Dead Star (song)
| Muse song | |
|---|---|
| Name | Dead Star |
| Album/single | |
| Length | 3:42 |
| Alternative titles | - |
| First live performance | 4th October 2001 |
| Latest live performance | 19th August 2017 |
| Recorded | September 2001-2002 |
| Writer/composer | Matthew Bellamy |
| Producer | John Cornfield, Muse |
| Chart position | 13 (UK) |
Description
Part of the double A-side single with "In Your World" released in 2002 as a stop-gap between albums.
Contains metal influences, with a repetitive bass-line that the guitar mimics. The lyrics and melody are extremely distorted, with strange twisted snarls between. Like many of Muse's earlier work, the respiratory noises have been left in (as in "New Born").
Recording
"Dead Star" was written alongside "In Your World" shortly after the September 11th attacks in America. The First version of the song was recorded in September 2001 at Long View Farm Studios in North Brookfield, Massachusetts. The band went there to record a new version of Plug in Baby requested by Maverick (who didn't like the original version contained in Origin of Symmetry), but they were stranded in the studio for several days due to the September 11th attacks, so they decided to compose new music there. The two songs produced were Dead Star and In Your World which, however, were recorded in their final form only at the beginning of 2002.
Additional information
Matt said that the meaning of Dead Star along with In Your World it's about "how we should be responsible for our individual actions and not blame other people all the time" and added "I believe in the butterfly, or ripple, effect and that any individual's actions will have a cause and effect that they may not know about, not just on the people near them, but on others; sixth degrees of separation and all that. And that's what the songs are about."[1]
At 0:07 in the song, just as the drums kick in, one of the band members (more than likely Matt) can be heard whooping.
Matt about Dead Star:
"I sort of got into that kind of thing, looking into space and all that - bit embarrassing, really. I'm a bit of a Star Trek fan in secret, but don't tell anyone (laughs). The song is about, let me think, it kind of how everyone reacted to the 11 September thing. We were in Boston at the time, we got stuck there, and that's when we recorded those songs. So, in some ways, the lyrics are a little bit about the hysteria around that time and how people were really quick to point fingers at everyone else when they should have pointed fingers at themselves."
Live
When played live in 2001, before the CD recording & release, the songs verses were mellow, with Matt playing chord arpeggios on a clean guitar setting, Chris playing the main riff on a clean setting & Dom playing a simple beat using the ride cymbal & snare. On the CD version, the verses have a heavier attack, featuring thumping drums played on the floor toms & distorted bass playing along with this beat. Matt also plays the same arpeggiated chords heard before, but with distortion & delay effects.
Dead Star was played regularly between 2001-10-04 and the last 2002 gig - Carling Weekend, Leeds. It was played occasionally in 2004, the last performance of which was at Earls Court, 2004-12-19. The solo started to be played an octave higher compared to on record and previously live, with the Carling Weekend 2002 dates.
On its return on the 16th July 2008 for the South American Tour, however, the solo was back to its previous pitch. Also with the return came a new synth part, played by Morgan Nicholls throughout the verses and that replaced the guitar part & Chris shouting the chorus.[2] The song once more returned in 2013 for The 2nd Law tour.
Lyrics
Shame on you
For thinking You're an exception We're all to blame Crashing down to Earth Wasting and burning out yeah Fading like a dead star, whoa whoa Harm is coming your way Yeah it's coming your way
You used to be everything to me And now you're tired of fighting Tired of fighting, Fighting yourself
Shame on you For thinking You're all alone If you want I'll make you wish you were Failing to impress Why can't you sleep with Someone who'll protect you, yeah Harm is coming your way Yeah it's coming your way
You used to be everything to me And now you're tired of fighting Tired of fighting, of fighting yourself Yourself, yourself, yourself
Fighting yourself, fighting yourself, fighting
References
- ↑ Guitarist (Magazine)- What all the Hullabaloo is about. [september 2002]
- ↑ jesuseduardoroldan. [Demuxed audio from YouTube video]. Muselive. Retrieved from www.muselive.com.