se (unless you count ‘Arizona’). But it’s on topic and this list needs a County song.
low-tech cyclist
“Planet, Schmanet, Janet!” – Tim Curry to Susan Sarandon, before launching into “You’d Better Wise Up, Janet Weiss” in Rocky Horror.
Ajabu
@bemused:
And with an aside to Doug as well — There is NO SONG called “Fly Me To The Moon”. There is, however, an opening line in the song “In Other Words” that begins with the line “Fly me to the moon and let me play among the stars, let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars; IN OTHER WORDS, hold my hand. IN OTHER WORDS, darling, kiss me”
As a professional musician (and one who also writes lyrics) that mis-titling has annoyed me for decades.
Might as well call Gershwin’s “Summertime” “Fish Are Jumpin'”. Has just as much relevance to the concept of the song.
Marmot
Ha!
“Pluto Drive” by The Creatures. When Pluto qualified.
http://youtu.be/qQk5J-bLEZ4
“Rocket Ship” by The Dead Milkmen. Planet X qualifies, right?
http://youtu.be/rzzQx6odC18
Redshift
@Germy Shoemangler: And on topic, Klaatu’s lesser-known works include “Anus of Uranus” (which mentions several other planets), and “Maybe I’ll Move to Mars.”
MCA1
Radiohead’s Subterranean Homesick Alien doesn’t mention a specific planet, but certainly speaks of life from somewhere out there, hovering above Earth and commenting on how strange we seem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1tQFX_9ct0
Roger Moore
@schrodinger’s cat:
He looks like grownup Draco Malfoy, and he’s in charge of the Benghazi witchhunt. I think that’s enough for the wingnuts.
gelfling545
When my eldest granddaughter was about 2 we got a lot of simple pleasure from the Blue’s Clues planets song.
“Uranus spins on it’s side.”
As I said, simple.
shell
“Nothing Ever Happens on Mars” from ‘Waiting for Guffman’.
Sloegin
Blondie’s “Rapture”
OnkelFritze
@OnkelFritze: Edit: ‘Country’
Highway Rob
Not necessarily my favorite, not sure if I have one, but RHCP Subway to Venus is a nice callback to a youth that wasn’t nearly as misspent as I wish it had been.
Mnemosyne (iPhone)
“Destination Moon” by Dinah Washington. Surprised I got there before the oldie oldsters (though I scrolled through pretty quickly).
C.S.
Husker Du, Books About UFOs
Sometimes I see her sitting on the rooftop
Perched in a lawnchair, staring into the sky
I know somewhere in some faraway galaxy
That some gray men with telescopes are gazing right into her eyes
The singer also promises to focus all of his attention on finding a new planet to name after her.
Germy Shoemangler
@Redshift: Whatever became of them? Are they living off song royalties?
Doug!
@delurkingtopost:
I like those
cynthia ackerman
T. Bone Burnett, Humans From Earth
schrodinger's cat
OK Google tells me that Trey is short for Harold Sherlock’s Holmes partner.
Roger Moore
@schrodinger’s cat:
The Third. He’s actually Harold W. Gowdy III. Just as a Jr. might be called Junior, a III might be called Trey. Another example would be Trey Griffey, AKA Ken Griffey III.
shell
No specific planets, but Carol Kings’ ‘Up On The Roof’
“And all my thoughts just drift, out into space… “
bemused
@Ajabu:
I stand corrected. I still won’t remember that because my ability to recall names of songs in general is pretty lousy.
Ripley
Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band, ‘Big Eyed Beans From Venus.’ Oh my, oh my.
Aleta
@Iowa Old Lady: but of course !
schrodinger's cat
@Roger Moore: OK that makes sense.
Aleta
if album titles were allowed, I would mention Planet Waves
GxB
Porno For Pyros – “Pets” mentions Martians.
Just realized that sounds like a headline from the 1890’s.
bystander
Jerry Herman’s The Man in the Moon Is a Lady.
Bea Arthur owns it, even when her notes crack.
grumpy realist
Tons of songs if you start looking in the filk section.
I still think one of the best songs EVAH is “Falling Down on New Jersey”
(And yeah, I know people have stopped singing this since 9/11, but it’s still a hellova song.)
ckc (not kc)
“Linda goes to Mars” – John Prine
J.A.F. Rusty Shackleford
Venus from Low
Princess
Pukka Orchestra “Might as well be on Mars”
KSE
“Destination Venus” by the Rezillos,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AshzpF8pU40
also ably covered by Man… Or Astro-Man? but I’ll let you all look that one up yrselves.
germy shoemangler
Wreckless Eric
“Walking On The Surface Of The Moon”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUszNYtJaNQ
KSE
@Marmot: Psst “Rocket Ship” was written & originally performed by the great, weird, Daniel Johnston.
who also made this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDm__uVApZI
maurinsky
Not a plant, but I Hear the Bells by Mike Doughty mentions the moon; and his Madeleine and Nine mentions constellations, and they are both great songs.
(I intended to add Planet Claire, but Betty Cracker got there first)
Porco Rosso
Chiron Beta Prime by Johnathan Coulton is my fave offworld carol
Woodrowfan
Fire, Water, Burn by Bloodhound Gang.
