My name is Zoom and I come from the Moon! Happy Birthday Today!
Were you a child of the 70’s or early 80’s?On your birthday, were you awakened to the familiar strains of:
My name is Zoom
And I live on the moon
But I came down to earth
Just to sing you this tune
It’s your birthday today!
This Web page is for you! A resource to all things Captain Zoom! Scroll down to find frequently asked questions, lyrics, and a page to enter your memories! Remember, you’re the BIG STAR today!
F.A.Q.
Are they still making this record?Yes! It’s no longer a thin, floppy record but they are making CDs. Buy your very own Personalized Happy Birthday Recording here: http://www.captainzoom.com/
Do you work for Captain Zoom?
No, I am not affiliated with Captain Zoom or The American Broadcasting Co. I am simply the product of a happy childhood filled with many listenings to the Captain Zoom birthday record.
Why did you create this page?
On my birthday, YEARS AGO, I blogged about my memories of Captain Zoom and I was absolutely taken back by the massive response to that entry. It seemed like a good idea to put up a Web page to direct people to the official Web site and give them a place to record their memories.
ALBUM
IF SLIPPAGE OCCURS PLACE COINS ON STARS
Thank you, Dawn Eden for the scans of your Captain Zoom record!
LYRICS
Space command to ZoomAll systems are go for your message
It’s your birthday!
I’m in charge of the stars
And I’m here to say,
’cause
You’re the BIG STAR today!
My name is Zoom
And I live on the moon
But I came down to earth
Just to sing you this tune
It’s your birthday today!
A present for you
I wanted to find
An outerspace creature
A one of a kind!
A wild whop or a kukelchoo,
An apple drop or a buzzardstew
Or maybe a 3-eyed tickleshay
For your birthday
Did you ask:
“uh, what’s a kukelchoo?”
Well, up on the moon it’s nothing new
But that won’t do for you,
On your birthday!
I searched behind the clouds and stars
I even zoomed my bike to Mars
And met my friend the saucer man
And he said:
“Hey Zoom I got the bestest plan!
What your friend needs is something new,
So how about a song, just from YOU?”
And so tonight when you’re in bed
I’ll be singing to you as I zoom overhead
Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday
To you!
See you next year!
LISTEN!
ORIGINAL FLOPPY RECORDAs it turns out, my sister and I listened to the Zoom record at 45 rpms… and apparently it should have been played just at 33 1/3 rpms so Zoom sounded like a chipmunk… it seemed right at the time!
NEW CD
MEMORIES
I started collecting memories back in 2003. I continued until 2009. If you would like to add your own memory, just scroll down to the comments on this page.November 4, 2009
Captain Zoom,
When my children were 2, 5, and 6, and I was in the toy store in the local mall (that has since been torn down and redone), I needed (another) little birthday present. Well, as every mother knows, you can’t get for just one. So, for the next couple years, Captain Zoom was the Big Star today at every birthday celebration. Long after the little plastic records were lost, I would sing at least part of it to them in person or on the phone. Now, almost 30 years later, it occurred to me, with yet another birthday coming up soon, that I might find all the words on the Internet. Gee, should I get one for a grandson?
Judy
October 29, 2009
My grandma bought me the Captain Zoom record when I turned one in 1977. My son was born in 2004 and I was thrilled to find www.captainzoom.com where I was able to order a CD for my son to celebrate his 1st birthday. I hope to carry on the tradition. As others mentioned, it is so awesome to see how the song is such a special memory as it is in my mine and amazing how I still remember the words and it brings a smile to my face. I need to buy it for my 2nd son and I see they also have a DVD animated option too. I look forward to playing it at my son’s 5th birthday this weekend!
Katie
September 20, 2009
I am turning 30 this year and every year of my life my parents woke my brother and I up on our birthdays to the sounds of a message from Space Man Zoom. The original records were scratched and my mother hunted endlessly in a pre internet world for cassette tapes that arrived just in time to continue the memory. I remember one year in elementary school on my brother’s birthday when we were just young enough to still believe in miracles and just old enough to know how to work the Stereo to play the tape over and over again all day. That night while waving goodbye to our guests two streaks of light shot across the sky like a hundred shooting stars in one and the Nebraska National Guard determined it an official UFO, “space junkâ€. My brother and I were convinced that Zoom had indeed paid us a visit. When I was 19 I was traveling in a performing group in Slovakia and my mother secretly shipped the tape to my host family (with two dozen Nestle Toll House cookies) to be played at the start of our rehearsal in front of hundreds of people in the city square. I was in El Salvador on my 21st birthday and again they had secretly sent a tape ahead of time to wake me up in the morning. It was accompanied by a group of mariachis who followed me around from dawn to dusk creating songs out of every word that came out of my mouth. At the age of 23 a DJ friend got a hold of the song and played it at the club we went to. At the age of 25 I had my first serious corporate job and my parents managed to break the tension a bit by ensuring that it greeted me at work that morning. I have had it played to me over the phone and over the internet, on record players stereos and MP3s, at school a mini golf course a picnic and in my family home, in 5 states and 3 countries and I hope it will continue to be a part of my life until the day I die. The memories are just too good.
Warm Regards, Lisa Olson
September 1, 2009
My daughter turns 23 tomorrow, just for kicks I sent her a Facebook message with part of the Zoom lyrics. I’m sure all of my online friends will think I’ve lost it not understanding the meaning….. Both my daughter & son (20 yrs old) had a personlaized audio cassette in the late 80’s & played the heck out of it! I even have a video of “Kristen” and her party girlfriends dancing to the song on the front covered porch (I think she was turning 4 ) Her good friend Maggie was spinning & spinning to the song when she got dizzy & slammed into a porch pillar knocking her down. For years I’ve thought of turning that tape over to AFV for a shot at prize money. Of course Maggie was fine or it would not have been funny at all.
Thanks for the memories!
Leann English
August 31, 2009
I was just loooking where to find this CD, and I came upon your site! I am 36 and my mom bought the “record” for me when I was very little. To this day, considering we do not have a record player, and the fact that little flimsy disc is waaay gone, my mom calls me every birthday and sings the song to me verbatim!!:) It is a classic family tradition, and I am so glad to see so many others with the same memories! I have a son (my one and only child) who is turning 1 yr on 9/04/2009. Trying to find the CD to start the tradition with him! I can’t wait to sing, “Hey Sean, it’s your birthday today!” Although I have the format/words, memorized, I would love to get the real thing!!! If you have any easy links or suggestions on how to find this CD it would be great to hear about it! Thanks for your time!
New mom, and huge fan of “Zoom”,
Nancy Humpage
May 2, 2009
Today was my 27th birthday and, as has happened for the last 23 years, the Zoom song was played at my party. No matter where I am in the world, my parents call in the morning to play the song over the phone and mom sends along the tape (now CD!) to a friend to play at my party. This year there were three veteran listeners at the party and several Zoom virgins. Friends who now live in different parts of the world emailed to say they were thinking about the song.
Thanks Zoom!
Heather
February 17, 2009
Not sure if you’re still updating your site anymore, but I just stumbled on it today and wanted to say thanks for helping me revisit a very pleasant memory from my youth. I’m not 32 years old and I guess I was probably 5-6 years old when I got mine (as with some other people here, mine was on a thin, square, flimsy LP). My cousin Jill also got one and just last year at Christmas, we were trying to remember all the words.
Anyway, thanks again for posting this, it’s nice to see a lot of other people share this memory as well!
-Chris, St. Louis
February 11, 2009
Donna,
Thank you so much for putting up your zoom site. I had a birthday party last night to celebrate my 33rd birthday. We put the Zoom record on as we do every year, only this year, the plastic record had a bend in it and started skipping. As if having a birthday isn’t depressing enough!
I was really sad that I was going to have to leave this tradition behind, but thanks to you, I can enjoy the birthday song for many more years to come.
Laura
January 28, 2009
Thanks for the memories part of the website, as I loved reading everyone’s memories.
