Rocket Man
My Morning Jacket Lyrics
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Zero hour nine a.m.
And I'm gonna be high as a kite by then
I miss the earth so much I miss my wife
It's lonely out in space
On such a timeless flight
And I think it's gonna be a long long time
'Til touch down brings me round again to find
I'm not the man they think I am at home
Oh no no no I'm a rocket man
Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone
Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids
In fact it's cold as hell
And there's no one there to raise them if you did
And all this science I don't understand
It's just my job five days a week
A rocket man, a rocket man
And I think it's gonna be a long long time
My Morning Jacket's song "Rocket Man" is about a lonely astronaut who is excited about his space mission but also lamenting about being away from his wife and the planet earth. The astronaut is not only physically distanced from the planet but also emotionally detached as he finds himself in a new environment that is entirely different from his previous experience. He acknowledges the potential pitfalls of space travel, the lack of life-sustaining elements such as oxygen and water, and the emotional disconnect that is felt when away from one's loved ones. The lyrics delve into the thoughts and fears of an astronaut in the safety of the rocket that is only a temporary relief from the crushing isolation of space travel.
The astronaut acknowledges that his stay in space may be long, and it will be a long time until he can return to earth and be with his wife again. He then reflects on the fact that people may be judging him based on what they think they know about him, but they do not understand the complexities of being a rocket man. The song deals with themes of the vastness and isolation of space, fear of disconnection and losing touch with one's past, and the challenges of being a pioneer.
Line by Line Meaning
She packed my bags last night pre-flight
My wife helped me prepare for my upcoming space mission
Zero hour nine a.m.
The scheduled launch time for my spacecraft is 9 a.m.
And I'm gonna be high as a kite by then
I will be so excited for this journey that I feel elevated
I miss the earth so much I miss my wife
Being away from my home planet and spouse makes me feel lonely
It's lonely out in space
The emptiness of the cosmos makes me feel isolated and disconnected
On such a timeless flight
A journey through the vacuum of space feels like it will never end
And I think it's gonna be a long long time
I believe that this launch will mark the beginning of a lengthy period spent away from Earth
'Til touch down brings me round again to find
I won't feel grounded again until I complete my mission and return to Earth
I'm not the man they think I am at home
The me that people know on Earth is different from the astronaut I am in space
Oh no no no I'm a rocket man
I am a space-traveling astronaut aboard a rocket ship
Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone
Being isolated, with no one to turn to, takes a toll on me emotionally and mentally
Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids
The red planet is not a suitable environment for raising children
In fact it's cold as hell
Mars has an extremely low temperature that makes it impossible to live comfortably
And there's no one there to raise them if you did
Even if one were to try to raise children on Mars, there would be no other human beings to help
And all this science I don't understand
The complex scientific processes involved in space travel are beyond my comprehension
It's just my job five days a week
My work as an astronaut is just a regular job, albeit one that is difficult and dangerous
A rocket man, a rocket man
As an astronaut, I am closely associated with the rockets that take me into space
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Elton John, Bernie Taupin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Natalia
She packed my bags last night pre-flight
Zero hour nine a.m.
And I'm gonna be high as a kite by then
I miss the earth so much I miss my wife
It's lonely out in space
On such a timeless flight
And I think it's gonna be a long long time
'Til touch down brings me round again to find
I'm not the man they think I am at home
Oh no no no I'm a rocket man
Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone
Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids
In fact it's cold as hell
And there's no one there to raise them if you did
And all this science I don't understand
It's just my job five days a week
A rocket man, a rocket man
And I think it's gonna be a long long time
Justin Shea
Interesting enough, this was my introduction to more of Elton John’s music. Both versions have a special place in my heart!
Ian Koudstaal
I'm pretty sure there are several versions that appear on Californication in several episodes. One is a remake of the original. Maybe a remix. I'm pretty sure this one makes an appearance. Does anyone know what the other one is? This is an amazing cover. Jim James is one of the best vocalists out there today...
fairskyze
Evokes more emotion than Elton John's version, for sure. Love this!
Vlad Tepes
Como puede ser un cover tan excelente?
Incluso mas que el original :'(
Alan Vaytsman
The Elton original is still the best
brettxpw
Not a huge fan of the band... but this is incredible.
Cathleen Blevins
My ex used to rock my grandson to this song or it would be their morning coffee song:) It was the sweetest thing. He hasn't heard it for over a year and I played it for him today, he's now 3, and he got the funniest look on his face of recollection but then said he didnt remember it. Subconsciously though, I think he did😉 Excellent version and amazing voice♡
ztimeisnow
On the American Dad episode the first song Stan hears at the concert is "Wordless Chorus" which is also the song the band is singing in the live clip at the end of the episode. The song Stan takes a trip to the Sun with Jim and the band is called "Touch Me I'm Going to Scream Part 2". They played bits of Remnants while Stan's wife flashed the guards to get Stan into Jim James' dressing room.
Jason B
This is a very tranquil, flowing version of Rocket Man....these guys deliver with haunting, soft sounds....really great musical artists. Get into MMJ and you will never take em off!
gunfighterdrummer
This guy's tone sets this cover apart from the original. The original song is an amaze on its own. But this cover here takes you down an alley, and down into a secret sea of its own.