The Space Race was a mid-to-late 20th century competition between the Soviet Union (USSR) and the United States (US) for supremacy in space exploration. Between 1957 and 1975, the Cold War rivalry between the two nations focused on attaining firsts in space exploration, which were seen as necessary for national security and symbolic of technological and ideological superiority. The Space Race involved pioneering efforts to launch artificial satellites, sub-orbital and orbital human spaceflight around the Earth, and piloted voyages to the Moon. It effectively began with the Soviet launch of the Sputnik 1 artificial satellite on 4 October 1957, and concluded with the co-operative Apollo-Soyuz Test Project human spaceflight mission in July 1975. The Apollo-Soyuz Test Project came to symbolize détente, a partial easing of strained relations between the USSR and the US.
The Space Race had its origins in the missile-based arms race that occurred just after the end of the World War II, when both the Soviet Union and the United States captured advanced German rocket technology and personnel.
Well I wonder why it is
that we have rascals rogues and losers
We've got roustabouts rapscallions and a bucket load of boozers
We've got balladeers and blowhards of all sorts
We've got poets priests and pirates
but we have no astronauts
They say there was a space race
if there was I think I missed it
From the earth up to the moon and back,
doesn't that take the biscuit
Well I wouldn't mind a little ride in zero gravity
as long as they could promise I'd be home in time for tea
[chorus]
I've got me two good legs if I wanna take a trip,
I've got no use for a rocket ship
I walk if you don't mind
It's how I always get around
I might be staring at the stars
but I keep both feet on the ground
both feet on the ground
I've got both feet on the ground
There's a great big giant vacuum
up there in the sky
Ah but where's the place to plug it in
I think it's all a lie
I've heard of Halley's Comet
And I'll tell you what I think
It's just a kind of chemical for cleaning out the sink
[chorus]
I've got me two good legs if I wanna take a trip,
I've got no use for a rocket ship
I walk if you don't mind
It's how I always get around
I might be staring at the stars
but I keep both feet on the ground
both feet on the ground
I've got both feet on the ground
We've got no use for Sputnik
We've got sponge to go around
And you'll never see the shuttle land
on the streets of Newlyn Town
Well in the fields of "Vatimbly"
there's not a launching pad in sight
We've got no "Mersa voyageurs"
and we turned out all right
[chorus]
I've got me two good legs if I wanna take a trip,
I've got no use for a rocket ship
I walk if you don't mind
It's how I always get around
I might be staring at the stars
but I keep both feet on the ground
I keep my both feet on the ground
Yes, yes, I'd launch into the rising sun
My living breath is measured, every step is done
Fare ye well my friends, see you down the line,
Yeah, yeah
I don't belong to nation state or dying race
I leave my prejudice with you
My religion's in space
Have a little respect...
Why are we running in this space race?
Why are we acting like we own the place?
Just want to feel the starlight on my face
Reach out my hand and touch beyond
Yes, yes, I'd float around till gravity's end
Unity is coming singular again
See you then my friends, at the end of time
Yeah, yeah
Secret knowledge, science, logic, all are gone
Nothing left but burning up into the sun
On a cosmic beach I'll see ya there
Why are we running in this space race?
Why are we acting like we own the place?
Just want to feel the starlight on my face
Reach out my hand and touch beyond...
Why are we running in this space race?
Why are we acting like we own the place?
Just want to feel the starlight on my face
Reach out my hand and touch beyond
Why are we running in this space race?
Why are we acting like we own the place?
Just want to feel the starlight on my face
The championship of flying in space
Is about to take place again
Competitors from any distant sun
Will join in the dangerous game called...
Chorus:
Space race, space race
Without any rules, space race
Space race, space race
It's only for fools, space race
It's a hundred laps around a star
And the first price is very, very high
You can do exactly what you like
And many of us will die in...
Chorus
It's the third time I am doing this
But I still haven't won
But I think I have a chance this time
To become number one in...
We're on our space race to the sky
I follow you
On our space race up so high
It feels so true
Dab Dadab Dab Dab Da
It's just you and I
Dab Dadab Dab Dab Da
We're on our space race to the sky
I follow you
On our space race up so high
It feels so true
Dab Dadab Dab Dab Da
It's just you and I
Dab Dadab Dab Dab Da
When we touch the sky
We start our silver spaceships
We hear the countdown call
It feels like we can make it
There's no need to tumble and fall
The universe is waiting
I feel it in my heart
My ship is still vibrating
And we count til zero to start
We're on our space race to the sky
I follow you
On our space race up so high
It feels so true
Dab Dadab Dab Dab Da
It's just you and I
Dab Dadab Dab Dab Da
When we touch the sky
It's time to make a u-turn
It's such a spacy ride
I'm feeling my machine burn
When we're racing up through the night
I'm watching our planet
Oh, it's so far away
From here it seems like magic
Blue and beautiful anyway
We're on our space race to the sky
I follow you
On our space race up so high
It feels so true
Dab Dadab Dab Dab Da
It's just you and I
Dab Dadab Dab Dab Da
When we touch the sky
We're on our space race to the sky
I follow you
On our space race up so high
It feels so true
Dab Dadab Dab Dab Da
It's just you and I
Dab Dadab Dab Dab Da
When we touch the sky
Dab Dadab Dab Dab Da
It's just you and I
Dab Dadab Dab Dab Da