From Amanda Palmer’s album Who Killed Amanda Palmer. The subtitle is a reference to the Bill Bryson book A Short History of Nearly Everything.

According to interviews, Amanda’s former band The Dresden Dolls broke up due to constant fighting. It was, by Amanda’s account, a mutual breakup. Perhaps this song is about what the fighting which led to their breakup was about.

This song is possibly about her musical partner Brian Viglione from The Dresden Dolls, the band she was in previously. She is saying that he wanted bigger and better things for himself which is why she refers to him as an astronaut.

Alternately, this song could be simply about a girl who was a boyfriend that is an astronaut. Having to live through the torment of wondering if he will ever come back would be indescribably horrid.

Amanda wrote:

“astronaut” is, i think, my favorite song on the album, mostly because of how beautiful and slammingly perfect ben folds’ production turned out. i love his drum playing, the manic synths, the crashy percussion.

The production on this song is similar to several of Folds' own songs, such as “Not the Same”.