‘Rocket Man’ composed by Elton John and Bernie Taupin was first released on 17 April 1972 in the US as the lead single to John's album Honky Château. It made No.2 in the U.K. and No.6 on the Billboard Top 100.

The song was inspired by Taupin's sighting of either a shooting star or a distant aeroplane. And by the short story "The Rocket Man" in The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury, and echoes the theme of David Bowie's 1969 song ‘Space Oddity’ (both recordings were produced by Gus Dudgeon).

Bowie’s Starman was released 11 days later.