Soldier's Poem (song)
| Muse song | |
|---|---|
| Name | Soldier's Poem |
| Album/single |
|
| Length | 2:03 |
| Alternative titles |
|
| First live performance | 24th June 2006 |
| Latest live performance | 24th May 2011 |
| Recorded | New York Avatar/Electric Lady Studios 2005 |
| Writer/composer | Matthew Bellamy |
| Producer | Rich Costey |
| Song Nav | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Map of the Problematique | < | Soldier's Poem | > | Invincible |
| Album Nav | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Absolution (2003) | < | Black Holes and Revelations (2006) | > | The Resistance (2009) |
Description
A political song that - according to the NME - has a "backing that recalls granddaddy and a barbershop quartet".[1] It has a mellow jazz sound, with a military rhythmic beat. Its chord progression is quite similar to Elvis Presley's frequently covered song "Can't Help Falling In Love," which is in turn based on an 18th-century French love song, "Plaisir d'amour."
It is written from the perspective of a soldier who cannot find a reason for why he is repeatedly risking his life.[2]
Bellamy on the song: "A Soldier's Poem" tells the story of someone who gives up hope" also he said that he "felt sympathy with all the soldiers fighting in the war, but who are never talked about in the media because war is such an anonymous monstrosity. People often forget that soldiers risk their lives and amidst all the political debates their lives come least."[3]
Howard: “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".
Wolstenholme: "It's one of my favourite tracks on the album".
Additional Information
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 Bellamy.
Also, when Muse began to record, this song and Invincible were originally almost one continuous song. After Matt noticed that the falsetto in Invincible sounded weird, he changed the Key from D Major to C Major and also split Soldier's Poem and Invincible into two different tracks.[3]
In a interview in 2017 with ALT 98.7, Matt mistakes this song to be on the album Absolution instead of Black Holes and Revelations. He was quickly corrected by Dom.[4]
Equipment
This is the only song on Black Holes and Revelations that was recorded with Bellamy's Fender Stratocaster.
Live
Initially, Soldier's Poem was played solely on Bellamy'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.
Lyrics
Throw it all away
Let's lose ourselves Cause there's no one left for us to blame It's a shame we're all dying And do you think you deserve your freedom
How could you send us So far away from home When you know damn well that this is wrong I will still lay down my life for you
And do you think you deserve your freedom No I don't think you do There's no justice in the world There's no justice in the world And there never was
References
Back to Black Holes and Revelations