Hillage started out as a prog rocker, always leaning towards the more whimsical/ mystical side of things in his work with Gong (1973-1975). On going solo, he continued in a similar vein, fusing melodic elements with ambient soundscapes on albums such as "Green", "L", "Fish Rising" and most notably "Motivation Radio" and "Rainbow Dome Musick". One of the first to popularise electronic ambient sounds, his work was rediscovered by later electronic dance acts, giving Hillage a new lease of life as a performer/DJ in the 1990s following a successful stint as producer.
Famously name-checked in the 80s British sitcom "The Young Ones": hippie Neil's party is broken up by the police who crash into the house, bringing the music to an abrupt halt and scratching Neil's LP, causing him to lament "Oh no, Steve Hillage!".
System 7 is the dancefloor project of Steve Hillage and Miquette Giraudy. System 7 are not to be missed with nearing 20 years of experience after having spent much time learning the dance music vibe alongside THE ORB (see first few LPs by the orb). Steve had been visiting a chill out in a converted church squat in London, when he noticed excerpts from Rainbow dome music edited and effected into the live ambient vibes in the chill out. He approached the DJ/musicians who turned out to be The Orb. and as it happens Alex Patterson told Steve he dreamed of remixing rainbow dome music. Steve told Olex who he was and said he'd be happy to do one better and join in some studio colaborations with them and Steve's wife, Miquette. they contributed keyboards and that strange "glissando" guitar effect using bow on strings.
A further project by Steve (and Miqette) is Mirror System their set mixing psy, funk, jazz, and hip hop feels to a seamless and juicy chill out.
Rocket Man
Steve Hillage 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
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 didn't
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
Now 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
In "Rocket Man," Steve Hillage sings about an astronaut leaving Earth, missing home and his loved ones, and feeling lonely in space. The opening lines describe the astronaut leaving Earth, with his bags packed the night before and his departure scheduled for 9 am the next day. The next line, "I'm gonna be high as a kite by then," refers to the high altitude he'll be at during his flight. He misses the Earth and his wife, and feels lonely in the emptiness of space. It's a timeless flight, as time isn't consistent in space.
The chorus repeats the line "I think it's gonna be a long long time" and underscores the loneliness the astronaut feels. He's not the person people at home think he is; he's different as a result of his experience in space. He's a "rocket man," burning out his fuse alone. The second verse mentions how space isn't a place to raise children. The coldness of Mars serves as a backdrop for illustrating how space is barren, uninhabitable, and incapable of supporting life for long. The astronaut mentions that he does not understand much of the science he deals with daily, but it's just his job. The song ends with the chorus repeating four times, underscoring that the isolation of the astronaut feels will continue for a long time.
Overall, the song is a meditation on the isolation that can be caused by space travel, highlighting the emotional toll it can take on astronauts. Hillage's lyrics evoke empathy for the astronaut's situation, emphasizing how tough and lonely it can be in a universe beyond Earth.
Line by Line Meaning
She packed my bags last night pre-flight
My partner prepared my things for my space mission
Zero hour nine a.m.
My launch time is at nine in the morning
And I'm gonna be high, as a kite by then
I will be feeling ecstatic and exhilarated during my space mission
I miss the earth so much, I miss my wife
I feel homesick and miss my loved ones back on Earth
It's lonely out in space
I feel isolated and detached in the vast emptiness of space
On such a timeless flight
My journey seems unending and perpetual
And I think it's gonna be a long long time
I anticipate that my space mission will take a considerable amount of time
Till touch down brings me round again to find
I won't return to Earth for a while
I'm not the man they think I am at home
My public persona is different from my true self
Oh no, no, no, I'm a rocket man
I am a space explorer and adventurer
Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone
My spirit and enthusiasm are slowly dwindling in the isolation of space
Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids
Mars is an unsuitable environment for human habitation and raising children
In fact it's cold as hell
The temperatures on Mars are extremely low
And there's no one there to raise them if you didn't
Mars is uninhabited and it is impossible to raise children there
And all this science, I don't understand
Despite my expertise as a space explorer, there are still some aspects of the science that elude me
It's just my job, five days a week
My exploration of space is similar to a regular job with set working days
Now I think it's gonna be a long long time
I am realizing that my space mission is going to take longer than I initially thought
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Elton John, Bernie Taupin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cielobuio
I came accross this on spotify by accident - love it !!
So, did Shatner perform this live with Steve Hillage or was it just a recording plyaed along to ?
@mikereiss4216
Not sure but I don't think they did it live together.
@SteveWattse
Not as good as his Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds! :-)
@tonycarter9840
William Shatner’s?