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ALBUM/SINGLE: Unintended CD1 (2), Hullabaloo (3)
LENGTH: 3:35
FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCE: Nantes Olympic, 1999
RECORDED: The Airfield, October 1999
WRITER: Matthew Bellamy
PRODUCER: Paul Reeve
Creepy B-side that was played sometimes in the European tour promoting Showbiz. The meaning is very similar to the themes of Showbiz.
ALBUM/SINGLE: Absolution (14), Sing For Absolution Dutch CD3 (3), Absolution Tour (6)
LENGTH: 4:54
FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCE: Zenith Rouen, 2004
RECORDED: 2003
WRITER: Matthew Bellamy
PRODUCER: Rich Costey
Matt: "It's about some geezer who's come back from work and he's just kinda like shot everyone and blown everyone up, and he's come back to his wife with like a load of blood all over his hands going 'I've just blown it ... I lost it ... I lost the plot. The reason being because its slowly dawning on him that everything he is doing is out of his power." Ruled by Secrecy starts off very quiet, followed by an explosion of sound. It was one of the band (and Tom Kirks) favourite songs to play live during the Absolution tour. The video that plays in the background during live performances counts down to the piano climax, appearing to count down to an apocalyptic event, such as an atomic bomb explosion. The title and the song's meaning are also related to a book called Rule by Secrecy by Jim Marrs, a book about conspiracy theories of how there are secret societies dictating the way the world is run. The song probably refers to the 'underground' group called Illuminati.
ALBUM/SINGLE: Origin Of Symmetry (8), Bliss CD1 (3) French CD1 (2), Hullabaloo (17), Hullabaloo DVD (9)
LENGTH: 4:19
ALTERNATIVE TITLES: Razor Blades, Glossy Magazines, Razor Optics, Host No Thrills
FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCE: Amsterdam Paradiso, 2000
RECORDED: Real World Studio Wiltshire, 2001
WRITER: Matthew Bellamy
PRODUCER: John Leckie
Played a lot in 2000 and in 2001 (sometimes on the piano), a rare quiet moment from Origin of Symmetry. It is about technology and how it separates people even further rather than bringing them closer together. Also, it is the track with the infamous bubble wrap, shopping bag and skeleton bone percussion sounds, inspired by Tom Waits. Also about self harm.
ALBUM/SINGLE: Hullabaloo (7) (Acoustic), Hyper Music/Feeling Good (3) (Electric)
LENGTH: 5:12 (Acoustic), 3:16 (Electric)
RECORDED: Real World, January 2001 (Acoustic), 2001 (Electric)
WRITER: Matthew Bellamy
PRODUCER: John Leckie
Both an electric and acoustic version were recorded. The electric version is officially referred to simply as "Shine" and includes the arpeggios from Bliss and from the chorus of Falling Away With You, whereas the acoustic version is referred to as "Shine Acoustic". The lyrics between the two versions differ very slightly; in the second verse of "Shine", Matt says 'you should have teased', whereas in "Shine Acoustic" he says 'you used to tease'. Throughout the acoustic version, thunder and rain can be heard. Also, at 0:34 in the acoustic version, Dom can be heard saying 1, 2, 3, 4.
A rarely-played live treat for old Muse fans. Building up momentum at a rapid pace from opening drum beats to closing guitar feedback. The later live versions had extra guitar work before the solo, as on Hullabaloo and Hullabaloo DVD. Matt: : "The song "Showbiz" is about how we all have an inside personality that we sort of hide from the outside."
SHOWBIZ
ALBUM/SINGLE: Muse Promo EP (4), Showbiz (6), Hullabaloo (14), Hullabaloo DVD (6)
LENGTH: 5:17
RECORDED: 1999
WRITER: Matthew Bellamy
PRODUCER: John Leckie
ALBUM/SINGLE: Newborn CD1 (2), Hullabaloo (2)
LENGTH: 3:06
FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCE: Big Cat, Osaka, Japan, 2000
RECORDED: Real World, January 2001
WRITER: Matthew Bellamy
PRODUCER: John Leckie
B-side that was rarely played live. It was played at least twice before Origin of Symmetry was released though. Slighty similar arpeggios to Stockholm Syndrome and Bliss. Probably about a relationship going wrong. Shrinking Universe was used in the trailer for "28 Weeks Later"
ALBUM/SINGLE: Absolution (4), Sing For Absolution CD (1) Vinyl (1) DVD (1,2) Dutch CD1 (1) Dutch CD/DVD2 (1,4) Dutch CD3 (1), Absolution Tour (3)
LENGTH: 4:54
FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCE: Melkweg, Amsterdam, 2003
RECORDED: 2003
WRITER: Matthew Bellamy
PRODUCER: Rich Costey
CHART POSITION: 16
According to Dom, this song is about writing music. It has been thought that it is about a relationship, perhaps about Matt being "in the doghouse". An acoustic version has been released for the Butterflies & Hurricanes single.
