Astronaut: A Short History of Nearly Nothing
Amanda Palmer Lyrics

Is it enough to have some love Small enough to slip inside a book. Small enough to cover with your hand Because everyone around you wants to look
Love can be elusive and easily hidden from the world's scrutiny, requiring no more than the small comforts of a book and a hand to hold.

Is it enough to have some love Small enough to fit inside the cracks The pieces don't fit together so good With all the breaking and all the gluing back
When love is fragile and crumbling, it can only fit in the smallest of spaces, as the pieces have been shattered and pieced back together.

And I am still not getting what I want I want to touch the back of your right arm I wish you could remind me who I was Because every day I'm a little further off
Despite longing for closeness and reminders of who she used to be, the singer feels a sense of distance and detachment from her loved one, growing further apart every day.

But you are, my love, the astronaut Flying in the face of science I will gladly stay an afterthought Just bring back some nice reminders
The loved one represents an adventurer, constantly seeking the unknown and discovering new things, while the artist is content to stay behind, hoping for trinkets and memories from the journey.

And is it getting harder to pretend That life goes on without you in the wake? And can you see the means without the end In the random frantic action that we take?
The aftermath of a departure makes it hard to continue as if nothing has changed, and the frenzied activity that often follows feels directionless and meaningless.

And is it getting easy not to care Despite the many rings around your name It isn't funny and it isn't fair You've traveled all this way and it's the same
As time passes, it becomes easier to detach from the person who left, no matter how renowned or recognized they may be. The situation is not humorous or just, as the distance remains the same despite the journey.

I would tell them anything to see you split the evening But as you see I do not have an awful lot to tell Everybody's sick for something that they can find fascinating Everyone but you and even you aren't feeling well
The singer would do anything to see their loved one again, but their life feels empty and lacking without them. Everyone seems obsessed with finding something unique to believe in, but even the loved one is struggling with their own problems.

Yes you are, my love, the astronaut Crashing in the name of science Just my luck they found your upper half It's a very nice reminder It's a very nice reminder
The loved one's adventuring comes at a cost, as their body is found destroyed. Despite the tragedy, the artist takes comfort in the small memento of their loved one's explorations.

And you may be acquainted with the night But I have seen the darkness in the day And you must know it is a terrifying sight Because you and I are living the same way
While the loved one may be familiar with the challenges of nighttime, the artist has experienced the darkness during the day when it is harder to escape. The shared experiences of fear and uncertainty unite them in their separate struggles.