The reality, however, is more likely that the astronauts are up there feeling lonely, and when they return home they will still be the same regular, flawed individuals they were before they left. Here we see more of the astronaut’s experience, with the long journeys into outer space while the people at home fantasize about the astronauts and paint them as heroes. Rocket man burnin’ out his fuse up here alone Chorus to “Rocket Man” by Elton John. ‘Til touchdown brings me ’round again to find Next up, we roll into the famous chorus, repeated twice in a row for maximum impact:Īnd I think it’s gonna be a long, long time Also present is the longing to get back home, down to Earth, or, in the case of an addict, off the drugs. The lyric about being “high as a kite” by 9am certainly invites the drug-fueled interpretation of “Rocket Man”, as this verse can easily be read as being about the disconnect from reality experienced by an addict. Calling it a “timeless flight” is a reference to the experience of being in space, where everything seems to look the same and the concept of time seems to become meaningless. His wife helps him pack his bags prior to leaving, and not long after he finds himself in orbit he already finds himself missing her. The song opens with spacious piano as Elton sings from the perspective of an astronaut preparing for his journey into outer space, with takeoff, or “zero hour” scheduled for 9am. On such a timeless flight First verse to “Rocket Man” by Elton John. She packed my bags last night, pre-flight With all of this in mind, it’s time to dive into the lyrics and see what they’re all about, starting with the first verse: ![]() This lends itself to the theory that this song is about Elton John’s struggle with drug addiction, although it is important to note that the artist has stated that he did not try cocaine until 1974, which was well after “Rocket Man” sent him barreling toward international fame. This was documented in the excellent 2019 biopic from Paramount Pictures, which was not coincidentally called Rocketman. This is especially true given the context of the time period during which the track was released, as the early 70s were known for rampant drug use, especially among rock stars.Įlton John himself is widely known to have partook in his fair share of drug use during the 70s as well. While Bernie Taupin may not have considered “Rocket Man” to be about anything other than the experience of an actual astronaut floating around in space, it’s easy to see how the song could have been given other interpretations. Watch that full video, which also includes thoughts from Elton John himself, below. Bernie Taupin on the inspiration behind “Rocket Man”. So I kind of took that idea and ran with it. In that book there’s a story called ‘The Rocket Man,’ which was about how astronauts in the future would become sort of an everyday job. It was inspired by a story by Ray Bradbury, from his book of science fiction short stories called The Illustrated Man. ![]() Produced by Gus Dudgeon, who also produced David Bowie’s 1969 intergalactic hit “Space Oddity”, the two songs have often been compared, with many considering “Rocket Man” to be inspired by the former.īernie Taupin spoke on this as well as the actual inspiration behind “Rocket Man” in an interview posted on Youtube in 2016: ![]() Penned by Elton John’s songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, “Rocket Man” appeared on John’s fifth album Honky Château and has since become one of the most iconic songs in the Elton John discography. However, the truth about the song’s meaning is much more straightforward. Some fans consider it to be a song about drugs, while others associate it with the rush and the isolation that comes with fame. ![]() Elton John’s 1972 hit “Rocket Man (I Think It’s Gonna Be A Long, Long Time)” has spawned many debates over the years about its meaning.
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