After gaining some recognition in local circles in Jacksonville, Florida and competing at Scribble Jam, Astronautalis self-released his debut album, You and Yer Good Ideas, in 2003. He eventually signed with Fighting Records and the record was re-released in 2005, followed by his second album, The Mighty Ocean and Nine Dark Theaters, in 2006. He released the third album, Pomegranate, on Eyeball Records in 2008. In winter 2009, he toured with the Canadian indie rock band Tegan and Sara through Europe, and supported them again through the spring of 2010 in Australia. His fourth album, This Is Our Science, was released on Fake Four Inc in 2011.
Astronautalis has been described as "if Beck were a decade or so younger and had grown up more heavily immersed in hip-hop," with his rapping style noted for "blending styles of indie rock, electro, and talkin’ blues" with hip-hop. He has described himself as "historical fiction hip-hop."
During live performances, he often performs a freestyle rap based on topics chosen by members of his audience
17 Summers
Astronautalis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They say no man is an island
With wood and rocks I built this hut
And we ate all our meals inside it
If poor truth be our only love
Then where will lies find me
For wood and rocks are not enough
With out you nothing can build it up
No, no
No expectations
No, no
No expectations
No, no
No expectations
No, no
No expectations
Seventeen summers since the nation died in my clutch
And she swore I can outrun your guidance and love
Peace is peace and blood is blood
Tis rare the twain shall meet just once
The world has wisdom but never enough
I'm a dull image of my father's son
My weak hands can't mend our hearts
And yours can tear the world apart
God give me the strength to live as I please
With the windows open, and my face in the breeze
Whither thou may go
I will follow
In Astronautalis's song "17 Summers," the lyrics evoke a sense of nostalgia and longing for a lost love that was once built up with wood and rocks in a small hut. The singer climbs the hill and builds this hut for his love as a symbol of their shared connection. However, despite the strong connection and love they shared, they eventually broke apart. The singer is left with no expectations and a sense of longing that pervades the song. He speaks about the passing of time, specifically referencing the 17 summers since the nation died, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for his relationship ending. In the final stanza, he calls on God for the strength to live as he pleases, suggesting a sense of freedom and independence from the past.
Line by Line Meaning
I climbed this hill to build you up
I put in effort to strengthen our relationship
They say no man is an island
People need others in their lives
With wood and rocks I built this hut
I made a place for us to be together
And we ate all our meals inside it
We spent a lot of time together in that place
If poor truth be our only love
If honesty is all we have to offer each other
Then where will lies find me
Where will I go if I can't be truthful?
For wood and rocks are not enough
Just building a place for us wasn't enough
With out you nothing can build it up
Our relationship can't be maintained without you
No expectations
I have no particular demands or hopes for this situation
Seventeen summers since the nation died in my clutch
It's been 17 years since a traumatic event in my life
And she swore I can outrun your guidance and love
She believed she didn't need my help or love to succeed
Peace is peace and blood is blood
Different aspects of life should be treated separately
Tis rare the twain shall meet just once
Things that are very different rarely coincide
The world has wisdom but never enough
There's always something new to learn
I'm a dull image of my father's son
I'm not living up to my father's legacy
My weak hands can't mend our hearts
I'm not strong enough to fix our emotional damage
And yours can tear the world apart
You have a lot of power to cause devastation
God give me the strength to live as I please
I hope to have strength to be true to myself
With the windows open, and my face in the breeze
Enjoying the small pleasures of life
Whither thou may go
Wherever you go
I will follow
I will be there with you
Contributed by Tristan O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.