Yeah I’m hung like planet Pluto hard to see with the naked eye,
But if I crashed into Uranus I would stick it where the sun don’t shine,
Gravenstone
Going for a bit of early 80’s nostalgia
Planet P (Project): King For a Day about an astronaut starting an interstellar flight
Same album: Why Me? about an astronaut (perhaps the same fellow) having second thoughts about his upcoming flight
snabby
Jonathan Coulton’s “I’m Your Moon,” about Pluto’s demotion from planet.
LeonS
@Turner Hedenkoff: I was wondering if Zappa’s “Planet of the baritone Women” counted…
Ghost of Joe Liebling's Dog
No love yet for Michael Franks?
Death Panel Truck
“Child Of The Moon” – The Rolling Stones.
Thoughtcrime
The Universe on Acid:
THIS SONG SHOULD BE PLAYED LOUD
“The Stars That Play With Laughing Sam’s Dice” ( or “STP With LSD” ; wink, wink)
by Jimi Hendrix (of course)
The stars up above that play with laughing Sam’s dice
They make us feel that it wants the world for us
The zodiac rise, dreams that come through the skies
It will happen soon for you
Alright now, everybody, stick together now…
Away we go!
Thank you very much for coming
Thank you!
Thank you very much!
And now, we would like to bring to you our one and only friendly neighborhood experience-maker!
Yeah!
Alright, now listen!
Yeah… Baby… Thank you very much!
The Milky Way express is loading, all aboard!
I promise each and every one of you, you won’t be bored!
Now these next lines will keep everybody honest and straight
What I’m really singing about
Is my brand-new pair of butterfly roller skates!
Oh! Yeah, oh…
Thank you, thank you!
And I watch them rise! Yeah…
Uh, I’d like to say that there’ll be no throwing cigarette butts out the window
No throwing cigarette butts out the window, thank you
I hope all of you brought your toothbrush…Yeah!
Now to the right you will see Saturn. Uh, ha!
Outta sight! Really outta site
And if you look to the left you will see Mars
Yeah, okay. Yeah, okay
I hope your brought your parachute with you
Hey! Hey, look out! Look out for that door!
Don’t open that door!
Don’t open that door!
Oh…
Well, that’s the way it goes…
And now we’re coming through the, uh, Milky Way section… Yeah
Bring your cornflakes and stuff like that, Milky Way
Yeah, everything is alright and outta site!
Oh, no, it’s, uh… hahaha… hahaha!
If you look around you, you will see a few minds being blown
It’s happening, it’s happening, baby! Yeah!
I hope you’re enjoying your ride… I am!
All the way! Yeah…
It’s like I said…Goodbye!
delphinium
The Starseeds Parallel Life
“I have a break on Venus
Where I meet my mirror
And she smiles at me
And I wave her hello
And suddenly I see him as well
But he looks kind of different
His hair is short
And he reminds me of myself”
john fremont
Starship Trooper and Future Times by Yes
Thoughtcrime
Rolling Stones:
2000 Light Years From Home
Aleta
Sound of Jupiter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3fqE01YYWs
Sound of Neptune https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwnpXll_A_E
Sound of Pluto https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-D1BQNWm9g
all by NASA
dlm
Out and In by The Moody Blues from album, To Our Children’s Children’s Children
It just mentions planets
Blows Against the Empire by Jefferson Starship
I’m really cheating here. No planets, just space travel.
MuckJagger
@moderateindy:
Terrific song. I loved Scruffy back in the day. I love how the band sounds like they’re almost laughing at the beginning of the song.
hells littlest angel
Mars Rendezvous by Jacno:
“Fellatio, Cunnilingus, Sinnligkeit, Ruhe, Wollust das sind unsere Dogmen
Nur die, die mit uns Liebe machen, sehen es in der iris unserer Augen
Mars rendez-vous, Mars rendez-vous.”
John
Whelp, someone mentioned Rapture by Blondie. How about Satellite of Love by Lou Reed?
gorram
I have to third Holst’s “Die Planeten”
Mike Dixon
@Calouste: Deep track “Valleys of Neptune” insinuates that Jimi was in fact Neptunian – “Emeralds shining, showing me where I came from, baby”.
Omnes Omnibus
@John: Already done.
Matt McIrvin
They Might Be Giants, “For Science”: “I will date the girl from Venus / Flowers die and so will I / Yes, I will kiss the girl from Venus / FOR SCIENCE!”
bigfatdrunk
Bring Back Pluto by Aesop Rock.
Comrade Colette Collaboratrice
Can’t believe no one has mentioned Tasmin Archer’s Sleeping Satellite. Holy one-hit wonder, Batman!
Alan Smithee
No love for Planet Caravan by Black Sabbath?
DC Forbes
Another Hendrix song/album, the posthumously-released Valleys Of Neptune….
DC Forbes
I overlooked Mike Dixon’s previous mention of the Hendrix track – so here’s a live performance of the Blows Against The Empire (Suite) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNDXgTjnsV0 , on the occasion of Paul Kantner’s 70th birthday celebration…in particular, check out the ‘Have You Seen The Stars Tonight?’ portion at 7:20….
Jamey
M.A.R.S., BITCHES!!!
Also, “Moon,” by the B-52s.
Dave O'Leary
Terrapin Station, the Grateful Dead
Counting stars by candlelight, all are dim but one is bright;
The spiral light of Venus, rising first and shining best,
On, from the northwest corner, of a brand new crescent moon,
While crickets and cicadas sing, a rare and different tune,
Terrapin station.
In the shadow of the moon,
Terrapin station.
And I know we’ll get there soon,