Once upon a time they sent a rocket to the moon
With scientific instruments to test conditions there
But just before they closed the door on scientist expelled a germ that accidentally found its way aboard and stowed away
For three years it remained undetected on the moon
It was the only living creature there
I'm all alone
I'm all alone
Behold the mystery that is me
Then one day the scientists recovered all their gear
Excited by the prospect of unearthly things inside
They found to their astonishment a living thing within
It seemed to bear good tidings from somewhere in outer space
You're not alone
You're not alone
Behold the mystery that is me
Soon they figured out the heinous error they had made
And now the earthly germ had something else it seemed to say
We're all alone
We're all alone
Behold the mystery
Behold the mystery
Quoth the Johns:
This song was part of the ABC Nightline series that we did. Our assignment was to write a song about a germ that went to the moon and caused quite a bit of confusion at NASA. This song contains a little more existential angst than your average folk song, and probably more than was required.
—John Flansburgh
[source: They Got Lost promotional email, November 6, 2002]