I received this wonderful song in preschool from my parents and played it around, during, and after my birthday. Then I grew out of using the record player and stopped listening to this song. My parents moved a few times and that record could not be found. My sister spent hours looking for it one year, but to no avail. I loved playing the record on fast, that way I could listen to a few extra times before bedtime. My sister and parents still try to sing a little of what is left. Now with the lyrics this song can continue for years to come. I know I can buy the song, but will it live up to my memories? I just had my first child and I will be singing this song to her. Thanks for the memories.
From the Big Star,
Michael
November 15, 2008
I bought this record for each of my three children’s birthdays. I found your web site a few years back and reordered three new ones to reminisce on their birthdays.
Then of course I had to buy for my grandchildren and now I am going to order one for my first great grandson.
I’d say we go back a long way.
Honey
September 23, 2009
I am just so glad that I found this website! I told my friends about my Captain Zoom tradition on my birthday and no one knew what I was talking about.
The morning of my birthday, not matter how old I was turning, you could garuntee that the house would shake from the bass blasting Captian Zoom. Then my mom and my step-dad would charge into my room and wake me up screaming , “Happy Birthday!”
This year’s birthday is bitter sweet (I turned 20 years old today!). My mom passed away from cancer about a year ago and a lot of traditions have been lost with her passing. I will always remember my mom playing this song for me and the other traditions we used to do. Thanks so much for putting this online so other Captiain Zoom fans and I can share our memories.
-Courtney
August 21, 2008
A lot of your posts are from youngsters, so I thought I would add some maturity to your memories! My husband turns 45 this year and has ALWAYS had such fond memories of the Zoom birthday record he got as a young boy. He gets such a smile on his face and his eyes light up as he begins to sing, “Hey, Tim, it’s your BIRTHDAY!” I had never heard of Zoom until meeting him 27 years ago and got the idea to try and find it on the internet to surprise him this year. I’m going to include the comments from other Zoom fans found on this site. Thanks for they joy I know he’s going to get from walking down memory lane.
Darlene
July 7, 2008
I am so so so excited that I found your site. I just turned 29 this year and my dad called me on my birthday morning singing “my name is zoom and I live on the moon and I came down to earth just to sing you this tune cause Kim it’s your birthday today!” Ive lost my record but ‘m so excited, I”m going to buy my dad a record with his name on it for his birthday. I think he’ll get a kick out of it 🙂
Ryley
March 19, 2008
Wow I can’t believe this! This song was a staple through my whole life on my brother’s birthday. For whatever reason he was the only one with a tape and we played it every year! Actually we played it more often than every year, which was what led to it’s disappearance. My brother got to the age where he was embarassed by it, he hid it, and it was never recovered. Fortunately my other brother and I knew the song by heart and we STILL sing it to him every year, fifteen years later! He’s a junior in college in England now, and I just got done leaving him a voice message singing the song. I googled the lyrics hoping to find a recording of it and I found this site!
Jean
March 9, 2008
Oh my gosh, I’ve been wondering for years how many other people had the Zoom record growing up… and whose parents still play it for them every single year! It’s always my favorite thing about a birthday. I just turned 25 this year and lo and behold, there was the call from Mom & Dad at the crack of dawn blasting “This is Space Command to Zoom…” over the phone. The best part is this: My brother, Alex, and I (Katie) each had our own record of the song. Somewhere along the line, my record got lost. So every year, my mom sits by the stereo and turns the volume down when Zoom is going “Hey Alex!” so she can yell “KATIE!” instead! It cracks me up. I almost like it better that way now. They still play it for Alex too. A couple of years ago my folks were in town with me and didn’t have the record with them to play for Alex on his birthday, so during dinner my parents and I collectively remembered all the words to the song (including the adorable sound effects that the “outer-space creatures” make, e.g. “womp womp” and “cooooooklechoooo!”) and sang it to him over the phone. On a busy sidewalk in Chicago. People must have though we were nuts. But it was great. ‘Cause what’s better than “a song just from you?” Hehe. Love it!
