"Rocket Man" Taupin/John - Bradbury inspiration

[Kevrob]

[quote]

The songwriter {Bernie Taupin} revealed: “It was actually a song inspired by Ray Bradbury from his book of science fiction short stories called The Illustrated Man.

"In that book there was a story called The Rocket Man, which was about how astronauts in the future would become sort of an everyday job so I kind of took that idea and ran with it."

Shocked by the revelation, Sir Elton, 75, replied: "Do you know, I never knew that."

[/quote] - Evening Standard, 22 Mar 2023

Sir Elton John left stunned as he learns true inspiration behind Rocket Man

https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/elton-john-rocket-man-true-inspiration-science-fiction-b1069153.html

I listened to this when it first came out, and was struck by the similarities.

The Taupin/John composition was not the first inspired by the story. See:

https://rockremnants.com/2018/02/15/song-of-the-week-revisited-rocket-man-pearls-before-swine-the-man-in-the-moon-grinderman/

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Kevin R