Rocket Man
Pearls Before Swine Lyrics
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He often went to Jupiter or Mercury, to Venus or to Mars
My mother and I would watch the sky
And wonder if a falling star
Was a ship becoming ashes with a rocket man inside
My mother and I
Never went out
Or to escape the pain
We only went out when it rained
My father was a rocket man
He loved the world beyond the world, the sky beyond the sky
And on my mother's face, as lonely as the world in space
I could read the silent cry
That if my father fell into a star
We must not look upon that star again
My mother and I
Never went out
Unless the sky was cloudy or the sun was blotted out
Or to escape the pain
We only went out when it rained
Tears are often jewel-like
My mother's went unnoticed by my father, for his jewels were the stars
And in my father's eyes I knew he had to find
In the sanctity of distance something brighter than a star
One day they told us the sun had flared and taken him inside
My mother and I
Never went out
Unless the sky was cloudy or the sun was blotted out
Or to escape the pain
We only went out when it rained
The song "Rocket Man" by Pearls Before Swine speaks about a father who was a rocket man and his deep love for the universe beyond our world. The verses narrate how the father would often journey to the planets, and the mother and the singer would watch him teleport. While watching, they would also question the possibility of the rocket man burning within ashes. The chorus speaks about how the mother and the singer would rarely go out unless the sky was cloudy or the sun was blotted out by rain. Their existence is portrayed as completely reliant on the father's existence.
The second verse gives more insight into the mother and the singer's life and their avoidance of the outside world. It tells of how they would only venture outdoors to escape from their misery or when it rained. The third verse indicates the rocket man's love for the universe beyond the sky and how he would always long for something more, even if it meant sacrificing his life for it. The mother's sadness, along with the singer's, is evident even if the father finds his ultimate purpose.
The song captures the pain of losing someone to their life's purpose, where they sacrifice their life for a cause they believe in. It is about people left behind, trying to cope with a life they can't understand. However, it also speaks about how humans are tiny specks of dust in the vast universe and how through loss, we learn to appreciate the beauty of life.
Line by Line Meaning
My father was a rocket man
My dad was an astronaut
He often went to Jupiter or Mercury, to Venus or to Mars
He frequently traveled to different planets
My mother and I would watch the sky
Mom and I would stargaze
And wonder if a falling star
We'd speculate if a shooting star
Was a ship becoming ashes with a rocket man inside
Was a spacecraft disintegrating with my father aboard
My mother and I
Mom and I
Never went out
Hardly ever went outside
Unless the sky was cloudy or the sun was blotted out
Unless it was overcast or an eclipse was happening
Or to escape the pain
Or to avoid emotional distress
We only went out when it rained
We seldom went out, and only when it was raining
He loved the world beyond the world, the sky beyond the sky
Dad adored the universe beyond our own planet
And on my mother's face, as lonely as the world in space
And from my mother's countenance, which resembled an isolated universe
I could read the silent cry
I could sense her inaudible suffering
That if my father fell into a star
That if dad perished in the cosmos
We must not look upon that star again
We must avoid observing that celestial location
Tears are often jewel-like
Tears are frequently glossy
My mother's went unnoticed by my father, for his jewels were the stars
Dad didn't notice mom's tears, as he was captivated by the stars
And in my father's eyes I knew he had to find
And by dad's expression, I sensed he had to seek
In the sanctity of distance something brighter than a star
Something extraordinary beyond the stars
One day they told us the sun had flared and taken him inside
One day they informed us that dad had been consumed by a solar flare
Contributed by Logan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.