Katie
February, 21 2008
Like everyone else, I can’t believe I found this site. I’ll turn 39 this year and I’ve hummed this tune off and on for over 30+ of those years. I remember the ‘record’ being flimsy, but square shaped which I thought was interesting. I’m surprised that as I read everyone else’s memories I got a joyful tear in my eye. I’m overcome with a happy childhood glow just writing this email. Who knew a little $1 record my dad gave to me when I was little would have such a lasting effect. I’ve got to go buy the cd. Thank you for the website.
Scott Williams
January 8, 2008
My name is Jason and I was born in 1978, received my Captian Zoom record from my Grandparents in 1983. I loved it so much, I really thought he was singing to me and only me… played it over and over and it really isn’t a bad song. This past year I purchased numerous CD’s from www.captainzoom.com for my nieces and nephews, figured give them a little piece of history that will stay with them forever. One complaint I have is the newer versions don’t sound as good, who ever is singing and doing the overdubs sounds very amateur and it bugs me because I am a musician and pick up on that stuff very fast. I wish they could put together a new version of the song with some better quality singers… they really could make a fortune and keep the integrity of the product up.
-Jason
September 23, 2007
I was born in 1986, and my mom bought the cassette tape for myself and my brother who was born in 1988. We joked about the tape, and every now and then we would sing it. To my surprise, a friend of mine at college also had the tape. Her birthday is tomorrow, and I plan to sing her the song in the cafeteria, just like we have for the past three years. We’re both graduating in May, and our birthdays won’t be complete without the “Happy Birthday” song from Zoom. Our friends don’t understand, but we’re the big stars…today!
Adam Ganucheau
July 28, 2007
In 1977 at my daughter’s 1st birthday party I played the tape of her birthday message. I remember how she smiled. As a mother, for me it was the highlight of the party except the messy cake. I vowed that I would play that song every year for her birthday and I did until she offered to put it “away” after her 7th birthday. I haven’t seen it since then. Every year for her birthday I always try to sing the song and can’t remember the lyrics. She still laughs because she thinks she has had the last laugh. Tomorrow she will be 20 and we just had the annual Captain Zoom conversation and again I heard her say “Poor Captain Zoom, gone forever.” I hope the mp3 recording of it arrives in my email box tonight so that I can awaken her in the morning to the sound of Captain Zoom again. I was excited to see that Captain Zoom has a wedding song as well, I told her that I can’t wait for her to get married. As we get ready to go to dinner, she is commenting that there is no way that I can get a CD of this song delivered by tomorrow. LOL
May 23, 2007
When we were young, my neighbor bought the Captain Zoom tape for my sister. We played it every birthday and sometimes would even use it on other people’s Birthdays, just yelling their name over my sisters.
Now we are all grown up, but my mother still calls my sister every year on her Birthday and plays the tape for her. It is such a great family memory. This year I was making a video for a friend and thought of the song, that is how I found the website that makes the tapes. I am getting my mom her own CD this year for her Birthday and know she will be very surprised.
It’s amazing how such a small thing can effect the lives of so many people. I wish they would sell them in stores again!
Holly Boyko
March 21, 2007
We we’re talking about birthday’s today, which made me think of this song!!
My grandma got me the tape when I was probably 4 or 5 (Im now 15). I listened to it EVERY YEAR on my birthday, and sometimes when it wasn’t even my birthday. I was the greatest song ever, just because it had my name in it.
I wish I still had the tape, but sadly I lost it. =[
Thanks for having a site dedicated to Zoom on the Moon!!
-Amy, Illinois
January 19, 2007
There is just no words for the excitement I’m having. I am a new mother as of Dec 8 and have been thinking of this zoom song for weeks. I had this floppy record when I was young & played it till the record wore out. I just loved this song as a kid. I have been driving my husband nuts with trying to figure out the words from memory & was having no luck. He thought I was crazy because he never heard the zoom song & had no idea there was one made. I called my mom & asked her if she remembered where I got the record because I wanted to know if it was still made; I’d love to have one for my little girl. She said she had no idea where I got it from & that I should check the internet. This being a far-fetched idea turned into a dream. Not only did I find your website, but I could play a clip for my husband to hear & finally have the words again to help ease my mind. Plus the added bonus of seeing how I can get my own copy for my girl. I cannot THANK YOU enough for having your website, nor can I believe that this song has also impacted so many others in my age group. Whoever thought of this song was a genius!
