JFK (song)
| Muse song | |
|---|---|
| Name | JFK |
| Album/single | Drones (7) |
| Length | 0:54 |
| Alternative titles | |
| First live performance | 29th May 2015 |
| Latest live performance | |
| Recorded | 2014/2015 - The Warehouse Studio, Vancouver, Canada |
| Writer/composer | Matthew Bellamy |
| Producer | Muse, Robert "Mutt" Lange |
| Song Nav | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Handler | < | JFK | > | Defector |
| Album Nav | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The 2nd Law (2012) | < | Drones (2015) | > | Simulation Theory (2018) |
Description
Intro to Defector. It samples John F. Kennedy's speech mixed with music which is a reminder of Defector's guitar solo melody, but with orchestral strings.
According to Matt Bellamy, the intro is a start to more positive songs on the album, where the main character defects against the system. [1]
Matt said about the track that: "It talks about the human spirit, freedom and independence kind of stuff" and this is "where everything does a transition" and that "The JFK speech, at that time it was talking about the rise of communism and stuff, when you heard the words he said it's so relevant to the world even now".[2]
Trivia
JFK as an intro was aired at some tour dates during the Black Holes and Revelations tour in 2007, however it included more lines than the newer version, and only included his speech, without the string elements.
The background noise is the pitched down sound of a Drone MQ-9 Reaper flying, that sound is characteristic of the propellers of the so called drone.
The original speech by JFK Addressing the Press on the 27th of April 1961 can be found here
Live
The song was premiered on John F. Kennedy's Birthday, on May 29th, 2015 at Rockavaria Festival 2015 as an intro to Uprising.
During the Drones tour has been an intro to Uprising, Defector, Revolt, Reapers, Stockholm Syndrome, Interlude + Hysteria and Assassin. It has been a staple during all the Drones World Tour.
In 2023, it made a comeback for the Will of the People World Tour. Speech only is played from tape, before Kill or Be Killed, on top of the instrumental of Simulation Theory Theme. More info here
Lyrics
For we are opposed around the world
By a monolithic and ruthless conspiracy That relies primarily on covert means For expanding its sphere of influence
On infiltration instead of invasion On subversion instead of elections On intimidation instead of free choice On guerrillas by night instead of armies by day.
It is a system which has conscripted Vast human and material resources Into the building of a tightly knit Highly efficient machine that combines military, diplomatic Intelligence, economic, scientific and political operations. Its preparations are concealed, not published. Its mistakes are buried, not headlined. Its dissenters are silenced, not praised.
References
- ↑ Youtube. (2015-16-04). Dom and Matt interview on Alt 98.7 radio. Retrieved 2015-16-04 from alt987fm.com.
- ↑ Muse Matt Bellamy and Dom Howard Interview Sixx Sense 17-04-2015 (2015-04-17). Soundcloud. Retrieved 2015-04-17 from soundcloud.com.