Satellite

This song is about the Sputnik program. The following supports:

• It caught the US by surprise ("Are you what I think you are?")
• it reflects Western Cold War paranoia ("Always the first star that I find", i.e, cannot think of anything else)
• it spurred the US space program ("Elevator to the moon")
• it scaled the arms race ("Maybe you will always be / Just a little out of reach")
• it encouraged the formation of ARPA [now DARPA] ("Passenger side, lighting the sky")
• it indirectly led to the rule of Vladimir Putin ("Shining like a work of art", also "Just a little favorite tune")