Many Thanks, Diana – Mohnton PA
November 30, 2006
Hey Donna! You’re the big star! Thanks for the memories…
My twin bro and I were just on-line looking for our Zoom birthday song. Could it still exist? We each got the record from my Aunty Val (in the 70’s!) who had purchased them while on holiday in the States. Wow…all the way from America. Being Canadian all things American to a kid was pretty cool like candy that you could only get across the boarder. Pop Rocks and Tahiti Fruit pop were favorites of mine. Not only did Zoom come from the moon, he also came from America. Cool. Wait till I play it for my friends who can’t get it here! Ha. I still remembered everyone gathered around the record player to have a listen. Let’s play it again! And again…and again…for years my father would miraculously find that crapy piece of plastic and give it another run. Often first on high speed sounding like a smurf on speed (OOPS!) before realizing the goof and switching over to normal, mid-song. It seemed that only one record stood the test of time and would make an appearance for everyone’s birthday. The family chorus perfectly timed every cue to shout out the birthday name and drown out the recorded one. It was as if everyone had their very own personalized record…from Zoom! Special…all the way from America! I don’t know what ever happened to that record. It should have been put away with the china and silver and other precious things used only for special occasions. Like an heirloom, perhaps it will turn up in a box at my mother’s home one day?…along with my plastic button collection and cool cheap jewelry I picked up at the local fair with my name on it. One can only hope. Let’s see…there was my name in a leather bracelet and a skateboard necklace with my name chiseled into it. Priceless. But where Oh where can my little Zoom be??? Where is he now when I REALLY need him? This is earth Ruby calling out for Moon Zoom…are you out there Zoom??? It’s time!!! Today I celebrate my 40th birthday with my twin brother. As soon as I got on the phone with him I started to sing…Hey, ANDY! you’re the big star today! Sadly I could just remember one verse! He remembered Kukelchoo but that’s it. One word! That all ya got for me bro? What a treat to find your web site and have another go…this time we typed in RUBY and ANDREW. I think Zoom should come out with a twin special! I’ve printed out the lyrics and will tuck them into a special spot so I can start a new trend on friends birthdays! Hummm. Given that we are not ten-years-old anymore perhaps not such a great idea? You can’t re-invent that kind of Zoom history. You either have it or you don’t. HEY! I got it! I will still bring it out, and belt it out to family. They are in the Zoom club. That’s just what my brother and I did over the phone, this time with all the words! Yipee! I’m sure my bro has already ordered a copy of the re-issued CD off the Zoom web site for all us kids! I may be 40 today but in space time I’m timeless. Forever young!!! Good Times! Zoooooom-out! Ruby from Canada.
ruby woods
October 20, 2006
Donna,
Thank you so much! I cannot believe you made this site for Captain Zoom fans! I have never met you, but I love you! xoxoxo
This year I turned 30 on the 30th (my birthdate is 10/30/76) so this is my Golden Birthday. I was out to dinner with my two kids (hubby was at work) and when I got back home, I had several messages on the answering machine. The one from my Dad was him singing part of the Zoom, Happy Birthday Linda song. It made me smile so big. So, I decided to go online and see if I could find an old 45 record on ebay.com. I always find everything I want on ebay, but not this time. So, I resorted to a regular search via a search engine. I was not hopeful, but then I ran across your site! You rock! I’m ordering my cd and I can’t wait to receive it. We did play ours at 33 1/3 so the cd will sound how I remember my record hopefully…
I remember when I was little, we didn’t even save this 45 for my birthday! I wanted to listen to it all the time, and since I was the youngest…of course I got my way most of the time. 🙂
This song makes my birthday feel complete. 😀 Looking on your site, I am completely tickled pink just looking at the old cover with Zoom sitting on his rocket with a bday cake in one hand. I LOVE IT!!! 😀 My husband now thinks I’m crazy, because he didn’t grow up with this song and doesn’t realize how awesome it is.
