Rattlesnakes In Space Analysis
- Cliff Paris
- Jun 9
- 4 min read
“Rattlesnakes in Space: A Cosmic Tale of Science, Survival, and the Surreal”
Artist: Abandoned Space Man
Song: Rattlesnakes in Space
Introduction: Sci-Fi Meets Surreal in the Most Unexpected Way
What do you get when you combine science fiction, a failed space experiment, venomous reptiles, and poetic existentialism? You get “Rattlesnakes in Space”, a bizarre, haunting, yet strangely beautiful track by Abandoned Space Man. This song isn’t just a quirky space narrative — it’s an allegory about risk, isolation, mortality, and the blurry line between experiment and experience.
Wrapped in whimsical storytelling and powered by unsettling imagery, this song delivers an emotional payload that lingers long after the final verse. It’s tragic. It’s funny. It’s grotesque. It’s oddly human.
Let’s take a deep dive into the story and the themes that make “Rattlesnakes in Space” one of the most original sci-fi concept songs in recent memory.
1. The Premise: Experiment 06399 and the Beginning of Chaos
“My favorite experiment is 06399 / I contemplate it often because I almost died.”
From the outset, the narrator pulls us into a deeply personal reflection. Experiment 06399, a mission likely involving biological research in space, immediately becomes more than data — it becomes a matter of life and death. This isn’t just science; it’s survival.
A vivid picture emerges: the narrator is alone (or nearly alone) aboard a spacecraft, and something goes terribly wrong.
“They escaped from their cage / Ate the toad and the crickets.”
The rattlesnakes — living specimens — break free, eliminating the other test animals in a microcosm of predatory chaos. In space, even a small crack in containment spells disaster.
2. Tension and Comedy in Zero Gravity
“They slithered behind the breakers / And blew out most of the power.” “They wriggled in zero gravity to the center of the craft.”
There’s dark humor in the absurdity of snakes in space disabling systems by crawling into circuitry. The image of them floating aimlessly, seeking prey while bringing the ship to the brink of collapse, reads like a B-movie fever dream. Yet the tension is real — this isn’t just an inconvenience, it’s a threat to the mission and the narrator’s life.
3. Snake Motherhood & Ethical Dilemmas in Orbit
“Being pregnant was part of the experiment.” “Babies, babies everywhere.”
The horror amplifies when it’s revealed that the snakes were not only venomous but pregnant — multiplying the danger exponentially. The narrator, now outnumbered, faces an ethical and logistical crisis. The scientific objective begins to crumble under the weight of unintended consequences.
What was once a clinical study becomes a living nightmare. The solution? Open the hatch.
“They tried to grab hold with their final breath…”
Even here, the song blurs the line between biology and human emotion. The snakes’ last desperate attempts to cling to life create a disturbing sympathy for these engineered creatures.
4. Death, Resurrection, and an Unexpected Companion
“The funeral was at noon / The whole world watched them float.” “While a baby settled on my chest.”
Despite expelling the majority of the snakes, one survives — and bonds with the narrator. This surviving rattlesnake, perhaps the product of artificial evolution, isn’t just spared; it’s named:
“His name is Major Tom.”
In a clever and touching nod to David Bowie’s iconic space traveler, Major Tom, the baby snake becomes both a memorial and a companion. It turns tragedy into connection — something broken into something healing.
5. Themes: Science, Solitude, and the Cost of Curiosity
A. Mortality in the Vacuum of Progress This track explores the deadly consequences of experimentation without full control. Like Frankenstein in a space suit, the narrator reflects on a creation that spirals beyond comprehension.
B. Emotional Isolation Set in the cold, vast silence of space, the song captures the overwhelming solitude of the narrator. Even surrounded by life (albeit serpentine), the human connection is missing — until Major Tom becomes that link.
C. Surrealism as Emotional Truth Everything in the song — talking about antivenom, explosions, baby snakes floating like ghosts — feels unreal. Yet emotionally, it resonates. This isn’t meant to be literal. It’s a metaphor for chaos in the pursuit of discovery, and how often the line between success and disaster is impossibly thin.
6. Final Words: An Epitaph for the Lost and the Living
“These were lives spent for the greater good, they died for science.” “Signed me and Major Tom, a new rattlesnake alliance.”
In one of the most strangely touching finales in any concept song, Abandoned Space Man bids farewell to the creatures lost — and the mission that broke him. The sign-off isn’t triumphant. It’s humble. Slightly absurd. And deeply human.
There’s no neat resolution. There’s just a new bond, a scar, and a strange kind of peace.
Conclusion: Why “Rattlesnakes in Space” Matters
“Rattlesnakes in Space” isn’t just a story about snakes on a spaceship — it’s a meditation on what happens when humanity’s ambition collides with the unknown. It’s about facing the consequences of our curiosity, dealing with isolation, and finding unexpected companionship in the wreckage.
This song blends sci-fi narrative, dark humor, horror, and emotional reflection into a uniquely artful experience. It’s weird. It’s wonderful. It’s unforgettable.
🎧 If you love concept music that makes you laugh, think, and maybe cry a little, give Rattlesnakes in Space a listen. Just…maybe not right before bed. 🐍🚀
Let me know if you’d like a social media version, interview questions for the artist, or a video script summary for this blog!
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