ALBUM/SINGLE: This Is A Muse Demo (2)
RECORDED: Wolstenholme's House, May 1995
PRODUCER: Muse
One of the songs off of the first Muse demo tape. Recorded in Chris's house, 1995. Muse played this song as a riff during the 1998-1999 era.
SMALL MINDED
FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCE: 1994
WRITER: Matthew Bellamy
Small Minded was the first song Matt composed. It included some piano parts, and was played during battle of the bands contests. By the time of the MuseChat in November 2006, Matt couldn't recall the lyrics, nor what the lyrics were about.
ALBUM/SINGLE: Muscle Museum EP (2), Showbiz (9), Unintended Vinyl (2), NME Sampler (11), Muscle Museum US CD2 (2)
LENGTH: 4:04
ALTERNATIVE TITLES: Only
RECORDED: 1999
WRITER: Matthew Bellamy
PRODUCER: Paul Reeve
A flash based video was made for this song which features Matt. Sober also featured in Gran Turismo. Matt has stated that what was "Royal Canadian blended" is not beer, but bourbon.
ALBUM/SINGLE: Black Holes & Revelations (5)
LENGTH: 2:03
ALTERNATIVE TITLES: A Soldier's Poem
FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCE: Southside Festival, Neuhausen ob Eck, 2006
RECORDED: New York Avatar/Electric Lady Studios 2005
WRITER: Matthew Bellamy
PRODUCER: Rich Costey
A political song that has a backing that recalls granddaddy and a barbershop quartet. It has a mellow jazz sound, with a military rhythmic beat. It is written from the perspective of a soldier who cannot find a reason for why he is repeatedly risking his life. This song was one of those dropped from Absolution, where it had a more epic and heavy style. It was reworked with a small number of jazz instruments. Used double bass, jazz guitars and old drums. The lyrics came very easily for Matt. Dom: “It’s about a soldier in prison, who feels abandoned by a country that’s falling apart. We didn’t know how to play it and, finally, we made into a melodramatic jazz style. It’s big and minimal at the same time. We were surprised to see that you can play jazz and make it sound good. We’ll probably keep it, because we’ll have a whale of a time with it". Initially, Soldier's Poem was played solely on Matt's 'piano'. Starting sometime during October 2006, Howard has started introducing the song as "for all the lighters and mobile phones". At Antwerp 19th December 2006 and many times afterwards, the song was played using an acoustic guitar.
Space dementia is the term NASA uses to describe the mental condition a few astronauts experience when they're in space. This can be contributed towards feelings of insignificance, insecurity lack of social contact and the astronauts awareness of total isolation from the human race. The song starts with a piano introduction (Rachmaninov inspired) and heads into a heavy verse, with hammering piano and guitar, the chorus is introduced by a looping synth keyboard, followed by a delicate vocal show, before hammering piano introduces the next verse. However, the chorus vocal line (from "... and tear us apart", until the end of the chorus) and chords are an exact reduction of part of Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto 1st Movement at about 1:30. The song is finished with an elaborate extended chorus, then a heavy codus, incorporating huge amounts of phase effects, piano and distorted bass and rumored too have the sound of Matt's fly in there too.
ALBUM/SINGLE: Origin Of Symmetry (3), Hullabaloo (18), Hullabaloo DVD (11)
LENGTH: 6:20
FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCE: Denk aan Henk, 3FM 2001
RECORDED: Real World Studio Wiltshire, 2001
WRITER: Matthew Bellamy
PRODUCER: John Leckie
ALBUM/SINGLE: Plug In Baby CD2 (2), Showbiz JP (13)
LENGTH: 4:43
FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCE: 1998
RECORDED: 1999
WRITER: Matthew Bellamy
PRODUCER: John Leckie
One of the darker Muse tracks of the Showbiz era. Spiral static is the calm before the storm that swells and explodes. Early versions were played before the release of the first EPs and Showbiz.