Gotta go! My three year old wants some of **my** ice cream cake (it’s my birthday and I’m more excited about Zoom than my cake…LOL
Linda Ferrell-Brooksbank
Cincinnati, OH
October 12, 2006
I love this website, today is my sisters birthday … of course, as children we got to wake up to the zoom song for every birthday. I would even lay in bed awake waiting to hear the “this is space command to zoom”, so I knew I could get up and get my presents and birthday breakfast!! Well this year is the first year that my sister is living 6 hours away from the rest of us, so I wanted to email her the song for her birthday, but it has been years since I heard it, until I found this wonderfully memorable site. She thought I was a genius for knowing and remembering all of the words, I took the credit for a little while, but then finally fessed up and shared this site. We love it!!
Kelly Harrison
October 8, 2006
My name is Bonnie and I was sitting up late one night a couple nights ago and the zoom song randomly came to my head. So I decided to do a search for the lyrics. I remember the Captain Zoom song from way back when I was little. I would listen to it every year for my birthday. I am now 21 getting ready to celebrate my 22nd birthday in a month and since I am now married and no longer live within driving distance of home, I am having my parents send me my cassette tape so I can listen to it for yet another birthday. While doing my search for the lyrics I ran across the Captain Zoom website. When I was little my older sister Mary, and older brother, Ryan and I all had a Captain Zoom cassette tape…my younger sister, Carolyn, however did not…they did not have her name back then and she got stuck with a tape about walking in the park with Carolyn and animals. Well now 17 years later I find this site and have ordered a CD with her name so for her 18th birthday she too can share in the joy of Captain Zoom. I also ordered a CD for all three nephews, as well as my husband’s cousins and two younger sisters! I loved…and still love to hear the captain zoom song every year and am glad that it is still around to share with the next generation!!!
Bonnie Littlejohn
OK, so I used to listen to this tape over and over again as a child. I still know all the words, and torture my husband by singing it to him at night, over and over.
I am thrilled to find this, and I will still listen to it over and over again…..â€singin’ Juli, Happy Birthday…singin’ Juli, Happy Birthday…singin’ Juli, Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday, Juli! See you next yeeeaaarrr……â€
Julianna Gonsalves
April 30, 2006
Wow, you have no idea how happy you made me when I found your site googling for this record. I thought that my siblings and I were the only ones who remembered this. I must have been 5 or 6 when I got my record for my birthday. I am 25 now and still remember listening to it over and over again. My Aunt and Uncle bought them for five or six of their neices and nephews and we all still remember them. In fact a really funny story with it is, my cousin Laurie got her record and it said her name on the cover but when she played it, Zoom came on and said ” Hey Larry” we still laugh about this all the time and now that I can but these on CD, i am gonna pick one up for everyone and I cant decide if I should get Laurie a real one or a Larry one. Thanks again!!
Craig Ellingson
October 19, 2005
Well, it is a friend’s birthday today and I sent the following e-mail to the cool, hip women’s group that we all belong to…
“HI, I woke up thinking this song, don’t ask me why… well, namely because it is Kathy’s birthday! But… When my brother and I were little, we each had 45’s of this personalized record of a little martian man singing: (insert your name in the Kathy position for added extra fun)
“Hey Kathy, it’s your birthday,
I’m in charge of the stars and I’m here to say
Hey Kathy, you’re the big star today!
My name is Zoom and I live on the moon
but I came down to Earth just to sing you this tune
Hey Kathy, Happy Birthday today!”
We thought it was the greatest thing ever… and obviously it made an impact that we are still singing it 25 years later.
So, I asked Eric, my brother in a status meeting a few minutes ago, “when I say “Hey Eric it’s your birthday…” what do you say?” and he answered with the song above and added the next verse, which I did not remember.
“A present for you I wanted to find an outer space creature–a one-of-a-kind. A wild wump or a koo koo joo, a ________ or a buzzer snooo, a _________ or a tickle jay for your birthday.” Kathy, I hope your day is the greatest thing ever!”
