Rocket Man
Elton John feat. Kiki Dee 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

'Till 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
'Till 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
'Till 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
'Till 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

The first verse of "Rocket Man" details the launching of a rocket into space. The singer speaks of his bags being packed the night before, ready for his early morning launch at nine AM. He admits to looking forward to getting high, presumably from the thrill of the launch. However, soon after being in space, the singer begins to feel the effects of loneliness and homesickness as he misses his family and the familiar surroundings of Earth. The second verse reveals that the singer is on a mission to Mars, a place not suitable for raising children due to its harsh conditions. He acknowledges the limits of his understanding of the science behind space travel but takes pride in his job as a rocket man, even while acknowledging that it is a lonely job.

The chorus repeats the idea that the singer will be away for a long time and reflects on his feeling of being misunderstood by those back on Earth who do not know who he truly is. He claims to be a "rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone," emphasizing the sense of isolation and the risks inherent in his job. The chorus repeats throughout the song, as the singer continues to grapple with the challenges of his position as a space explorer.

Line by Line Meaning

She packed my bags last night pre-flight
My wife packed my bags before my scheduled flight

Zero hour nine AM
My rocket is set to launch at 9:00 AM

And I'm gonna be high as a kite by then
I will be in high altitude by then

I miss the earth so much I miss my wife
I miss the earth and my wife so much

It's lonely out in space
Being in space can be lonely

On such a timeless flight
My flight is long and seems to have no end

And I think it's gonna be a long long time
I anticipate being in space for a long time

'Till touch down brings me round again to find
I won't feel like myself again until I return to earth

I'm not the man they think I am at home
People have a different perception of me on Earth

Oh no no no I'm a rocket man
In reality, I am a man who operates a rocket

Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone
Being alone in space for a long time takes a toll on me

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

In fact it's cold as hell
The temperature on Mars is extremely cold

And there's no one there to raise them if you did
There is no one on Mars to take care of children if someone were to raise them there

And all this science I don't understand
I do not have a deep understanding of all the scientific concepts and theories associated with space travel

It's just my job five days a week
Operating a rocket is a job that I do five days a week

And I think it's gonna be a long long time
I still believe that I will be in space for a long time