My House on Mars

Ayreon - My House On Mars (Universal Migrator Part 1&2) 2000

My House on Mars is the second song from Universal Migrator Part 1: The Dream Sequencer. Its length is 7:49. It is preceded by The Dream Sequencer, and followed by 2084.

Plot

The Colonist relives his childhood memories, where he and his sister mourn the loss of their father, who returned to Earth in order to fight in the war of 2085. He also laments the general state of life on Mars, as well as his longing to go to an Earth he will never be able to experience.

Singers

• Johan Edlund as the Colonist
• Floor Jansen as the Colonist's sister

Lyrics

"It is the end of the 21st Century. I have returned to my own childhood. I remember it all as the Dream sequencer images mix with my own recollections. This is the day my sister and I realise that we will never see the planet Earth."

[Johan Edlund]
Daddy where are you now
Forgot about your vow?
You promised you'd return and take me to Earth

Did you have to fight that war
What was it all for?
The honour of one's name, what is it worth?

[Johan Edlund, Floor Jansen]
I'm all alone - We're all alone
My future's unknown - Our future's unknown
I reach out to the stars out here in my house on Mars

[Johan Edlund]
Mother did you hear me cry?
You never told me why
You put me in this world of rock and dust

No friends for playing games
No foes who scorn my name
Computerised machines of steel and rust

[Johan Edlund, Floor Jansen]
Is this my home? - This is our home
This desolate dome - His desolate dome
I call out to the stars: I'm alone in my house on Mars

[Johan Edlund]
I'll never smell the ocean breeze
I'll never climb the highest trees
I'll never feel the burning sun
I'll never meet my chosen one...

in my house

Daddy I forgive you now
You could not keep your vow
You will never return, I'll never see Earth

[Johan Edlund, Floor Jansen]
My time has come - Our time has come
I'm emotionally numb - Emotionally numb
I'm headed for the stars, I'm leaving my house on Mars
No friends in my house on Mars
No foes in my house on Mars
I was born in my house on Mars
I will die in my house on Mars

Trivia

My House on Mars won an online poll, and the first 30 seconds of the song were selected to be transmitted from Mars, along with 9 other fragments, during the European/Russian space mission ExoMars. Arjen Lucassen stated to have been absolutely thrilled as a Space Freak and Science Lover that his song managed to make it to the space mission. (Source)