So, anyway a member of the group sent me your website that told me that the song is still out there for purchase.. So instead of Kathy’s day being the greatest thing ever.. it is mine because I am going to buy it right now for my brother’s birthday!
Kim Champaign, IL.
September 16, 2005
Wow! I can’t believe that I am not the only one! I remember being a kid and seeing the big spinning rack of records at Ben Franklins. I was with my bestfriend since birth, Kristin. We both begged for one for our next birthday. I am now 31 years old, and my father has played that record over the phone on my birthday EVERY YEAR SINCE! Who knew that a cheap little record could end up being one of the most cherished memories I will ever have. By the way, I can’t tell you how excited I am to know that they still make them! I am going to surprise my father on the morning of HIS birthday with a wake-up phone call……”Singin’ Dale, It’s your birthday today!!!
Angie
September 15, 2005
I don’t remember how old I was when my dad’s adopted mother Martha, my grandmother who lived in Indiana sent this to me for my birthday. I remember over the years listening to it over and over. She passed away when I was in 2nd grade but I can still remember every detail of her. So when I hear this song it is like seeing her all over again.
Thank you, Holly T Gilliam
September 14, 2005
I remember when these records first came out. I was 8 years old, and I saw them in Rogalla’s Rexall Drugstore. If memory serves, they sold for about $1 apiece. I thought they were the coolest thing, and lo and behold, about a month or so later when I turned 9, my sister had gone and bought me one for a birthday present! I remember fond memories of hearing that thunderous rocket ship approaching on the morning of my birthday for many, many years afterward, blaring as loud as possible without distorting through the speakers of my parents’ 1966 Zenith console stereo (my parents have never been “high-tech”, per se, but they knew a good solid name brand when they saw it), I just happened to be thinking of this song the other day for some reason…”This is Space Command to Zoom, all systems are go for your message to Keith”….To this day, it still gives me a lump in my throat to hear that wonderful song! Now, some 30 years later, I happen to find out it is still available, but on CD format, albiet the price has changed somewhat. Back then, you could get the whole song for a buck, now it’s a buck for every time your name is mentioned! LOL I still have my original floppy record, along with records with the names of my mother, father, and brother, all in their original packaging. I have heard other birthday songs of similar fashion over the last several years, playing off the same idea as Zoom, but none of those could ever compare to the priceless gems of the mid 1970’s from a space dude named Zoom! I will cherish these records forever.
Keith, Wausau WI
September 9, 2005
Captain Zoom was definitely my most favorite thing about my birthday growing up…Mom would head up to the attic pull out the box with the Zoom record in it, dust it off, and then we’d play it (with coins in the appropriate places on the paper thin record)….I loved it… Well, now that I’m almost 30 and a mom myself, I find that nothing is a better 1st birthday gift for the babies of folks from my generation than a CD of the song with the kid’s name…. Maybe no one I know goes as gaga over this- but my little guy turned 2 this week and we must have played Zoom at least a dozen times and he was so happy and dancing around and saying “zoom”…. It’s just the best.
Lawnninja
July 22, 2005:
For years I have had so many memories of this record, my parents woke me up with it every year on my birthday. For some reason, I remember crying at the end of the record every time, when Zoom says “See you next year!”. Maybe because Zoom had to fly back to outer space, I’m really not sure!! Over the years, I have asked various friends about it, even my husband, but they all thought I was crazy and had never heard of this record. Then a few weeks ago, a couple friends and I realized we all grew up with this. I decided to do an internet search for it and found your site!! While listening to the snippet here at work, I almost cried all over again – It brings back so many memories – Thank you!! I am going to order this for my kids someday and carry on the tradition!. . .Lauri Doody
July 18, 2005:
i have heard the Captain Zoom song on my birthday for as long as i can remember. There were some years that i heard the song 3 or 4 times on my birthday most years i heard it at leat twice. this year i was not home on my birthday but i was home just the day before and my mom played my tape and changed it to where ever it said today she sang nice and load tomorrow. my mom alway has fun play our tapes for my sister and me own our birthdays.
