Rocket Boy

“Rocket Boy” was featured in the soundtrack for the 1996 coming-of-age drama, Stealing Beauty, starring Liv Tyler and Jeremy Irons.

A fan-favorite b-side, “Rocket Boy” was a track that Liz and Jim Ellison of the band Material Issue wrote together. It was one of 38 tracks Liz considered for her third album, whitechocolatespaceegg and a different version of it appeared on the original 1996 running order (see ’96 Shelved Demos) for the album until it was ultimately removed.

A one-track promotional single for the song was also released in 1996 to help promote the film’s soundtrack. This version is the same version that is used in the film.

Released: 1996
Label: Capitol Records (DPRO-11240)
Format: CD
Country: US
Availability: Somewhat Rare

Written by Liz Phair and Jim Ellison
Produced by Jim Ellison and Liz Phair

Rocket Boy (Demo)

Rocket boy, rocket boy, rocket boy…

Didn’t see
Didn’t know
Hadn’t heard it before
I’m missing everything this time
And you’re closing the door

He used to be my favorite toy
Now you’re just my rocket boy
Rocket Boy
When are you gonna land?
Rocket boy
They just don’t understand

You used to be my pride and joy
Now you’re just my rocket
Rocket boy

Wouldn’t it be nice if I had been an ordinary girlfriend?
Laughing about it makes it real
Makes it happen to me
Well I can’t reach you

Didn’t see
Couldn’t know
Hadn’t heard it before
You’re slipping out on a mission
? …the door

You used to be my favorite toy
Now you’re just my rocket
My rocket boy

Rocket boy
When are you gonna land?
Rocket boy
They just don’t understand

You used to be my pride and joy
My boy
You had me

Rocket Boy

Rocket boy, rocket boy, rocket boy…

Didn’t see, I had no idea, never heard it before
And I said what good are you
Yeah well “Why don’t I?” is the question of the year
You used to be my favorite toy
But what happened to my rocket boy?

Rocket boy, when are you gonna land?
I said go, don’t stop it, go, don’t stop it
How we all understand
You used to be my pride and joy
Now you’re just my rocket
Rocket boy

They don’t know my friends
We got off again
How am I gonna get myself to sleep?
I got stains on my sheets and my nails are torn down to bone

Wouldn’t it be nice to have an ordinary girlfriend?
Laughing ’bout makes it real, makes it happen to me
Well I can’t reach you

Didn’t see, I had no idea, never heard it before
Well, I said what good are you, why don’t I,
No sense of fear
(Yeah, I don’t I.)
You used to be my favorite toy
But what happened, my rocket
(Now you’re just my little rocket boy.)
(Rocket boy.)
My rocket boy
(My rocket boy)

Rocket boy, when are you gonna land?
(Rocket boy yeah.)
I said go, don’t stop it, go, don’t stop it, now we all understand
(Rocket boy yeah.)
I said, rocket boy
When are you gonna land?
(Rocket boy.)
I said rocket boy they just don’t understand
(Die is cast and the dice are rollin’ I’m feelin’ like shit ’cause she’s
Feelin’ like gold.)
(Rocket boy.)
You used to be my pride and joy, my boy
You had me