Most people remember the Carpenters as the beloved brother-sister duo behind such classic hits as “We’ve Only Just Begun” and “(They Long to Be) Close to You.” But in 1978, the iconic pair covered an unexpected tune that wasn’t about a love affair or birds suddenly appearing…it was about making contact with aliens.
It all started with Canadian progressive rock band Klaatu and their 1976 science fiction-themed song, “Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft.” While Klaatu isn’t exactly a household name, when their debut album was released in the U.S., rumors began to circulate that the record had actually been recorded by the Beatles in a “top-secret reunion,” as Trivia Mafia reported. This was partly because the first Klaatu album didn’t credit the band’s members, and the band didn’t perform live or make any press appearances.
The confusion surrounding Klaatu didn’t stop their song from reaching the ears of the Carpenters, however, and before long the chart-topping act released their own version of the tune. Not only did the cover crack the top 40 in 1977, it went on to inspire an hour-long ABC TV movie/variety show in 1978 called The Carpenters…Space Encounters, which featured a spaceship intercepting footage of a Carpenters performance and Suzanne Somers and John Davidson as “sexy aliens.”
According to a writeup by the song’s co-writer, John Woloschuk, on the official Klaatu website, the idea for “Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft” came from “an actual event that is described in ‘The Flying Saucer Reader,’ a book by Jay David published in 1967.”
“In March 1953 an organization known as the ‘International Flying Saucer Bureau’ sent a bulletin to all its members urging them to participate in an experiment termed ‘World Contact Day’ whereby, at a predetermined date and time, they would attempt to collectively send out a telepathic message to visitors from outer space,” the explanation continued, adding, “The message began with the words…’Calling occupants of interplanetary craft!'”
As for whether or not that message was received, we may never know. Either way, this unlikely easy listening hit isn’t the only celestially-inspired song in pop culture history, with other notable examples including David Bowie‘s “Space Oddity,” Elton John‘s “Rocket Man,” and “Mr. Spaceman” by The Byrds…though it might be the oddest one of all.
Related: This ‘Incredibly Annoying’ ’80s Hit Has Been Streamed Over 700 Million Times
This story was originally reported by Parade on Oct 18, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com ’
