Ochs performed at many political events, including anti-Vietnam War and civil rights rallies, student events, and organized labor events over the course of his career, in addition to many concert appearances at such venues as New York City's Town Hall and Carnegie Hall. Politically, Ochs described himself as a "left social democrat" who became an "early revolutionary" after the protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago led to a police riot, which had a profound effect on his state of mind.
After years of prolific writing in the 1960s, Ochs's mental stability declined in the 1970s. He eventually succumbed to a number of problems including alcoholism, and took his own life in 1976.
Some of Ochs's major influences were Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, Bob Gibson, Faron Young, Merle Haggard, John Wayne, and John F. Kennedy. His best-known songs include "I Ain't Marching Anymore", "Changes", "Crucifixion", "Draft Dodger Rag", "Love Me I'm a Liberal", "Outside of a Small Circle of Friends", "Power and the Glory", "There but for Fortune", and "The War Is Over".
For a more thorough and interesting bio on Phil visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Ochs
Spaceman
Phil Ochs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Way high, so high:
Travelin' fast and free.
Spaceman, look down:
Tell me what you see.
Can you see the hunger there
Strike without a sound?
As you circle round?
Way high, so high:
All the world will cheer.
Spaceman, look down:
Tell me what you hear.
Can you hear a child cry,
Body filled with pain?
Deadly sores when cures are there--
How much fuel remains?
Way high, so high:
Spaceship made of steel.
Spaceman, look down:
Tell me what you feel.
Can you feel the money gone
As you sail through space?
Can you feel how many die
When you win the race?
Way high, so high:
Travelin' fast and free.
Spaceman, look down:
Tell me what you see.
[end: first two lines of the melody again, whistled.]
Phil Ochs’ song “Spaceman” is a thought-provoking commentary on the Cold War space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. The song addresses an astronaut who is circling high above the earth, observing the world below. The song poses a series of questions to the spaceman, asking him what he sees, hears, and feels as he journeys through space. The lyrics explore the stark contrast between the wealth and technological advancements of the space program and the poverty, hunger, and disease that are prevalent on Earth.
The song’s lines “Can you see the hunger there, strike without a sound? Can you see the food you burn as you circle round?” highlight the unfortunate irony that the resources that are being used to fund and advance the space mission could be utilized to address the pressing issues of famine and hunger on earth. The lyrics also address the lack of medical care and the massive loss of life due to poverty and war. The line “Can you hear a child cry, body filled with pain? Deadly sores when cures are there-- How much fuel remains?” highlights this.
Overall, “Spaceman” is a powerful and moving song that calls attention to the larger social issues which we often overlook.
Line by Line Meaning
Way high, so high:
The spaceman is traveling through space at great heights and speeds.
Travelin' fast and free.
He is journeying through space without constraints and with great velocity.
Spaceman, look down:
The singer is calling on the spaceman to survey the Earth from space.
Tell me what you see.
The artist wants to know what the spaceman observes while orbiting the planet.
Can you see the hunger there
The artist prompts the spaceman to observe and recognize the issue of starvation on Earth.
Strike without a sound?
The singer questions if the issue of hunger is addressed in silence.
Can you see the food you burn
The singer prompts the spaceman to recognize the sense of waste that occurs while resources are depleted while orbiting the Earth.
As you circle round?
The artist highlights how the spaceman has been continually doing this, hence the issue of waste and depletion.
All the world will cheer.
The artist implicates that people on Earth are always seeking exciting achievements and will celebrate new victories.
Tell me what you hear.
The artist is seeking to know about the sounds the spaceman hears in space.
Can you hear a child cry,
The singer highlights how even space should be aware of the global suffering and points out via a question if the spaceman can hear a crying child on Earth.
Body filled with pain?
The artist reveals that such crying child may be struggling with physical, emotional, or mental pain.
Deadly sores when cures are there--
The singer reveals a world where solutions and prevention exist, but there is still suffering and death.
How much fuel remains?
The singer asks how much remaining fuel does the spaceship have to remain in orbit.
Spaceship made of steel.
The singer denotes the material used to construct the spaceship of the spaceman.
Tell me what you feel.
The artist wants to know the emotions or sensations the spaceman experiences.
Can you feel the money gone
The artist prompts the spaceman to acknowledge the costs of space travel.
As you sail through space?
The singer highlights that the spaceman is journeying, as if one is sailing upon the seas.
Can you feel how many die
The singer prompts the spaceman to note the number of lives lost due to space missions.
When you win the race?
The artist completes the questioning with the indication that space travel is often treated as a competitive event.
Travelin' fast and free.
The spaceman continues to journey without worry or reason, alone in space.
Spaceman, look down:
The artist calls on the spaceman to re-observe the Earth while floating in space.
Tell me what you see.
The singer continues to ask the spaceman what he observes while orbiting the planet.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PHIL OCHS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind