Rocketman
Elton John/Billy Joel 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
And I think it's gonna be a long, long, time
'Til touchdown brings me 'round again to find
I'm not the man they think I am at home
Ah, no no no
I'm a rocket man
Rocket man
Burnin' 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
Rocket Man
And I think it's gonna be a long, long, time
'Til touchdown brings me 'round again to find
I'm not the man they think I am at home
Ah, no no no
And I think it's gonna be a long, long, time
'Til touchdown brings me 'round again to find
I'm not the man they think I am at home
Ah, no no no...
I'm a rocket man
Rocket man
Burnin' out his fuse
Up here alone
And I think it's gonna be a long, long, time
And I think it's gonna be a long, long, time
And I think it's gonna be a long, long, time
Long, long, time
Long, long, time
Ah, no, no, no...
Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no...
The song "Rocket Man" by Elton John and Bernie Taupin tells the story of an astronaut's loneliness and the sacrifices he makes in his personal life. The story is told from the perspective of the astronaut, who is leaving Earth on a long, lonely mission. He misses his wife and the normalcy of life on Earth. The song highlights the isolation that astronauts feel on their missions and the sacrifices they have to make in order to pursue their passion.
The lyrics also delve into the idea of the unknown and the dangers of space exploration. The singer sings about how Mars is not a suitable place to raise children and the science behind space travel is beyond his understanding. He feels like a "Rocket Man" whose only purpose is to fly through space, despite the dangers involved. He admits that it will be a long time before he returns to Earth and even then, he won't be the same person he was when he left.
Overall, "Rocket Man" is a poignant and melancholic song about the human cost of space exploration and the loneliness of those who embark on such missions.
Line by Line Meaning
She packed my bags last night, preflight
My wife packed my bags for me the night before my space mission.
Zero hour, nine a.m.
My mission launch is set for 9 a.m. precisely.
And I'm gonna be high
As a kite by then
I'll be flying high in space after the rocket launch.
I miss the earth so much
I miss my wife
It's lonely out in space
On such a timeless flight
Being alone in space makes me homesick and miss my wife.
And I think it's gonna be a long, long, time
'Til touchdown brings me 'round again to find
I'm not the man they think I am at home
Ah, no no no
I'm a rocket man
Rocket man
Burnin' out his fuse
Up here alone
I'll be up here in space for a long time, and when I return home, people may see me differently because of my space journey.
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
Mars is not a suitable place to raise children due to low temperature and lack of support.
And all this science
I don't understand
It's just my job
Five days a week
A rocket man
Rocket Man
My space mission requires a lot of scientific knowledge that I may not fully understand, but it's still my job as a rocket man.
And I think it's gonna be a long, long, time
'Til touchdown brings me 'round again to find
I'm not the man they think I am at home
Ah, no no no
And I think it's gonna be a long, long, time
I'll be away for a long time, and when I come back, I may not be the same person people expect me to be.
Long, long, time
Long, long, time
Ah, no, no, no...
Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no...
The feeling of loneliness and isolation in space is overwhelming and often hard to bear.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Elton John, Bernie Taupin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind