Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Astronaut

It figures that after struggling for weeks to come up with a video to post, I can now find one everywhere I look.

Song: Astronaut 
Artist: Simple Plan

This is not the first time a band has used being an astronaut as a metaphor for being alone and forgotten, but out of those that I've heard this one might just have the most powerful imagery and story.

Lyrically, the song tells the tale of an astronaut who left Earth and then is stuck out in space alone because "the world forgot" about him, and all he wants is to find somebody else and be able to come down. The video plays to that plot line, as the majority of it is of an astronaut wandering around alone looking for signs of life until he finally finds somebody else out there at long last.

The song itself is very intense, with whatever chord they played it in fitting so well with the longing and desire such a lonely astronaut would likely feel. And for the most part, it stays true to describing an astronaut left out in space, with only the opening to the chorus signaling the presence of a metaphor with "tonight I'm feeling like an astronaut" after having spent the rest of the song describing what feeling like an astronaut would actually be like. All-in-all, that subtle use of a metaphor makes for a very unique, powerful track.

Personally, watching this video it definitely tugs at my heartstrings something fierce to see someone so lonely. Maybe it's just because I know the feeling, but regardless of why, the way it was filmed to show all that raw emotion was absolutely brilliant and not only sticks with the story but gives it a very definite life.

The song also happens to be ridiculously catchy, which maybe explains why it's been on loop for me for about a week now.

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