There are multiple artists using the moniker The Astronauts;

1) The … Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple artists using the moniker The Astronauts;

1) The Astronauts was an American surf and rock and roll band, which had a minor hit in 1963 with "Baja" and remained successful for several years, especially in Japan. They have been described as being, "along with...(the) Trashmen, the premier landlocked Midwestern surf group of the '60s." For most of their career, the band members were Rich Fifield, Jon "Storm" Patterson, Bob Demmon, Dennis Lindsey, and Jim Gallagher.

The Astronauts developed out of a group, The Stormtroupers, which was originally formed at Boulder High School, Boulder, Colorado in 1956 by Jon "Storm" Patterson (vocals, guitar), Robert Graham "Bob" Demmon (guitar; born February 11, 1939), and Brad Leach (drums). In 1961, they became The Astronauts after adding Richard Otis "Rich" Fifield (vocals, guitar) and Dick Sellars (guitar), the change of band name recognising the fascist connotations of the previous name (despite the different spelling) and to pay tribute to local hero, astronaut Scott Carpenter. Patterson switched to bass, Leech was replaced on drums by Jim Gallagher, and soon afterwards Sellars left to join the US Navy, being replaced by Dennis Lindsey. With a line-up of Demmon, Patterson, Fifield, Lindsey and Gallagher, the band gained a strong local reputation, toured as far as Chicago and Dallas, Texas, and released their first single, "Come Along Baby", in 1962, on the small Palladium label. They were signed to RCA Records after a record company executive was impressed by their performance at a local night club, the Tulagi.

Their first single on RCA was "Baja", an instrumental written by Lee Hazlewood originally for his friend, guitarist Al Casey. Released by The Astronauts in early 1963, the track was described as "a typical surf instrumental with a reverberation-heavy twangy guitar and driving drumbeat", and reached # 94 on the Billboard Hot 100 for just one week, the pinnacle of their US chart career. However, they released a succession of further singles on RCA, in an attempt by the record company to emulate the success of the Beach Boys and other surf music-related groups in the charts at the time. According to reviewer Richie Unterberger, "the group shone brightest on their instrumentals, which used mounds of Fender reverb and two rhythm guitars; when they sang, the results were much less successful." Patterson and Fifield shared lead vocals, and the band recorded songs by Roger Christian, Gary Usher, Dick Dale and Henry Mancini, among others. Fifield, the lead guitarist, used a Fender Jazzmaster on the recordings, with an early prototype reverb unit personally loaned to the group by Leo Fender. Their 1965 song "Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day" was covered by The Monkees in 1966.

As well as a succession of singles and EPs, the band released four LPs over nine months, starting in May 1963: Surfin' with The Astronauts – which reached # 61 on the Billboard 200 album chart – Everything Is A-OK! (recorded live at the Club Baja in Denver, Colorado), Competition Coupe, and The Astronauts Orbit Campus (recorded live in Boulder).

They appeared several times on the Hullabaloo TV show, and have the distinction of appearing in more beach party movies than any other surf band: Surf Party, Wild on the Beach, Wild Wild Winter and Out of Sight. Regarding the band's performance in 1964's Surf Party, the book Pop Surf Culture states “The Astronauts bang out a thick, reverb-laden instrumental called ‘Firewater,’ and their theme song ‘Surf Party’ happens to be one of the best surf instrumentals ever recorded.”

In 1964, their record company discovered that they had a growing fan base in Japan, where they outsold The Beach Boys and toured with The Ventures. Five albums and three singles made the top 10 there, with "Movin'" – retitled as "Over The Sun" – reaching number one in the country.

In all, they recorded nine albums. Gallagher and Lindsey were drafted for the Vietnam War before the last album, Travelin' Men in 1967, and were replaced by Mark Bretz and Rod Jenkins respectively. Demmon also left, being replaced by Robert Carl McLerran, before Fifield and Patterson finally decided to end the band name after a tour of Asia in 1968.

