Wow! Thanks to Guest L Fletcher for reviving this thread after years of dormancy!

As I began reading the original 1999 messages, I was wondering whether the Holy Modal Rounders' "Mr. Spaceman" was the same as the Byrds' song of the same name, but as read through the thread I learned that -- as a parody of "Mr. Bass Man" -- it was not.

"Mr. Bass Man" was a novelty rock 'n' roll song (late '50s/early 60s) poking fun at the lower-register scat singing characteristic of the "doo-wop" group vocal style. Quotes from the Rounder's lyrics make it plain that their "Mr. Spaceman" followed the "Bass Man" tune. The Byrds' "Mr. Spaceman" was a completely different and presumably original tune, a simple three-chord country-style ditty:

Hey, Mr. Spaceman
Won't you please take me along / I won't do anything wrong
Please, Mr. Spaceman
Won't you please take me along / for a ride.

Another Byrds tune that might be appropriate, although much less "folk"-style musically, is "Eight Miles High," notable for the instrumental intro where McGuinn plays a transcription of a free-jazz saxophone solo (Ornette Coleman?) on the electric twelve-string.

I'm not up on my astrophysics, so I'm not sure if an altitude of 8 miles puts you in space or just the outer stratosphere. In any case, I think the song is about psychological rather than astronomical "space."

Another space-related fave of mine, which might be a bit obscure for most of you, is "UFOs Exactly" by Ed Volker of the Radiators. I still think of the Rads as a strictly local New Orleans band, but after 25 years of touring they have built up an national and even international "cult" following, so maybe they're not totally unknown to all of you out there in the wider world above sea level.

I know the UFO tune ("UFOs Exactly / Flyin' over a hot dog stand..") from live performance, dating back *more* than 25 years to when half of the present-day band performed as the Rhapsodisers. They've continued to play it on and off over the years, and I figure it's probably on one of their earlier albums.

PS to Alan C: Yes, I remember the "John Cameron Cameron" novelty records fondly. I also remember hearing a feature about them on (US) National Public radio a year or so ago, prompted by the release of a book by the crator's son.