ALBUM/SINGLE: Black Holes & Revelations (2), Starlight (1)
LENGTH: 3:59
FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCE: One Big Weekend 2006
RECORDED: New York Avatar/Electric Lady Studios, 2005
WRITER: Matthew Bellamy
PRODUCER: Rich Costey
CHART POSITION: 5 (AU), 13 (UK Download Chart), 7 (UK Physical), 1 (NME)
Matt: "We had rented a boat to go fishing, the weather was horrible and we were all ill. Once in our pathetic motel, without TV or anything, I was bored stiff, and I wrote the beginning of the song. I don’t know if it came from the boat, the weather or the seasickness, but it was very optimistic." According to Chris, the song is a love song about missing someone you love, including family and friends. Starlight is played for Edmontonians of Alberta, Canada on Sonic 102.9, as well as being the opening music for the International Football coverage on Sky Sports in the UK. Starlight is played in b-flat live, instead of b.
This song was written on piano by Matthew Bellamy, the guitar riff was actually done by both guitar and synths, Matt then mixed both of the sounds together and used what came out in between them two. The main riff was inspired by System of a Down. he syndrome is named after the Norrmalmstorg robbery of Kreditbanken at Norrmalmstorg, Stockholm in which the bank robbers held bank employees hostage from August 23 to August 28, 1973. In this case, the victims became emotionally attached to, and even defended, their captors after they were freed from their six-day ordeal. The term was coined by the criminologist and psychologist Nils Bejerot, who assisted the police during the robbery, and referred to the syndrome in a news broadcast. The majority of the hostages were okay, but one of them committed suicide and another changed his name to that of one of his captors and disappeared.
ALBUM/SINGLE: Stockholm Syndrome, Absolution (5), Absolution Sampler (2), Australian Bonus Disc (1), Absolution Tour (15)
LENGTH: 4:58, 4:06 (Radio Edit)
ALTERNATIVE TITLES: De-Tuned Riff, New D
FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCE: Melkweg Amsterdam, 2003
RECORDED: 2003
WRITER: Matthew Bellamy
PRODUCER: Rich Costey
CHART POSITION: 31 (UK Download)
SUNBURN
ALBUM/SINGLE: Showbiz (1), Sunburn CD1 (1,3) CD2 (1) Vinyl (1,2) German Promo (1,4) US Promo (1,2,3), Muscle Museum US CD1 (3), Random 1-8 (9), Muse Sampler (4), Sing For Absolution NL CD1 (3), Absolution Tour (7)
LENGTH: 3:54
RECORDED: 1999
WRITER: Matthew Bellamy
PRODUCER: John Leckie
CHART POSITION: 22
Matt declared that while the band were recording, this song was one of his favourites, but found it a bit weak at first: "I wanted to make it sound good. So that was when John Leckie, our producer, had this idea to work out the guitar part on the piano. That was the first time I played piano in years it seems, and I had to spend two or three days just practising Sunburn, which is a pretty simple part". As of 18th July 2007, the piano and drums from the intro of Sunburn were used in the BBC's TV coverage of the Open golf championship. Three remixes were created entitled "Sunburn (Timo Maas Sunstroke Mix)", "Sunburn (Timo Maas Breakz Again Remix)" and "Sunburn (Steven McCreery Remix)".
SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLE
ALBUM/SINGLE: Black Holes and Revelations (3), Supermassive Black Hole CD (1) vinyl (1) DVD (1, 2), Promo CD (1), Starlight vinyl (2), Knights of Cydonia (2)
LENGTH: 3:29
FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCE: One Big Weekend 2006
RECORDED: New York Avatar/Electric Lady Studios, 2005
WRITER: Matthew Bellamy
PRODUCER: Rich Costey
CHART POSITION: 4 (UK), 12 (US)
Dance-type beat with alternative guitar. Inspired by a Norwegian mix of funk & disco. Described by the band as Prince-like and inspired by Franz Ferdinand. Heavy and funky. Matt: "It’s the most different to anything we’ve ever done. We’ve had some Belgian influences: Millionaire, dEUS, Evil Superstars, Soulwax etc. These groups were the first to mix R&B rhythms with alternative guitar. We’ve added a bit of Prince and Kanye West. The drumbeat isn’t rocky, with Rage Against The Machine riffs underneath. We’ve mixed a lot of things in this track, with a bit of electronica; it’s different, slow, quite funny..."
