Voyager Golden Record Cover
On September 5, 1977 the good folks at NASA launched the space probe Voyager 1 on an exploration mission out into space. Forty years later and it's still up and running. It's traveling at approximately 38,000 MPH and is around 12 billion miles from earth. It is the first spacecraft us earthling have ever sent into interstellar space. Besides being packed with instruments to be able to record what it sees and to report back to Earth, which it regularly does, Voyager 1 also holds a token of goodwill to any extraterrestrial life that might stumble upon it. The package contains a golden record with music from around the world and a greeting (in 55 languages) from our civilization. Even the former Secretary General of the United Nations says what's up. The music of Chuck Berry to Bach and much, much more are on this interstellar mixtape. Scroll down for a full track listing. What are the chances aliens would know what to do with a record you might ask? Don't worry, the records come with directions on how to play it. Famed astronomer, astrophysicist, astrobiologist and author Carl Sagan chaired the committee that created the extra terrestrial present. The record has been remastered and made available for purchase. The package, a 3xLP set of translucent gold heavyweight vinyl, comes with a hardcover book with color photos plus more. It costs $98. Pre-order a copy of Voyager Golden Record: 40th Anniversary Edition on vinyl via Kickstarter here and watch a video about the fascinating project below.
Voyager Golden Record: 40th Anniversary Edition Track Listing:
Bach, Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F. First Movement, Munich Bach Orchestra, Karl Richter, conductor
Java, court gamelan, "Kinds of Flowers," recorded by Robert Brown
Senegal, percussion, recorded by Charles Duvelle
Zaire, Pygmy girls' initiation song, recorded by Colin Turnbull
Australia, Aborigine songs, "Morning Star" and "Devil Bird," recorded by Sandra LeBrun Holmes
Mexico, "El Cascabel," performed by Lorenzo Barcelata and the Mariachi México
"Johnny B. Goode," written and performed by Chuck Berry
New Guinea, men's house song, recorded by Robert MacLennan
Japan, Shakuhachi, "Tsuru No Sugomori" ("Crane's Nest,") performed by Goro Yamaguch
Bach, "Gavotte en rondeaux" from the Partita No. 3 in E major for Violin, performed by Arthur Grumiaux
Mozart, The Magic Flute, Queen of the Night aria, no. 14. Edda Moser, soprano. Bavarian State Opera, Munich, Wolfgang Sawallisch, conductor
Georgian S.S.R., chorus, "Tchakrulo," collected by Radio Moscow
Peru, panpipes and drum, collected by Casa de la Cultura, Lima
"Melancholy Blues," performed by Louis Armstrong and his Hot Seven
Azerbaijan S.S.R., bagpipes, recorded by Radio Moscow
Stravinsky, Rite of Spring, Sacrificial Dance, Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Igor Stravinsky, conductor
Bach, The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2, Prelude and Fugue in C, No.1. Glenn Gould, piano
Beethoven, Fifth Symphony, First Movement, the Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer, conductor
Bulgaria, "Izlel je Delyo Hagdutin," sung by Valya Balkanska
Navajo Indians, Night Chant, recorded by Willard Rhodes
Holborne, Paueans, Galliards, Almains and Other Short Aeirs, "The Fairie Round," performed by David Munrow and the Early Music Consort of London
Solomon Islands, panpipes, collected by the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Service
Peru, wedding song, recorded by John Cohen
China, ch'in, "Flowing Streams," performed by Kuan P'ing-hu
India, raga, "Jaat Kahan Ho," sung by Surshri Kesar Bai Kerkar
"Dark Was the Night," written and performed by Blind Willie Johnson
Beethoven, String Quartet No. 13 in B flat, Opus 130, Cavatina, performed by Budapest String Quartet
Greetings from the Secretary General of the United Nations, Kurt Waldheim
Greetings in 55 languages
United Nations greetings
Whale greetings
The Sounds of Earth: “Music of the Spheres” by Laurie Spiegel, Volcanoes, Earthquake, Thunder, Mud Pots, Wind, Rain, Surf, Crickets, Frogs, Birds, Hyena, Elephant, Chimpanzee, Wild Dog, Footstepts, Heartbeat, Laughter, Fire, Speech, The First Tools, Tame Dog, Herding Sheep, Blacksmith, Sawing, Tractor, Riveter, Morse Code, Ships, Horse and Cart, Train, Tractor, Bus, Auto, F-111 Flyby, Saturn 5 Lift-off, Kiss, Mother and Child, Life Signs, Pulsar
H/T: Stereogum
