Rocket Man
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"Rocket Man (I Think It's Going To Be A Long, Long Time)" is a song composed by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, and popularized by John. It is loosely based on the short story "The Rocket Man" in Ray Bradbury's book, The Illustrated Man, and shares a similar theme to the David Bowie song "Space Oddity". It first appeared on John's 1972 album Honky Château and became a hit single and popular album track. As Taupin once noted, "it became very popular among the listeners."
Due to the song's connection with science fiction, it is considered by some to be an example of filk music, though it did not emerge from science fiction fandom.
The lyrics in the song, written by John's long-time collaborator Bernie Taupin, describe a Mars-bound astronaut's mixed feelings at leaving his family in order to do his job. Musically, the song is a highly-arranged pop ballad anchored by John's piano, with atmospheric texture added by synthesizer and processed slide guitar.
In the climax of the song's chorus, it is notoriously difficult to understand what John is singing. The true lyric is "burning out his fuse up here alone."
It was ranked #242 in the 2004 List of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Performed by other artists
The song has been performed by many others (for example Kate Bush) but arguably the most famous performance was in 1978, at a science fiction film awards ceremony, Bernie Taupin personally introduced William Shatner's unique interpretation of Rocket Man. Shatner's version utilized then-modern chromakey video techniques to portray simultaneously three different facets of the Rocket Man's character. A low-resolution video circulates on the Internet [link]. This performance has built up a cult following, and was parodied on the U.S. animated series Family Guy and Futurama, as well as in the video for Where It's At by Beck.One unique adaptation was done by an amateur band that was put together for just one day by the producers of an American radio show, This American Life.[link]
The cover band Me First and the Gimme Gimmes covered Elton John's song for their first album release, Have A Ball.
Another "Rocket Man" song (also based on Bradbury's short story, but unrelated to Elton John's song) was released by the musical group Pearls Before Swine on their 1970 album The Use of Ashes.
Foetus performed a reworked cover of "Rocket Man," titled "Puppet Dude," on the Male live album. The lyrics were altered as a tribute to Muppets creator Jim Henson.
Boysetsfire covered the song on their 2000 album Suckerpunch Training.
Ryan Adams and Elton John sung the song as a duet at the 2002 Country Music Television Crossroads.
William Hung covered the song on his 2004 debut album, Inspiration.
Jenny Gear sang "Rocket Man" top 5 on Canadian Idol
Andrew Flintoff also sang it in a duet with Sir Elton on May 9th 2006, all for charity, at Battersea Park
Other media
In the 1996 action film The Rock, Nicolas Cage's character asks a marine if he knows of the song, and states that the marine is the eponymous "rocket man" before launching a missile into him.The 1997 comedy movie titled Rocket Man starring Harland Williams was about a goofy guy who goes to explore Mars with some other scientists and a chimpanzee. Elton John's song was played during the closing credits.
In the 1998 biopic Without Limits, based on the life of American runner Steve Prefontaine, "Rocket Man" is playing on the car radio at the time of Prefontaine's fatal accident.
In the FX show Nip/Tuck, "Rocketman" was played while Sean McNamara's mistress, Megan O'Hara, commits suicide to cope with her recurring cancer, in season one.
In the cartoon Family Guy, Stewie fantasizes about singing Rocket Man on stage.[link] In another episode, William Shatner sings "Rocket Man" in a halting, bizarre fashion as a parody.
In an episode of Third Rock from the Sun, the Big Giant Head (played by Shatner) attempts to pick up a woman at a dance by saying "I'm a rocket man, you know... would you care to jettison your pants?"
It is featured in Episode 303 of Six Feet Under ("The Eye Inside").
External links
- [}}}] at YouTube circa 2000
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