As the website Schmoop commented, "The phrase "high as a kite" is a common idiom almost always used to refer to drug use. The song includes the line, ""And I'm gonna be high as a kite by then". Among numerous other performances, John played "Rocket Man" at the launch site of Space Shuttle Discovery in 1998. The song has been a staple of John's concerts. The first stanza of "Rocket Man" was thought of by Bernie Taupin whilst he was on the motorway heading to his parents' home and had to "repeat it to himself for two hours," which he states was "unfortunate" but then later stated in later interviews that since it gave him a hit, it was all worthwhile. Bowie himself made the connection during live performances of " Space Oddity" in which he called out, "Oh, Rocket Man!" Due to some similarities in Elton John's "Rocket Man," some presume this song might also be an allusion to David Bowie's character Major Tom. Rosenthal's account indicates that Rapp's version was inspired by the writings of noted science-fiction author Ray Bradbury. In an interview in Billboard magazine, Taupin acknowledged that the song, written by Tom Rapp, had been a direct inspiration for his own lyrics. It was later changed to #245 in the list's 2010 revision.Īnother song called "Rocket Man" (and also based on Bradbury's short story "The Rocket Man") was released by the musical group Pearls Before Swine on their 1970 album The Use of Ashes. "Rocket Man" was ranked #242 in the 2004 list of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It is also known for being the first song in John's catalog to feature what would become the signature backing vocal combination of his band at the time, Dee Murray, Nigel Olsson and Davey Johnstone. Musically, the song is a highly arranged pop balladanchored by piano, with atmospheric texture added by synthesizer (played on the recording by engineer Dave Hentschel) and processed slide guitar. The lyrics in the song, inspired by the short story "The Rocket Man" in The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury, and written by John's longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin, describe a Mars-bound astronaut's mixed feelings at leaving his family in order to do his job.
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