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The Lightyear Trailer Song's Deeper Meaning

Why David Bowie's "Starman" Is Perfect For the "Lightyear" Trailer

LIGHTYEAR, Buzz Lightyear (voice: Chris Evans), 2022.  Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

It's been more than 25 years since the release of the first Toy Story film, and the franchise still continues to reach audiences of multiple generations to this day. Along with the four Toy Story films, Pixar and Disney are bringing new life to the film series with the upcoming spinoff film "Lightyear." With an incredible cast that includes Chris Evans, Keke Palmer, Uzo Aduba, and Taika Waititi, along with an amazing storyline and stunning animation, "Lightyear" looks like it's going to knock our socks off to infinity and beyond.

With the release of the official trailer on Feb. 8, viewers everywhere have been curious to find out the song that perfectly accompanies Buzz Lightyear's space travels.

What Song Is in the "Lightyear" Trailer?

In the second half of the trailer, as Buzz Lightyear is launched into space on the spacecraft, David Bowie's "Starman" plays in the background. "Starman" was the first single off of David Bowie's 1972 album, "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars." The song tells a story from the perspective of Bowie's alter ego, Ziggy Stardust, whom Bowie himself once described in a "Rolling Stone" interview as "this amazing spaceman who will be coming down to save the Earth."

"Starman" is not the only intergalactic-themed song from Bowie, with "Space Oddity" and "Life on Mars" among other fan favourites.

What Are the Lyrics to David Bowie's "Starman"?

Bowie's "Starman" has lyrics that paint a picture of a heroic man in space who is destined to bring hope and peace to the world. The lyrics included in the trailer go as follows:

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

How Do the "Starman" Lyrics Connect to the "Lightyear" Movie?

"Lightyear" is a spinoff of the Toy Story franchise that centres around the human character who inspired the beloved Buzz Lightyear toy. Yes, you heard that right. Buzz Lightyear is a toy version of a human character in the film franchise — who knew! In the film, Buzz Lightyear (Evans) is an esteemed space ranger who ventures into space with the help of a group of space rangers and a robot cat companion named Sox (Peter Sohn). Amid his space adventure, Buzz encounters robots and intergalactic creatures, which makes his journey a wild one.

Considering Bowie's "Spaceman" is about a heroic man destined to bring hope and peace to the world, the character of Buzz simply seems to fit the bill.

"Lightyear" is set to release in theatres on June 22. Until then, watch the trailer below!

Image Source: Everett Collection
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