The Dead Milkmen are a satirical punk rock band that formed in Philadelphia… Read Full Bio ↴The Dead Milkmen are a satirical punk rock band that formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The band's best known lineup consisted of Joe Jack Talcum (Joe Genaro; guitar, vocals), Dave Blood (Dave Schulthise; bass), Dean Clean (Dean Sabatino; drums), and Rodney Anonymous (Rodney Linderman; vocals, synth). The original version of the band formed in 1980 around Genaro's songwriting (a predominantly acoustic and often satirical take on New Wave Punk Rock) when he was seventeen; Genaro produced several home tapes as The Dead Milkmen, sometimes with other members credited (occasionally bootlegs or mp3's of these tapes surface). In 1983, the band was re-formed with Schulthise and Sabatino, and lastly vocals were handed over to their friend Rodney Linderman, forming the classic line-up.

The Dead Milkmen's songs found moderate success on alternative and college radio stations. Videos, notably Punk Rock Girl, even found their way onto MTV in the late 1980s. Topics for their music include satire on the 1980s music scene, toxic waste, jellyfish afterlifes, UFOs, conspiracy theories, and cover bands.

Irreverent absurdity fueled their initial popularity, particularly among college DJs. However, this genre was somewhat abandoned with the 1992 release of Soul Rotation, a much more subtle album.

After the Dead Milkmen went on indefinite hiatus in 1994, Genaro and Sabatino formed a new band, Butterfly Joe. Sabatino was also in the punk rock bands Narthex, Big Mess Orchestra, and Hunger Artists. Genaro was in a band called Touch Me Zoo. Linderman was in a band called Burn Witch Burn. Schulthise left music in the early 1990s after developing tendonitis, preventing him from playing bass, and committed suicide in 2004.

The Dead Milkmen took the stage again for two consecutive nights in November 2004 at the Trocadero Theatre in Philadelphia to play a show in memory of Dave Schulthise. Proceeds were donated to a variety of mental health organizations and to a Serbian monastery that Schulthise supported.

The band reunited in 2008 and released a new album (The King in Yellow) in 2011.

Rocketship
The Dead Milkmen Lyrics

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Rocket ship (x2)

I'm going on a trip
Far away
I am leaving today (x2)
Rock-et ship (x2)

My bags are packed

I'm ready to go
I'm ready to go-o

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one
Liftoff

Goin' to Planet X
There's a girl on Planet X
I don't know her
But that's alright
She don't know me either

Rocket ship (x2)

I'm goin' on a trip
Far away

I am leaving today (x2)
Rocket ship (x4)

Overall Meaning

The Dead Milkmen's song "Rocketship" is a quirky adventure anthem that details a protagonist's departure from Earth to an unspecified destination in outer space. The repeated chorus of "Rocketship" sounds like a child's imaginary playtime, but the lyrics suggest a deeper existential need to escape the mundane nature of everyday life. The first verse details the singer's preparations for the journey, with the line "My bags are packed / I'm ready to go" reminiscent of the classic travel song "Leaving on a Jet Plane." However, instead of heading off to a beach paradise or city break, the singer is leaving "Far away."

The second verse takes a surreal twist, with the singer revealing their ultimate destination as Planet X. He confesses there is a girl on the planet that he does not know, but neither does she know him. It's unclear whether Planet X is a metaphor for a mental or emotional state, like "Planet Sadness," or whether the song embraces the fantastical notion of space travel to a strange new world. Either way, "Rocketship" has an irreverent tone that delights in oddball imagery like the girl on Planet X, suggesting the song is more playful than earnest. The countdown to lift-off gives the song a sci-fi movie feel, and as the Rocketship takes off, the singer's life on Earth seems distant and unimportant.

Line by Line Meaning

Rocket ship
Exciting trip on a rocket ship begins!

I'm going on a trip
The singer is embarking on a journey.

Far away
The destination is a distance far from here.

I am leaving today (x2)
The artist is departing on the journey today.

Rock-et ship (x2)
Reinforcement of the exciting ride they are about to take.

My bags are packed
The singer is ready and has packed for their journey.

I'm ready to go
The singer is fully prepared for the journey.

I'm ready to go-o
Repetition for emphasis on their readiness to depart.

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one
Counting down to the launch of the rocket.

Liftoff
The rocket has launched and is taking off.

Goin' to Planet X
The destination of the journey is Planet X.