| "Mr. Spaceman" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 West German picture sleeve | ||||
| Single bythe Byrds | ||||
| from the albumFifth Dimension | ||||
| B-side | "What's Happening?!?!" | |||
| Released | September 6, 1966 | |||
| Recorded | April 28–29 and May 3–6, 1966 | |||
| Studio | Columbia, Hollywood, CA | |||
| Genre | Psychedelic rock,country rock | |||
| Length | 2:09 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Jim McGuinn | |||
| Producer(s) | Allen Stanton | |||
| The Byrds singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Mr. Spaceman" is a song by the Americanrockbandthe Byrds and was the third track on their 1966 album,Fifth Dimension.[1] It was released as the thirdsingle from the album in September 1966,[2] reaching number 36 on theBillboard Hot 100, but failing to chart in the United Kingdom.[3][4] Upon its release as a single, themusic press coined the term "space-rock" to describe it, although since then, this term has come to refer to a genre ofrock music originating from 1970sprogressive andpsychedelic music.[5][6]
Written in early 1966 by Byrds memberJim McGuinn, the song was—along with "5D (Fifth Dimension)"—one of twoscience fiction-themed songs on theFifth Dimension album.[5] Initially conceived as a "melodramaticscreenplay", the song soon evolved into a whimsical meditation on the existence ofextraterrestrial life.[7]
Musically, "Mr. Spaceman" has acountry-style backing, albeit with touches ofpsychedelia, and can clearly be seen as a precursor to the band's later exploration ofcountry music onSweetheart of the Rodeo.[8][1][9] As such, the song has been cited by critics as one of the earliest examples ofcountry rock.[10] The title also recalled that of the Byrds' earlier worldwide smash hit and debut single, "Mr. Tambourine Man".
The single release of the song was accompanied by a spoofpress announcement from the Byrds' co-manager, Eddie Tickner, stating that he had taken out a $1,000,000insurance policy withLloyd's of London against his clients being kidnapped by extraterrestrial visitors.[11] Despite Tickner's statement being an obvious publicity stunt and the deliberately tongue-in-cheek nature of the song's lyrics, both McGuinn and fellow band memberDavid Crosby felt hopeful about communicating with alien life forms through the medium ofAM radio broadcast.[7] In a later interview withPete Frame forZigZag magazine, McGuinn explained how he believed that this would have been possible: "I was interested in astronomy and the possibility of connecting with extraterrestrial life and I thought that it might work the other way round, if we tried to contact them. I thought that the song being played on the air might be a way of getting through to them. But even if there had been anybody up there listening, they wouldn't have heard because I found out later that AM airwaves diffuse in space too rapidly."[5]
Billboard magazine described the song as "off-beat rhythm material with clever lyrics".[12]Cash Box said that it is "a quick moving, infectious, happy-go-lucky ditty with theUFO scene as its theme," and which it expected would be a hit.[13]Record World said it is "cute and singalongable" with a "bouncy, jaunty melody."[14]
During the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Byrds performed the song on thetelevision programsThe Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour,Where the Girls Are, andThe David Frost Show among others.[15] Additionally, the song would go on to become a staple of the Byrds'live concert repertoire, until their final disbandment in 1973.[16] The song was also performed live by a reformed lineup of the Byrds featuring McGuinn, Crosby, andChris Hillman in January 1989.[16]
In addition to its appearance on theFifth Dimension album, "Mr. Spaceman" also appears on several Byrds'compilations, includingThe Byrds' Greatest Hits,History of The Byrds,The Original Singles: 1965–1967, Volume 1,The Byrds,The Very Best of The Byrds,The Essential Byrds, andThere Is a Season. Live performances of the song are included on the live portion of the Byrds'(Untitled) album as well as onLive at Royal Albert Hall 1971.[17]
"Mr. Spaceman" was broadcast as a wake-up call to the astronauts aboard theNASASpace Shuttle missionSTS-41-D (the first mission ofSpace ShuttleDiscovery) on September 2, 1984.[18]
The song "Mr. Spaceman" written by Jim McGuinn (a.k.a. Roger McGuinn) should not be confused with theSteve Weber song "Mister Spaceman", found onthe Holy Modal Rounders' self-titled debut album.[19]
"Mr. Spaceman" has been covered by a number of artists, includingthe Flying Burrito Brothers on their 1985live album,Cabin Fever,[20]Velvet Crush on their 2001 compilation album,A Single Odessey,[21]Limbeck on their 2006Tour EP, andMiracle Legion on the Byrds'tribute album,Time Between – A Tribute to The Byrds,[22] In 1994,Jimmy Buffett,Gonzo, andRizzo the Rat covered "Mr. Spaceman" onThe Muppets' albumKermit Unpigged.[23]
"Mr. Spaceman" is also one of the songs featured in theJukebox musical,Return to the Forbidden Planet.[24]
