We’re one of the world’s leading sci-fi radio stations, so this one’s a natural for Video of the Day. And wait till you see what we’re offering up this time.
It’s the premiere performance of a song called I.S.S. (Is Somebody Singing?) by International Space Station commander Chris Hadfield and lead singer for Bare Naked Ladies, Ed Robertson. This performance is not the first space jam, as there have been musicians aboard the ISS before Hadfield who performed over communication downlinks from the station. However, not very many songs have been written in space and then performed from there, and to Chris Hadfield’s credit, this new one from the album he’s working on (Songs from Space) is pretty darned good.
Actually, it’s chillingly beautiful.
Watch the video as astronaut Chris Hadfield, from aboard the International Space Station, performs “I.S.S. (Is Somebody Singing)” with Ed Robertson, the rest of the Barenaked Ladies and the Wexford Gleeks from Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts, who were all at the CBC studios in Toronto.
The song, which was written by Hadfield and Robertson in partnership with Music Monday, CBC Music and the Canadian Space Agency, explores what it’s like to look down on the Earth from outer space. It will also be the official song for the 2013 edition of Music Monday, which takes place on May 6.
David Bowie may have paid tribute to the great unknown with songs like “Starman” and “Space Oddity,” and Rush, a favourite of Hadfield’s, penned an entire space-rock opera, 2112, but how will they compare to a song written in space, by an actual astronaut?
Listen for yourself and let us know what you think in the comments. And if you want to sing and play along, simply download the lyrics and join in!
Enjoy. And, you’re welcome.
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