Rocket Man

1. Rocket Man By: Elton John

2. About Elton John • Estimated to sold 200 million albums • 5 time Grammy award winner • One time Academy Award winner • Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II • In the Rock and Role Hall of Fame • 30 different hits on the top 40 charts between 1970 and 1982 • “Rocket Man” was written with Bernie Taupin • One of the main writers for Lion King

3. Title“Rocket Man” • First of all, you could take it as he is an astronaut because this took place during the space race • But when you look closer, at the song and title you realize it could also be about weed (Mary Jane)

4. “She packed my backs last night preflight”“Zero hour nine a.m.” • Literal Version • Wife or girlfriend kicked him out of the house • Could be put out for good • Early in the morning • Hippie Version • Kicked him out for doing drugs • Mainly Weed • Early in the morning

5. “And I’m going to be high, as a kite by then” • Literal version • He is going to be up high in space • By 9 o'clock in the morning • Hippie version • He is going to be really high off of weed • By 9 o’clock

6. “I miss the Earth so much, I miss my wife”“It’s lonely out in space” • Literal version • They are isolated up there • No ability to communicate with loved ones • Misses the solid ground of the Earth • Hippie version • While he is high he feels isolated inside his own mind • And misses his wife because she left him

7. “On such a timeless flight”“And its going to be a long long time” • Literal version • When they are in outer space they will be up there for an extended period of time • And maybe by timeless he means that the time is going by really slow • Hippie version • He doesn’t know when he is going to get of this high • And it is going to be a looooooooongloooong time before he does

8. “Till touch down brings me round again to find”“I’m not the man they think I am at home” • Literal version • Once he land he might realize that he loves to fly and want to go back up again • When he gets home his space adventure changed him • Hippie version • Once he gets off the high he is going to be looking to get on another high • When he leaves home his personality changes

9. “Oh no, no, no, I’m a rocket man”“Rocket man burning out his fuse up her alone” • Literal version • He is a true rocket man • He is living his life alone is space • Hippie version • He’s a doper • Smoking and getting high by himself

10. “Mars ain’t the kind of place to raise your kids”“In fact it’s cold as Hell” • Literal version • Mars is a really cold planet • It’s far away from the sun • And would want to raise kids where no other kids are • Hippie version • While he is high he pretends to visit Mars • Gives him some bone chilling effects while he is high

11. “And there’s no one there to raise them if you didn’t”“And all this science, I don’t understand” • Literal Version • Would be the only people ever to live there • He is an astronaut not a scientist • Hippie version • If the cops caught you with weed there would be no one to raise your kids • Doesn’t understand how he gets the high

12. “It’s just my job, five days a week”“A rocket man, a rocket man” • Literal version • He works five days a week being an astronaut • He is an astronaut • Hippie version • He only sells five days a week • He lives for the high

13. Poetic Elements • Repetition is used several times throughout the song for emphasis. • “And I think it’s gonna be a long long time” is used several times • “Oh no, no, no, I’m a rocket man” also repeats itself more than once.

14. Poetic Elements • Rhythm is used constantly to give it that flow that a song needs. • “And I think it’s gonna be a long long time till touch down brings me round again to find” • It also depends on who sings it to give it a catchy flow

15. Poetic Elements • Extended metaphor could also be the entire song. • He does not flat out tell you what rocket man means, but you can interpret it however you want • Either by a man being an astronaut our a pot head.