Christina Tucker
May 25, 2005:
My daughter. Amy was born 5/24/79……when she was in third grade I found our tape from Zoom…..just for Amy. I played it on her birthday at school……..she loved it! So, every year after that I would wake her up with her song from Zoom….she just turned 26 yesterday and I’ve lost the tape,,,,,,,,her little sister and I sang it to her… it just wouldn’t be a birhtday without that song…….. Michelle Eberhardt
May 9, 2005:
i can not believe i found this site! this is awesome! i’ll be 20 soon and ever since i was a little girl my mom woke me up with that tape of captain zoom singing to me. i’m so glad i’m not the only one who looks foward to it and feels like a kid again! this is great, guys. you all rock. see you next yeeeeeeaaaaaaarrrrrrr!!! Rachel Miller
April 26, 2005:
I cannot believe I found a web site devoted to the Zoom birthday song. For 27 years my mom has awakened me each birthday playing that song for me! Even if we were apart. She is on a cruise this year and has arranged for my husband to play the song on my birthday morning. It is the floppy record and it still works. I am so happy they still sell them and to know I am not the only one who knows Captain Zoom. Donna, Memphis, TN
January 14, 2004:
Thanks for the Captain Zoom page! I had no idea there were so many fans out there. One year my aunt gave me, my sisters and cousins each our own personalized Captain Zoom records. We thought it was the greatest thing. This year at Christmas, we all had had a few drinks and were all singing and laughing hysterically remembering this song. I am so glad I found this site because I’m going to order the CDs for my sisters and cousins. They won’t believe it. Jen Lennon
February 29, 2004:
this is crazy for me. this song has been played as long as i can remember on my birthday… It is awesome to know that im not the only one who’s shared the fond although often embarrassing wake up to the zoom song moments. yesterday was my birthday and i just love having that tradition to hold on to for years to come. Jessica Portillo
September 29, 2004:
The records are bent but still playable. I played them over the phone to my son while he was away at college (he’s now 30) and my daughter’s (now 26) date played it at the Prom. Now they will get their own CD. We LOVE this little tradition and I’m so happy you posted the site and I went looking. This makes my day!!
November 22, 2003:
Today was my daughter’s birthday — Laurita. She is far off from home but she still got to hear “Lauren it’s your birthday!!!! No matter how far you go, Captain Zoom will sing to you Happy Birthday, Lauren!!! Sorry your Mom and I were not able to be there to dance around the breakfast table to the tone of Zoom, making perfect fools of ourselves, as has been our tradition for many years! Happy Birthday sweet!!!
November 16, 2003:
I am so happy that there are other people out there who enjoted this song as much as me. I am 28 and remember my dad pulling out that record every year on my birthday.
November 12, 2003:
Where the heck am I on the web looking for Captain Zoom and finding other afficianados?? I like it!
November 11, 2003
I love this song, and was talking to my mother who cannot find the so called “record” My grandmother sent it to me, and I loved it and played it over and over again. I asked just this week for her(mom) to find this record, as she keeps all of my belongings from way back, and she could not find it. I know it was on some strange kind of vinyl, floppy, thin etc…I can’t recall all of the words either…anyone who can help with words…Please email me!!! My Name is Zoom and I live on the moon! V.
October 22, 2003
Today is kate’s birthday. I am going to sing this song today for her. For other birthdays, we will do this song. If anyone saw captan zoom in real life, people might get mad. So I will not say,” Thanks zoom. I’ll see you soooooooooonnnnnnnn!” It is not good. I hate to do that for older students.
October 22, 2003
I just turned 26 and my father has played that song everyday of my birthday for the past 20 years when we are together. I moved out to California, 2500 miles from home but he still managed to arrange my boyfriend play the song for me. I can’t help but smile everytime I hear it and I hope other enjoy the same.
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Could you please tell me when the cassette came out. I bought them for my sons and I can’t remember how old they were when we first started playing Zoom from the moon birthday songs. My oldest was born in 1972. Thank you so very much for any help you can give me.
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