The band's moniker comes from a discarded coat James saw while walking through the remains of his favorite bar the morning after it burned down. The coat had the letters "MMJ" embroided on it. The band has released seven albums so far: "The Tennessee Fire" (1999), "At Dawn" (2001), "It Still Moves" (2003), "Z" (2005), "Evil Urges" (2008), "Circuital" (2011) & "The Waterfall" (2015). The band's breakthrough came when their 2003 single "One Big Holiday" became one of the most played songs on college radio that year. 2008's "I'm Amazed" was also a sizable hit, peaking at #6 on Billboard's Triple A (adult album alternative) Singles chart.
The Circuital songfacts reports that "Circuital" was recorded inside a church’s converted gymnasium in the band's hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. Said frontman Jim James: “I hate the phrase ‘going back to our roots’, but for this record we came home and made it in Kentucky. And it just felt a lot like it did when we were first starting out.”
James co-produced the record with Tucker Martine. The pair first worked together when James appeared on Laura Veirs ' album "July Flame" in 2010, which Martine, Veirs’ husband, also produced.
My Morning Jacket guest stared in the American Dad Episode "My Morning Straitjacket" where Stan Smith becomes obsessed with them and decides to become a groupie. The edisode was first aired November 22 2009.
Rocketman
My Morning Jacket Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
On such a timeless flight
And I think it's gonna be a long long time
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
The song Rocketman by My Morning Jacket is a cover of Elton John's Rocket Man. The song tells the story of a spaceman who is about to embark on a lonely journey into space. He is leaving behind his wife and the Earth that he misses so much. The journey is described as being "lonely out in space", emphasizing the isolation of the spaceman. The lyrics also describe the spaceman's detachment from his life on Earth, stating that "I'm not the man they think I am at home, oh no no no, I'm a rocket man".
The chorus of the song repeats the astronaut's nickname and conveys his feeling of being burned out, both physically and emotionally: "Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone". The second verse of the song describes the unsuitability of Mars as a place to raise children: it's too cold and there's no one there to raise them. However, the spaceman mentions that he doesn't understand the science that brought him to space; it's just his job five days a week.
The song ultimately conveys a sense of sadness and yearning for the astronaut's life on Earth. The contrast between the spaceman's isolation in space and the warmth of life on Earth creates a feeling of longing for human connection.
Line by Line Meaning
She packed my bags last night pre-flight
My wife packed my bags before the morning's space journey
Zero hour nine a.m.
The space craft is scheduled to launch at 9 AM
And I'm gonna be high as a kite by then
I'll be euphoric during the space journey
I miss the earth so much I miss my wife
I'm homesick and miss my wife
It's lonely out in space
Being in space is a solitary experience
On such a timeless flight
The journey in space seems never-ending
And I think it's gonna be a long long time
I expect the space journey to last a very long time
'Til touch down brings me round again to find
When I return to earth, I'll feel like myself again
I'm not the man they think I am at home
People see me as someone different when I'm in space
Oh no no no I'm a rocket man
I am a space explorer and astronaut
Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone
I'm burning through my energy and resources, isolated in space
Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids
Mars is not a suitable environment to raise children
In fact it's cold as hell
Mars is an extremely cold and harsh place to survive
And there's no one there to raise them if you did
There is no one to help raise children on Mars
And all this science I don't understand
I'm not a scientist and don't fully comprehend the science behind space travel
It's just my job five days a week
Being an astronaut is my profession, my job
A rocket man, a rocket man
I am a space explorer and astronaut
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ELTON JOHN, BERNARD J.P. TAUPIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Natalia
She packed my bags last night pre-flight
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
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
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
Justin Shea
Interesting enough, this was my introduction to more of Elton John’s music. Both versions have a special place in my heart!
Ian Koudstaal
I'm pretty sure there are several versions that appear on Californication in several episodes. One is a remake of the original. Maybe a remix. I'm pretty sure this one makes an appearance. Does anyone know what the other one is? This is an amazing cover. Jim James is one of the best vocalists out there today...
fairskyze
Evokes more emotion than Elton John's version, for sure. Love this!
Vlad Tepes
Como puede ser un cover tan excelente?
Incluso mas que el original :'(
Alan Vaytsman
The Elton original is still the best
brettxpw
Not a huge fan of the band... but this is incredible.
Cathleen Blevins
My ex used to rock my grandson to this song or it would be their morning coffee song:) It was the sweetest thing. He hasn't heard it for over a year and I played it for him today, he's now 3, and he got the funniest look on his face of recollection but then said he didnt remember it. Subconsciously though, I think he did😉 Excellent version and amazing voice♡
ztimeisnow
On the American Dad episode the first song Stan hears at the concert is "Wordless Chorus" which is also the song the band is singing in the live clip at the end of the episode. The song Stan takes a trip to the Sun with Jim and the band is called "Touch Me I'm Going to Scream Part 2". They played bits of Remnants while Stan's wife flashed the guards to get Stan into Jim James' dressing room.
Jason B
This is a very tranquil, flowing version of Rocket Man....these guys deliver with haunting, soft sounds....really great musical artists. Get into MMJ and you will never take em off!
gunfighterdrummer
This guy's tone sets this cover apart from the original. The original song is an amaze on its own. But this cover here takes you down an alley, and down into a secret sea of its own.