ALBUM/SINGLE: Black Holes & Revelations (1)
LENGTH: 4:35
ALTERNATIVE TITLES: Hex
FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCE: Shepherds Bush Empire 2006
RECORDED: 2005/2006
WRITER: Matthew Bellamy
PRODUCER: Rich Costey
Take a Bow calls on world leaders to take responsibility for their actions. Muse move through three musical stages: starting off as a classical piece before moving into a techno mid-section and an "apocalyptic rock" ending. A looping epic which morphs into a gothic fairytale. It was either going to be at the beginning or the end of the album. Put first on the album because it ends in the key of B which is the key of the second track. This song was initially called Hex. Take a Bow was often played as a piano interlude between Citizen Erased and Space Dementia on the Absolution tour.
ALBUM/SINGLE: Time is Running Out CD (2) vinyl (2), Butterflies and Hurricanes DVD (3), Absolution Tour (16)
LENGTH: 2:37
ALTERNATIVE TITLES: Easy Tiger
FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCE: Maida Vale, 2003
RECORDED: 2003
WRITER: Matthew Bellamy
PRODUCER: Rich Costey
Called Easy Tiger due to Matt saying "Easy tiger" after performing it. A live version features as an extra track on the Absolution Tour DVD. The version on the Butterflies and Hurricanes (single) DVD includes a brief voiceover by Matt, explaining that copyright reasons prevented them from putting the whole song on a DVD before it had been released as a B-side. The full uninterrupted version of this video appears on the Absolution Tour DVD.
THE SMALL PRINT
ALBUM/SINGLE: Absolution Sampler (4), Absolution (11), Sing for Absolution NL CD3 (4), Absolution Tour (14)
LENGTH: 3:28
ALTERNATIVE TITLES: Action Faust, TSP
FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCE: Moscow Stunt Festival, 2002
RECORDED: London Air Studios, 2003
WRITER: Matthew Bellamy
PRODUCER: Rich Costey
A simple metal come heavy rock song. Chosen ahead of Fury in the final track listing for Absolution. It was a live favourite from the 2002 tour up to and including the 2005 tour. At 2:51, a cat can be heard meowing.
Another song where Matt is in character, dealing with his atheism. As the title suggests, it concerns the thoughts of a dying atheist, scared due to him not believing in heaven or hell or any postmortem plane of existence his entire life. Now, at the moment of his death, he must face the disheartening non existence he had come to believe in. Just before the bridge, at 2:04, Chris can be heard jumping into the pool at Grouse Lodge recording studio as Dom hits his cymbals. Thoughts of a Dying Atheist was once a working title for Megalomania.
ALBUM/SINGLE: Absolution (13), Absolution Tour (17)
LENGTH: 3:11
ALTERNATIVE TITLES: Scaring Me
FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCE: Melkweg Amsterdam, 2003
RECORDED: 2003
WRITER: Matthew Bellamy
PRODUCER: Rich Costey
ALBUM/SINGLE: Absolution Sampler (1), Absolution (3) Australian (20), Time Is Running Out CD (1) vinyl (1) DVD (1, 2), Sing for Absolution Dutch CD/DVD2 (2) Dutch CD3 (2), Absolution Tour (10)
LENGTH: 3:56
FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCE: Melkweg Amsterdam, 2003
RECORDED: 2003
WRITER: Matthew Bellamy
PRODUCER: Rich Costey
CHART POSITION: 8
Matt: : "It's just about feeling that the last moments of your life are running out and... it's more about the emotion itself: being suffocated, feeling that your last chance is being taken away from you by something that's outside of your own power, and you can apply that to society, a relationship, your religion or whatever". The clicks and claps throughout the song resemble the 'tick tock' of a clock. On the Absolution bonus 'making of' DVD, the band and Tom Kirk can be seen making these sounds by clicking their fingers and clapping their hands against their laps.