For a while, the same band – Fifield, Patterson, McLerran, Bretz and Jenkins – performed in the US under the name SunshineWard, who released one single, "Sally Go Around The Roses", in 1967. Patterson then left the band and music business, and Fifield and McLerran formed a new band, Hardwater, with Tony Murillo and Peter M. Wyant. In 1968, the band released two singles and an album, Hardwater, on Capitol Records, produced by David Axelrod. Fifield also had a role in assisting Axelrod and record engineer David Hassinger, who owned the rights to the group name of The Electric Prunes, to find a new group of musicians to take on that group's name for their record, Mass in F Minor. Fifield contacted fellow Colorado musicians, Richard Whetstone, John Herron and Mark Kincaid, who then agreed to form one of the final line-ups of The Electric Prunes.

The Astronauts reunited temporarily to perform in Boulder, Colorado, in 1974, 1988 and 1989.

Dennis Lindsey died in Boulder, Colorado, on May 4, 1992. Mark Bretz died August 15, 1999, aged 54. Robert "Bob" Demmon worked as a teacher in Coronado, California, whose students included George Sanger. He died of cardiac arrest on December 18, 2010, at the age of 71. Rich Fifield died on November 18, 2021. Jim Gallagher died on November 20, 2021, at the age of 78.

2) A nostalgic surf rock band from Bielefeld, Germany. Their style is instrumental space-surf rock n' roll. The liner notes from their 10" EP "Lost in Space", released in 1993 by Pin Up Records, shed some light on their retro aesthetic: "Do you play your Pin Up Monaural long-play recordings on a Mono phonograph? Please do".

3) Anarcho-punk band, inspired by the UK punk explosion. Mark Astronaut (died 7 July 2022) formed the band with a few friends in 1977, and began playing local gigs in their hometown of Welwyn Garden City. By 1979 The Astronauts were regularly appearing at free festivals and gigs in London organized by a hippie collective known as Fuck Off Records and from these began a close friendship with London punk bands Zounds and the Mob.

In 1979 the first Astronauts EP was released on local label Bugle Records and musically it reflected the hippie drug culture combined with the energy of punk.'All Night Party' still sounds like the paranoid nightmare it did back then.The record established the Astronauts on the local gig scene among the non mainstream hippie/punk/biker crowd.Also in 1979 an EP was released under the assumed name of RESTRICTED HOURS on the Stevenage Rock Against Racism label.' Getting Things Done' attacked the political apathy of small town life while 'Still Living Out The Carcrash' was musically a typically nightmarish theme.

By 1980 gigs throughout England with Zounds had won over an army of fans and the 'Pranksters In Revolt' ep sold all its copies within weeks.Musically the 4 songs were not as adventurous as the first EP although the lyrics were as incisive as ever.Like many great bands from the post-punk era the Astronauts were completely ignored by the UK music press which then as now was only interested in anything trendy,fashionable or middle class.Local fanzine Zero began to champion the band as did the local newspapers.

'Peter Pan Hits The Suburbs' was released in 1981 to widespread acclaim. Incredibly it received great reviews in virtually all the UK music press.The typical Astronauts audience at the time was largely hardcore punks attracted by the energetic gigs and a handful of hippies so the album was something of a surprise.Full of heartfelt folk ballads and featuring legendary jazz saxophonist Lol Coxhill, the album was not what fans had expected but appealed to a different audience.The band is remembered for the contradiction of heavy chaotic punk performances and structured melodic alternative pop/folk/ambient songs.

4) Hudson Valley, New York rock band "Astronauts" consisted of four great friends and a desire to create music from the heart. Two CDs and a demo were recorded ('Wizards', 'Avanti', and 'Deep Vermont') under the original line up consisting of Chris Bigley, Corey Burleigh, Simon Hegarty, and Steven Markota. Under the stress of juggling school and touring, Corey and Chris parted ways with Astronauts. Needing a guitar player and a singer, Steven and Simon found Mike Tash and Jacob Kolbinski to play.

