Explorers (song)
| Muse song | |
|---|---|
| Name | Explorers |
| Album/single |
|
| Length | 5:48 |
| Alternative titles | Alien Explorers |
| First live performance | 16th October 2012 |
| Latest live performance | 13th December 2013 |
| Recorded | 2011-2012 |
| Writer/composer | Matthew Bellamy |
| Producer | Muse |
| Song Nav | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animals | < | Explorers | > | Big Freeze |
| Album Nav | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Resistance (2009) | < | The 2nd Law (2012) | > | Drones (2015) |
Description
A song lamenting dying crops and abused nature, inspired by Matt's concerns of industrial greed and business monopolies. 'Explorers' is drenched in the sense of not belonging in your own world. Nearly called 'Alien Explorers,' Matt claimed, but "not in the way of aliens from outer space but in the way of feeling like an alien on your own planet. It's about the intense desire to grow and expand - at some point nature will become the minority. I'm not sure if I'm really coming from an environmental thing - [Explorers] is where I'm singing about my views on property rights. The idea that corporations can own vast tracts of foreign countries. I'm not sure if the deal went through but, I think it was in Paraguay or Uraguay, the Bush family bought something like a million acres of land, which underneath contains the biggest natural water reservoir in South America. At some point there has to be someone who says: 'That's not right.' Can BP buy Nigeria? At the moment they can. They could buy it and they kick all the natives out, shoot them down or whatever and just say, 'We own this now.'"[1].
According to Jeuxactu, a French magazine, Matt's vocals evoke similar feelings to the song Blackout. [2]
The intro bears a very strong resemblance to Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2 Op. 18 at 18:40. It is essentially the motif Rachmaninov wrote changed from C minor to its parallel key, C major.
In the chorus, you can hear similar vocals to Invincible.
During some live performances, a drum & bass jam called Monty Jam (Montpeller Jam), which bears resemblance to Nishe, is sometimes played.
Composition
The song begins in C major, but about halfway through, modulates to D minor (replacing B with B♭) for the rest of the song.
Information
By error of Bellamy, Howard, Wolstenholme or Kirk, the name of the song was leaked by a photo on Twitter, until it was deleted.
Live
Explorers was one of the rarer songs from The 2nd Law during the tour, despite making an appearance on every non-promotional date between the 10/26/2012 gig and 01/23/2013. From that point on, it was performed semi-regularly until the 04/26/2013 gig. After this point Explorers was dropped from setlists with five exceptions throughout the year. It appeared that, just as Overdue, Endlessly, Exo-Politics and I Belong to You before it, Muse simply lost interest in performing Explorers live later on in the tour.
Lyrics
Once I hoped
To seek the new and unknown This planet's overrun There's nothing left for you or for me Don't give in We can walk through the fields And feeling nature's glow But all the land is owned There's none left for you or for me Who will win? ‘Cause I concede
Free me Free me Free me from this world I don't belong here It was a mistake imprisoning my soul Can you free me Free me from this world
A world lush and blue With rivers running wild They'll be re-routed south With none left for you or for me Don't give in Hear the engines roar And save our crops from drought But when the black gold's in doubt There's none left for you or me Fuse helium-3, our last hope
Free me Free me Free me from this world We don't belong here It was a mistake imprisoning our souls Can you free me And free me from this world?
Free me I’ll free you Free us from this world We don't belong here It was a mistake imprisoning our souls Can you free me And free me from this world?
Running around in circles feeling caged by endless rules Can you free me Free me from this world?
Shh, go to sleep
Some times in live version, the 5th verse is changed from:
Free me
I’ll free you Free us from this world We don't belong here
To
Free me
I’ll free you Free us from this world I don't belong here