Darkshines (song)
| Muse song | |
|---|---|
| Name | Darkshines |
| Album/single |
|
| Length | 4:47 |
| Alternative titles |
|
| First live performance | 16th May 2000 |
| Latest live performance | 28th August 2011 |
| Recorded | Ridge Farm Studios Surrey, 2001 |
| Writer/composer | Matthew Bellamy |
| Producer | David Bottrill |
| Song Nav | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screenager | < | Darkshines | > | Feeling Good |
| Album Nav | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Showbiz (1999) | < | Origin of Symmetry (2001) | > | Hullabaloo (2002) |
Description
Darkshines is a bit Latin during the verses. The bass line is one of Muse's more difficult. It is powerful and has a wah-wah effect. Solos use a guitar trumpet effect, and the song features powerful distortion and chaos piano in the chorus.
Matthew Bellamy definition of Darkshines
"It's just about some hot girl, a chance meeting someone who you have a connection with. There's something a little bit dark about her, and it's asking why we're so desperately attracted to something of a dark nature." [2]
Composition
Darkshines is an alternative rock song, with elements of Spanish music. It's written in D minor and moves at a moderate tempo of 110 bpm. During the Leeds 2011 performance, the song was performed a half-step lower, playing in C# minor.
Bellamy's vocal range spans from E3 to F5.
Additional information
Probable meaning - Darkshines is about a tempting (especially for Bellamy) girl who is entirely dark and moody. She appears to hide a dark secret, making her even more desirable (see Gothic Looking Women Fetish). The line 'your innocence, I will consume' indicates that the song is about a young girl, and gives the song a romantic connotation.
Alternative meaning - Darkshines is about depression. Dark Shines is a personification of depression, in the same way that the character Jack Frost is a personification of winter. Bellamy seems to sing the verses from Darkshines' point of view and the chorus from his own. In this interpretation, the lyrical theme is similar to that of Bliss.
Live
Debuted as "Dark Skies" and "Dark Shines" varying depending on the date, Darkshines was performed very often throughout May and early June 2000. Despite this, after Glastonbury Festival 2000, the band decided to stop performing Darkshines for the time being. It's entirely possible they thought they needed to rework the song's composition to make it a better song, or they were just tired of performing the song already (this is the less likely scenario). There are quite a few early Darkshines performances thankfully, with the majority of performances being audio recorded.
Lyrics
Passing by, you light up my darkest skies
You'll take only seconds to draw me in So be mine and your innocence I will consume
Dark shines Bringing me down Making my heart feel sore 'Cause it's good
Hold your hands up to your eyes again Hide from the scary scenes Suppress your fears So be mine and your innocence I will consume
Dark shines Bringing me down Making my heart feel sore 'Cause it's good
Your dark shines Bringing me down Making my heart feel sore 'Cause it's good
Dark shines Bringing me down Making my heart feel sore 'Cause it's good Good
Early live versions
An early live version had the following different second verse:
I don't know what ?
It all seems so meaningless I hope you know it So be mine and your innocence I will consume
References
- ↑ Microcuts.net 20060520
- ↑ Rock Sound - 2001