Be An Astronaut by Declan McKenna Lyrics Meaning – Soaring Through a Bildungsroman in Space

Lyrics

Daniel, do you remember?
You were in such a state
The boys that wait outside your house
Have got your number
And are not afraid to use it

They’ll probably give it out
To anyone they see, including me
They’ll probably make up your mind
As if you want them to

Oh, you (oh you)
Those boys tell you what to do
All the time
On, and then later on
You said I could be just what I wanted
They said you’re lying (lying)
Well, you were born to be an astronaut
And you’ll do that or die trying
What a way to live and die

And you wonder why boys will cry
Boys will be boys, they should listen
Do as their mothers tell them

If you know what’s good for you
Behave yourself this time for me
If you know what’s good for you
Don’t lay around complaining all day
Oh my, the boys that wait are on the line
And they’re not crying

On and later on, you will tell them what went wrong
And they’ll say you’re lying (lying)
But you were born to be an astronaut
And you’ll do that or die trying
There’d be nothing wrong with it, oh

Oh, you waste your time
Come waste mine

Oh my, the boys that wait are on the line
And they’re not crying
On and later on, you will tell them what went wrong
And they’ll say you’re lying
But you were born an astronaut
To do it or die trying
There’d be nothing wrong with it, ah

Declan McKenna’s ‘Be An Astronaut’ is a jet-fueled odyssey – not just through the cosmos, but through the tumultuous journey of youth and expectation. The track orbits around the grand metaphor of becoming an astronaut, serving as both a literal aim and a symbolic representation of chasing extraordinary dreams under the gravitas of societal pressure.

In this exploration, we delve into layers of McKenna’s cosmic ballad, crafting an understanding that connects the celestial to the coming-of-age. It’s a tune that harmonizes the tunes of ambition with the chords of reality, propelling us through McKenna’s lyrical solar system.

Launching into a Story of Ambition and Expectation

At the core of ‘Be An Astronaut,’ lies a story tightly wound with ambition, encapsulating the bittersweet urgency of youthful dreams and the societal shackles that often bind them. The protagonist, Daniel, finds himself suffocated by norms and the watchful eyes of his peers – the boys with his number, who neither hesitate to dictate nor to judge.

McKenna deftly encapsulates the inherent tension between self-driven aspirations and external influence. To ‘be an astronaut’ morphs into a dual challenge; it’s a battle cry against the onslaught of unsolicited direction while simultaneously acting as an introspective reconciliation with one’s own lofty ambitions.

Interstellar Interpretations: The Orbiting Tale of Pressures

McKenna’s lyrics are a navigation through the societal pressures that young individuals face, where ‘being an astronaut’ symbolizes the pinnacle of success as deemed by onlookers. Yet, this role of adjudged perfection comes with the steep price of personal authenticity and happiness.

The protagonist’s voyage reveals an unspoken truth: there exists a disjunction between the often romanticized idea of fulfillment and the sobering actuality of chasing it. McKenna sings not just of a career but of the existential turmoil of aligning one’s passion with the world’s rigid expectations.

The Gravity of Hidden Meanings: Chasing Stars and Irony

Beneath the surface of ‘Be An Astronaut’s’ melodic soundscape is an undercurrent of irony. The song encapsulates the tragedy of a character who is being pushed to attain a celestial dream, yet in actuality, this is but a mirage formed from societal projections, not his own heart’s desire.

The poignant chorus echoes a haunting reality – that the pursuit of such a dream, if not intrinsically owned, can be tantamount to a beautiful demise. It’s a cautionary tale woven into melodious warning: to pursue a calling that isn’t truly yours is to risk the epitome of existential failure.

Chart-Topping Phrases: The Lyrical Language of Declan McKenna

‘You were born to be an astronaut and you’ll do that or die trying’ becomes the song’s most striking phrase, a crescendo of societal expectation and personal defiance. It’s a line that draws listeners into the stratosphere of contemplation, challenging the audacious and necessary violence needed to tear away from predefined orbits.

McKenna’s choice of words provides a celestial backdrop behind which a more terrestrial drama unfolds. The duality of ambition – the noble aim for the stars against the voice that says ‘waste your time, come waste mine’ – crafts a relatable dissonance, marking the anthem as an alt-rock parable.

Cosmic Chorus and Earthbound Echoes: The Memorable Lines That Resonate

Moments like ‘You waste your time, come waste mine’ touch on the terrestrial tugs of companionship, the want for shared aimlessness which is both a comfort and a subtle resignation to mediocrity. It’s a line that encapsulates the double-edged sword of camaraderie amid dream pursuit, eliciting a response that reverberates through shared human experiences.

‘But you were born an astronaut, to do it or die trying’ is repeated like a mantra throughout the track, a line that stays imprinted in the mind long after the music fades. It is a memorable stamp that demands not to be forgotten, whose echo lingers to remind us of the vast space between who we are, who we’re told to be, and the endless trajectories we may take.