According to an ad on Comedy Central:

[David Bowie]

From:    James Harbeck <jharbeck at SYMPATICO.CA>
> Wilson Gray (i think) wrote:

>>>From the voiceover of another CC ad:
>> " ... [kaer@ mEl]. Or is that [karm at l]?"

>> This alternation is at least a century old, I'd guess.

> Puts me in mind of Hall and Oates's early '80s
> song "Adult Education," in which they sing the
> title phrase [æ' d at lt - @ d at lt' - EdjIkejS at n],
> always with the two pronunciations one after the
> other.

That's entirely explainable as driven by the meter of the song, though,
i would think--most(?) English speakers can't stress a schwa, so if
they're forced to they need to choose something else, most likely ^ or a
or æ.

<snip>

--
David Bowie                               University of Central Florida
     Jeanne's Two Laws of Chocolate: If there is no chocolate in the
     house, there is too little; some must be purchased. If there is
     chocolate in the house, there is too much; it must be consumed.

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