A two song demo was recorded, entitled "Boneshaker". The new line up of Astronauts played many shows but the original fire was not there. The Astronauts soon fizzled out and new bands were started.

Day to Day
The Astronauts Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I fall to my knees heap praise
Looking up to god cause he saves
These days
Been far from perfect I’m searching
For a reason to change my ways
Got Thoughts running wild and they can’t be tamed
If it ain’t meant for ya then it can’t be gained
Or it can’t be claimed

Chasing these ghosts really had me drained
These days
I can’t even tell if I’m really sane
Trained at hiding the pain
If I keep it contained then I might maintain
Then I might maintain
I might end up wit a soul that’s stained
Spend my life tryna carry the weight
Till one day I’m laying in a grave wit
A heart that’s tainted
Wit a heart that’s tainted
Being broke is fun how
Don’t get it I’m dumbfounded
Downtown nigga but I’m on some uptown shit
I’m up now
Hustle till the sundown bitch
Gotta get the chicken
Getting to that Kung pao
Trippin you get drum rounds
I don’t do no talking
Listen closely hear the gun sound
Click-clack BOW
And another mother gotta mourn her son now
Told em dodge the trouble
But that seems to be the only thing he found
Doja got him in that dolce green is filling the account
On a high ain’t no felony gon bring him down
Hit the ground running goal is to bag us a big amount
And cop all of the things that we used to live without
Ima killa for the cream
Like scream
Make em shout
Tell em keep an open mind and an open mouth
Cause the closed ones don’t get fed
They just get taken out
Find yo own wave or be content wit a drought
I fall to my knees heap praise
Looking up to god cause he saves
These days
Been far from perfect I’m searching
For a reason to change my ways
Got Thoughts running wild and they can’t be tamed
If it ain’t meant for ya then it can’t be gained
Or it can’t be claimed
Chasing these ghosts really had me drained
These days
Running away turned into shadow
Love I’m ashamed of a world that’s too shallow
Saving my soul - though I almost lost it
Impact the globe don’t be changed by it
Oh the goal, is to touch the sky before you hit the ground
Hit the ground
Oh the goal is to save your soul don’t let them get you down

Get you down
Running away turned into shadow

Overall Meaning

The song "Day To Day" by The Astronauts explores themes of faith, struggle, and redemption. The lyrics speak about the challenges of daily life and the desire to find a reason to change one's ways. The artist falls to his knees in praise of God, recognizing that only through divine intervention can he be saved from his imperfections. The song reflects on the overwhelming feeling of being haunted by past mistakes, and the difficulties of trying to resist temptation and stay on the right path. The lyrics suggest a sense of urgency in the struggle for salvation and the need to constantly work at maintaining faith and inner strength.

The song's chorus provides a glimmer of hope amidst the struggle, emphasizing the importance of finding a reason to change and overcome personal demons. The verses delve deeper into the issues faced by the artist, with lines about the dangers of indulging in drugs and violence, and the struggle to maintain a balance between material success and spiritual fulfillment. The chorus serves as a reminder to keep striving for a better life, fueled by faith and an unwavering commitment to positive change.

Overall, "Day To Day" offers a powerful message of hope and perseverance, urging listeners to stay strong in the face of adversity and to keep working towards a better tomorrow.

Line by Line Meaning

I fall to my knees heap praise
I express my gratitude and admiration to a higher power.

Looking up to god cause he saves
I look upon a godly figure for salvation and help.

These days
Currently.

Been far from perfect I’m searching
I acknowledge my imperfections and actively seek improvement.

For a reason to change my ways
I am motivated to modify my behavior for a purpose.

Got Thoughts running wild and they can’t be tamed
My mind is overflowing with uncontrolled and unmanageable ideas.

If it ain’t meant for ya then it can’t be gained
If something is not destined for you, it cannot be obtained.

Or it can’t be claimed
The potential ownership or entitlement of something cannot exist if it is not meant for you.

