Rocket Man
Elton John Lyrics


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She packed my bags last night pre-flight
Zero hour, nine AM
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

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
'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

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

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
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




And I think it's gonna be a long, long time
And I think it's gonna be a long, long time

Overall Meaning

Elton John's "Rocket Man" is a song about the isolation and loneliness of an astronaut who is on a long space journey away from his family and friends. The first verse sets the scene, with the astronaut's wife packing his bags for a pre-dawn takeoff. He knows that he's going to be high as a kite from the thrill of the launch, but he also misses his home planet and his wife. In the chorus, he reflects on how long it will be until he gets back to Earth and wonders about the person he is, realizing he's not the same man as he is at home. The astronaut knows that his job is to fly through space and explore new worlds, but he also notes the isolation that comes with that task, pondering the difficulties of raising children on other planets, where no one can raise them if he or she needs to.


The song conveys the sense of loneliness and otherworldliness that comes with space exploration, as well as the cost that it can take on an astronaut's personal life. The chorus repeats, emphasizing that the astronaut is a "rocket man" and that his job is to fly through space alone. The song's theme is not only about the loneliness of space exploration, but also about the line that people often have to walk between their professional and personal lives. Elton John tells this story through the beautiful instrumentation of the song, with a soft piano riff that is complemented by the steady rhythm of drums and the occasional flourish of horns.


Line by Line Meaning

She packed my bags last night pre-flight
My spouse had prepared my things the night before my spaceflight


Zero hour, nine AM
My mission begins at precisely nine o'clock in the morning


And I'm gonna be high as a kite by then
I will be under the influence of drugs by then


I miss the earth so much, I miss my wife
I feel deeply homesick and lonely, missing my planet and my partner


It's lonely out in space
The vast void of space is a desolate and isolating place


On such a timeless flight
The eternity of interstellar travel makes it feel like an eternal journey


And I think it's gonna be a long, long time
I have a premonition that this spaceflight will last an extended period of time


'Til touch down brings me round again to find
Only upon returning safely to Earth will I be grounded again


I'm not the man they think I am at home
The person I am as an astronaut is not who I am perceived to be in my personal life


Oh no no no, I'm a rocket man
I am a spaceman whose entire existence revolves around rockets and space travel


Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone
The many challenges of spaceflight are slowly wearing down my strength and mental state


Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids
Mars is not a suitable environment to raise and nurture children


In fact it's cold as hell
In reality, the Martian environment is consistently freezing


And there's no one there to raise them if you did
Even if children were raised on Mars, there would be no society or structure to support them


And all this science I don't understand
As an astronaut, I encounter complex scientific principles which I do not fully comprehend


It's just my job five days a week
My work as an astronaut is just like any other job, only requiring me to work for five days in a week


A rocket man, a rocket man
I am one of many who share this profession and lifestyle


And I think it's gonna be a long, long time
My time in space will last a considerable length, creating a sense of unendingness


And I think it's gonna be a long, long time
The expansiveness and duration of space travel loom large in my mind


And I think it's gonna be a long, long time
The magnitude of this journey extends far beyond my current understanding


And I think it's gonna be a long, long time
The teeming unknowns of space and the vast distance still to be covered leave me feeling anxious


And I think it's gonna be a long, long time
The remoteness of space travel will keep me away from the life that is familiar to me for an extended period


And I think it's gonna be a long, long time
I am uncertain of just how long this journey will last, creating a sense of existential dread


And I think it's gonna be a long, long time
The scale of this journey is incomprehensible to me, and I can scarcely believe what I have gotten myself into




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Elton John, Bernie Taupin

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@SolarBalls

I love this song!

@boblox2368

Second

@Merius1

Ooo hello bro ,I also did my part !😎✨

@peppapigfan4887

Came here from your vid

@_pony2505

BRO!

@thememanati

We here my man!

102 More Replies...

@c.r.8666

I've listened to Elton John since I was 12 years old and at 62 I still listen to it! He's a great musician!

@andrewjohnstone963

Same age feelings mutual
The first note 🎵 and im away
This and Your song 🎵 are just sublime 😍

@SeanGraham-xz1wd

I am 42 my friend, Glastonbury was phenomenal, just his presence, they don't make them like that anymore 👍 legend.

@pup1008

61 & his music (along with a few others) has been the soundtrack of my life! Of over 1000 albums I'm lucky enough to own, I have two of his in my Top 3!

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