Boys and girls in cars
Dogs and birds on lawns
From here I can touch the sun
Yay! Yay!

Put your jackets on
I feel we're being born
The Tropic of Capricorn is below
Yay! Yay!
Yay! Yay!

We stall above the pole
Still your face is young
As we feel our weight return
Yay! Yay!

A trail of shooting stars
The horse is called a storm
Because the air contains the Charge
Yay! Yay!
Yay! Yay!

The radio is on
And Houston knows the score
Can you feel it, we're almost home
Yay! Yay!
Yay! Yay!

The crew compartment's breaking up
The crew compartment's breaking up
The crew compartment's breaking up
The crew compartment's breaking up
The crew compartment's breaking up
(This is all I wanted to bring home)
The crew compartment's breaking up
(This is all I wanted to bring home)
The crew compartment's breaking up
(This is all I wanted to bring home)
The crew compartment's breaking up
(This is all I wanted to bring home to you)


Lyrics submitted by mt in ch

The Commander Thinks Aloud Lyrics as written by John Roderick

Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

The Commander Thinks Aloud song meanings
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17 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    i love this song so much, it was my introductory song to the Long Winters. I liken it to the same vibe that I get when I listen to Bowie's Ziggy Stardust or Mr. John's Rocket Man. There is something so rock and roll and yet so tragic about space travel. The climatic ending to the song is scary and beautiful no matter how many times that you listen to it.

    heatherheathenon March 01, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    To me this song evokes memories of the Columbia. They're about to land, and everyone is excited, and all of a sudden: "The crew compartment's breaking up." Makes me tear up a little every time. I also love the second vocal part at the end: "This is all I wanted to bring home."

    sein514on June 13, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I'm 98% sure this is about the Columbia incident. Espescially as it said on the website that the EP featured a song about a space shuttle crash. The "crew compartment" section is just heart breakaing.

    GMMon July 13, 2006   Link
  • +1
    Song Fact

    John Roderick talks about this song at length on Song Exploder, Ep. 28. (songexploder.net/the-long-winters)

    This is absolutely about the breakup of the Space Shuttle Columbia. Even now, John has a hard time singing this song live without crying.

    deaduncledaveon June 10, 2015   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song is absolutely amazing. The first time you hear it (at least the version on Future Soundtrack for America) is an uplifting and inspiring experience. The piano and percussion melt and sublimate together to form the perfect background to the equally perfect vocals.

    frenchnerdon January 23, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    The song is about dying on reentry to earth's atmosphere. On another level, I think it's about having an 'authentic experience' but then realizing you'll never be able to share it with the person you love...

    Jeemaon May 15, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song is genius...Could it be about an astronaut's experience upon landing home?? Almost like the song "Major Tom" from Peter Schilling.

    GrungyBeatleon June 11, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think this song is about breaking up. At first everything is great...you feel like you can touch the sun. But as you feel your weight return (relationship is going into the toilet), it's like crashing back into the atmosphere...the shell (crew compartment) of your relationship is breaking up...

    foilboyon July 12, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    if you like this song, you should also check out the band called "Now It's Overhead", especially their song "Hi".

    HappyChillmoreon January 17, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    The song IS about the Columbia. It's hauntingly beautiful without knowing the back story, but when you tie the lyrics in with what happened, let's just say I like this song for a good cry.

    farfronormon May 18, 2007   Link

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