Chasing these ghosts really had me drained
Vigorously pursuing something intangible has led to my exhaustion and depletion.

These days
Currently.

I can’t even tell if I’m really sane
I am uncertain if my mental state is normal or healthy.

Trained at hiding the pain
I have expertise in concealing emotional distress.

If I keep it contained then I might maintain
By keeping my emotions bottled up, I may retain my composure and stability.

Then I might maintain
I could potentially preserve my emotional stability.

I might end up wit a soul that’s stained
However, my inability to process my emotions could lead to moral corruption of my being.

Spend my life tryna carry the weight
I have spent significant time and effort trying to shoulder burdens and responsibilities.

Till one day I’m laying in a grave wit
This could persist until I am deceased.

A heart that’s tainted
My soul could be blemished or tainted by this burden-bearing lifestyle.

Being broke is fun how
The sarcastic sentiment that being impoverished is not enjoyable or entertaining.

Don’t get it I’m dumbfounded
I am confused and do not understand why someone would find this enjoyable.

Downtown nigga but I’m on some uptown shit
I am from a less wealthy area, but my mindset and actions are similar to those of more affluent individuals.

I’m up now
I have achieved upward mobility and success.

Hustle till the sundown bitch
I work tirelessly from sunrise to sunset.

Gotta get the chicken
I must acquire money or financial stability.

Getting to that Kung pao
I am striving towards luxury and expensive foods.

Trippin you get drum rounds
If you cause trouble, you may be met with dangerous firearms.

I don’t do no talking
I do not engage in idle or empty conversation.

Listen closely hear the gun sound
Pay attention and you will hear the sound of violence or weaponry.

Click-clack BOW
The sound of a firearm being loaded and discharged.

And another mother gotta mourn her son now
The consequences of violence and gun use often result in grieving families.

Told em dodge the trouble
I advised others to avoid trouble or dangerous situations.

But that seems to be the only thing he found
Despite my warning, this individual still found themselves in dangerous circumstances.

Doja got him in that dolce green is filling the account
The use of marijuana and other drugs has contributed to this person's wealth and financial stability.

On a high ain’t no felony gon bring him down
This person is thriving and will not let legal consequences stop them.

Hit the ground running goal is to bag us a big amount
This person is motivated to succeed and acquire a large sum of money.

And cop all of the things that we used to live without
With this financial success, this person intends to purchase luxuries and creature comforts they once could not afford.

Ima killa for the cream
I will work hard and aggressively pursuit financial success.

Like scream
I will chase this success with a loud and determined effort.

Make em shout
I will cause others to take notice of my success and accomplishments.

Tell em keep an open mind and an open mouth
Encourage others to be receptive and communicative.

Cause the closed ones don’t get fed
Those who refuse to open up and express their needs may not receive the help or support they require.

They just get taken out
Instead, others will ignore their needs, allowing them to suffer or fail.

Find yo own wave or be content wit a drought
It's important to find and follow your own path, rather than settling for less or following the crowd.

Running away turned into shadow
The act of evading problems or situations has resulted in feeling invisible or unseen.

Love I’m ashamed of a world that’s too shallow
I am disheartened by the superficiality and lack of depth in the world around me.

Saving my soul - though I almost lost it
I strive to preserve my moral and spiritual self, despite moments of potential loss or failure.

Impact the globe don’t be changed by it
My goal is to leave a positive impact on the world, without being negatively impacted or corrupted by it.

Oh the goal, is to touch the sky before you hit the ground
My aspiration is to achieve great things and make the most of my life while I am still alive.

Oh the goal is to save your soul don’t let them get you down
My ultimate ambition is to protect and preserve my moral and spiritual self, even in difficult or trying circumstances.

Lyrics © DistroKid, Songtrust Ave
Written by: ABDUL HOSAN, IAN GASTL, JON SHOCKNESS, TYLER STUCK, ZAEEM MALIK

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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