TWIN
ALBUM/SINGLE: Helping You Back to Work Volume 1, Cave CD1 (2)
LENGTH: 3:19 (Twin), 2:55 (Balloonatic)
ALTERNATIVE TITLES: Balloonatic
FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCE: Elysee Montmartre
RECORDED: 1997, 1999
WRITER: Matthew Bellamy
This was a reworked version of the song Balloonatic, the very first song Muse recorded together, back in 1997. By the time Twin was released, Matt was unaware that it had ever been released under the name Balloonatic. At 0:08, Matt can be heard giggling.
ALBUM/SINGLE: Muscle Museum EP (4), Muse Promo EP (3), Showbiz (7), Unintended CD1 (1) CD2 (1) vinyl (1), Hullabaloo DVD (18)
LENGTH: 3:56
RECORDED: 1999
WRITER: Matthew Bellamy
PRODUCER: Paul Reeve
CHART POSITION: 20
Played heavily during the 1999/2000 tours as a lighter anthem and occasionally during 2001. It returned to the set list with recent 2007 gigs. When it was played from 1999 through 2001, both Matt and Chris would play guitar. Matt's was electric and Chris' would either be acoustic or electric. Chris would also play the bass with a foot pedal controller. From 2007 onwards, Matt has been playing guitar and Chris has been playing bass. Matt's explanation: "There are a few unintended love songs as well. The song I wrote about the girl was written in the studio after a phone conversation with her. We called it 'Unintended' because it came out of nowhere, and I didn't mean it to happen, all of these feelings for this girl".
Muse's first single. Originally featured on the Muscle Museum EP. Could be about the same person as in Hyper Music and Hate This & I'll Love You. Someone who was associated with the band before they made it, who Matt had reason to dislike. (On a similar theme Sunburn seems to be about a girl who was associated with them, who in contrast Matt regrets having to leave behind, because he sees her as a star). It is a fairly simple, yet sober song. An alternate version featuring an acoustic guitar is availiable on the 7" single.
ALBUM/SINGLE: Muse Promo EP (3), Muscle Museum EP (3), Uno CD (1) DE CD (1,4) vinyl (1), Showbiz (8), Sunburn CD2 (3), Hullabaloo (8)
LENGTH: 3:38, 3:01 (Radio Edit), 2:53 (2nd Radio Edit)
RECORDED: 1999
WRITER: Matthew Bellamy
PRODUCER: John Leckie
CHART POSITION: 73
WEAKENING WALLS
ALBUM/SINGLE: None
RECORDED: Not recorded. Played live circa 1994
WRITER: Matthew Bellamy
An early punk-inspired song that Muse, or an early incarnation of Muse, played during battle of the bands contests. Matt mentions this song on the Origin of Symmetry Interview promo.
ALBUM/SINGLE: Hullabaloo (1), Hullabaloo DVD (1)
LENGTH: 2:59
RECORDED: 2001
WRITER: Tom Waits
PRODUCER: Tom Waits & Kathleen Brennan
To hear the full introduction on Hullabaloo, rewind from the first track. Written and performed by Tom Waits, this is a suitably weird poetic intro to Hullabaloo. Apparently, this was written about nosy American neighbours who seem unable to mind their own business. Listeners are supposed to be on the side of the man who's building, inside the house.
An early punk-inspired song that Muse, or an early incarnation of Muse, played during battle of the bands contests. Matt mentions this song on the Origin of Symmetry Interview promo.
YELLOW REGRET
ALBUM/SINGLE: None
LENGTH: 2:44
RECORDED: Unknown. Played live circa 1994
WRITER: Matthew Bellamy
YES PLEASE
ALBUM/SINGLE: Sunburn CD2 (2), Hullabaloo (4), Random 1-8 (6)
LENGTH: 3:05
FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCE: Haus Auensee, Leipzig, Germany, 2000
RECORDED: The Airfield, October 1999
WRITER: Matthew Bellamy
PRODUCER: Paul Reeve
This song is very loud and distorted, with distorted vocals as well. The song is about a friend of Matt's whose life was destroyed by drug abuse. At 0:20-0:32, the band can be heard laughing. Matt laughs 'Jump on my pleasure pill? Yes please!' at this point. They can be heard laughing again at 1:50 and 2:50.
