Ep 6. The Space Race
- TV-PG
- December 4, 2017
- 42 min
In season 1 episode 6 of Soundtracks: Songs That Defined History, titled "The Space Race," viewers are taken on a musical journey through one of the most significant and captivating episodes in American history - a race to conquer space.
The episode offers a captivating look into the era when the United States and the Soviet Union were in a fierce competition to dominate space. It explores how music played an instrumental role in shaping the narrative of this historic competition between the two nations, with songs being used to provoke national pride and to motivate engineers, scientists, and astronauts.
Viewers will learn about the music that fueled the American space industry, including songs like “Rocket 88” by Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats, “Fly Me to the Moon” by Frank Sinatra, and a medley of Glenn Miller hits played by the crew of Apollo 10 as they orbited the moon. Additionally, the episode explores the songs that created tension between the US and the USSR, such as the iconic “Back in the USSR” by the Beatles, a song that caused friction between the nations during the space race.
The episode highlights how music has always been an inseparable part of American culture, and how it has helped to shape and define some of the most pivotal moments in history. It also delves into the impact of the space race on society, including the controversy surrounding NASA's choice of White men to be astronauts and the ongoing cultural shift towards promoting diversity and inclusion in space exploration.
Overall, Soundtracks: Songs That Defined History season 1 episode 6 offers a fascinating look at the role of music in the space race, capturing the suspense, drama, and excitement of one of the most groundbreaking eras in American history.