Astronaut
Isakov Gregory Alan Lyrics

The first verse of Gregory Alan's Isakov's song, Astronaut, seemingly establishes the dichotomy of his life- working mornings in an old yard, digging the ground, and in contrast, being an astronaut who mostly sits around and howls. The verse could be read literally or metaphorically. It could be about a man's actual job or about his state of mind- one mundane and earthly, and the other, transcendental, and imaginative. It seems as though he prefers the latter, as he invites someone to his home to peer through his Orion window, which he paid extra for. This window could represent a perspective that he values over the reality he has to face during his day job. He then adds, "forget about the sun, he's forgotten us by now," which could imply a deep-seated feeling of neglect and insignificance. He then asks the person to kiss him so that he remembers how- adding another layer of intimacy and longing to the song.

The second verse seems like a continuation of the first, with the singer expressing his desire to "turn these sorrows into strangers." This line may refer to his inner demons or any negative feeling that he may be harboring. He wants to take those feelings and turn them into strangers- something unfamiliar and foreign to him. The line "buy them a ticket on the train/ drop 'em off at the station/ watch 'em ride far away, far away" shows his determination to move away from the pain and run from his troubles. The song seems to be about escapism- from mundane reality, from negative emotions, and even from an unfulfilling life. It leaves the listener with a sense of longing for something more- for another world that may not exist, but that one can escape to through imagination.