Mr. Spaceman
The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers Lyrics
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And then realized it was still dark outside
It was a light coming down from the sky
I don't know who or why
Must be those strangers that come every night
Those saucer shaped lights put people uptight
Leave blue green footprints that glow in the dark
Hey, Mr. Spaceman
Won't you please take me along
I won't do anything wrong
Hey, Mr. Spaceman
Won't you please take me along for a ride
Woke up this morning, I was feeling quite weird
Had flies in my beard, my toothpaste was smeared
Over my window, they'd written my name
Said, "So long, we'll see you again"
Hey, Mr. Spaceman
Won't you please take me along
I won't do anything wrong
Hey, Mr. Spaceman
Won't you please take me along for a ride
Hey, Mr. Spaceman
Won't you please take me along
I won't do anything wrong
Hey, Mr. Spaceman
Won't you please take me along for a ride
The lyrics of "Mr. Spaceman" by The Byrds describe the experience of a person who has apparently encountered extraterrestrials, or at least believes they have. The singer wakes up to find a strange light, which he assumes is coming from a UFO, and speculates that the aliens responsible are the same ones responsible for other sightings. He expresses a desire to join them, asking the "Mr. Spaceman" of the title to take him along for a ride.
The song seems to be a lighthearted take on the idea of the "alien encounter" phenomenon that was popular at the time. The singer is fascinated rather than frightened by his experience and seems eager to have more contact with the supposed visitors. The humor in the lyrics is emphasized by the reference to flies in the singer's beard and toothpaste smeared on his face, suggesting that he might have dreamed the encounter or that it was a result of some kind of drug-induced hallucination.
Overall, the song is a playful exploration of the idea of extraterrestrial beings and the possibility of contact with them. It reflects the fascination with science fiction and the mysteries of the universe that have been a part of popular culture for many years.
Line by Line Meaning
Woke up this morning with light in my eyes
After waking up, the singer sees a bright light shining into their eyes.
And then realized it was still dark outside
Despite the brightness, the sky is still dark outside.
It was a light coming down from the sky
The light seems to come from the sky, implying it may have come from a UFO.
I don't know who or why
The artist has no explanation for the source of the light.
Must be those strangers that come every night
The artist believes that the light is from extraterrestrial beings who visit regularly.
Those saucer shaped lights put people uptight
The sight of the flying objects disturbs people.
Leave blue green footprints that glow in the dark
The extraterrestrial beings leave behind footprints that emit a faint blue-green glow in the dark.
I hope they get home alright
The artist is concerned for the safety of the visitors and hopes they make it back home safely.
Hey, Mr. Spaceman
The artist addresses an extraterrestrial being, possibly the pilot of the UFO.
Won't you please take me along
The artist expresses a desire to ride along with the extraterrestrial being in their spacecraft.
I won't do anything wrong
The singer assures the extraterrestrial being that they will not cause any problems or harm.
Woke up this morning, I was feeling quite weird
The artist wakes up with a strange feeling, perhaps because of their experience with the extraterrestrial visitors.
Had flies in my beard, my toothpaste was smeared
The singer's appearance is disheveled and chaotic, indicating their state of mind.
Over my window, they'd written my name
The extraterrestrial visitors left a message for the singer on their window.
Said, "So long, we'll see you again"
The message from the visitors implies that they will return to see the singer again.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Roger McGuinn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
andrew james Bunting
Lyrics
Woke up this morning with light in my eyes
And then realized
It was still dark outside
It was a light coming down from the sky
I don't know who or why
Must be those strangers that come every night
Those saucer shaped lights
Put people uptight
Leave blue-green footprints that glow in the dark
I hope they get home all right
Hey, Mr. Spaceman
Won't you please take me along?
I won't do anything wrong
Hey, Mr. Spaceman
Won't you please take me along for a ride?
Woke up this morning, I was feeling quite weird
Had flies in my beard
My toothpaste was smeared
Over my window they'd written my name
Said "So long, we'll see you again"
Hey, Mr. Spaceman
Won't you please take me along?
I won't do anything wrong
Hey, Mr. Spaceman
Won't you please take me along for a ride?
Hey, Mr. Spaceman
Won't you please take me along?
I won't do anything wrong
Hey, Mr. Spaceman
Won't you please take me along for a ride?
mark mcclellan
I was in Rome when this happened! The Byrds played at the Piper Club. The first International Pop festival happened just before this!
Womblike Calm
Pink Floyd (with Syd Barrett) played there too.
Lemon Head1
My parents had all the Byrds albums. I remember them listening to this groove when I was a kid. It reminds me of such a wonderful time!!
Elizabeth Garrison
Your parents must have been much younger than mine. My parents danced in the living room to tunes on the radio, like Be My Love by Mario Lanza
Gram May
I was named after Gram Parsons. Love this song.
rahul kapur
While smoking a blunt...this song makes me realise that growing up in the 60's with music like this was a gift...spaced out times those were! Thanks for posting!
brfts2001
@JohnnyFriendly I think it's way more chaotic now and not in a good way.
Dead Skunk
You have no earthly idea what you are talking about.
John Darsey
@JohnnyFriendly - I liked the chaos back then a lot better than what we have today... back then it was about freedom, now it's about control! Question Authority!!!
JohnnyFriendly
@Design Studio That's right - the '60s have often been airbrushed and romanticised by commercial concerns. The reality was that it was a far more chaotic time than even today (2021)