Intro music

Recordings played back as an introduction, shortly prior to Muse going on stage.

Dance of the Knights/Montagues and Capulets

Intro Music
Name	Dance of the Knights (Intro)
Artist	-
Length	1:44
Album	H.A.A.R.P. (1)
Writer/composer	Sergei Prokofiev
Appearance	16th June 2007 – 23rd September 2009

Montagues and Capulets - also known as Dance of the Knights - was used as a playback introduction to Knights of Cydonia during the 2007 stadium leg. It is a classical piece with a predominant string section. You may recognise it as the theme tune to the BBC's The Apprentice. It can be seen here, along with Knights of Cydonia. You can find a live version here. (Flac format, Live at Nimes Arena)

John F Kennedy speech

Screen at Madison Square Garden gig

Intro Music
Name	JFK speech
Artist	John F Kennedy
Length
Album	-
Writer/composer	-
Appearance	6th August 2007 – 22nd September 2007

An audio sample of this speech by US President John F. Kennedy was played live at most of shows during the August/September, 2007, tour of the US. The speech was originally given to the American Newspaper Publishers Association at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City on April 27, 1961. It is not quoted in its entirety, nor are all the excerpts presented chronologically. The full transcript is available through the external reference.

• Speech »

• The very word "secrecy" is repugnant in a free and open society; 
  and we are as a people inherently and historically opposed 
  to secret societies, to secret oaths and to secret proceedings.  
  
  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. 
  
  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. 
  No expenditure is questioned, no secret is revealed.
  
  That is why the Athenian lawmaker Solon decreed it a crime for any citizen 
  to shrink from controversy. 
  
  I am asking your help in the tremendous task 
  of informing and alerting the American people..., 
  confident that with your help, man will be what he was born to be, 
  free and independent.

What's He Building

Intro Music
Name	What's He Building
Artist	Tom Waits
Length	2:59
Album	Hullabaloo Soundtrack (pregap)
Writer/composer	Tom Waits
Appearance	2001

Written and performed by Tom Waits, this is a suitably weird poetic intro to Hullabaloo.

Apparently, this was written about nosy American neighbours who seem unable to mind their own business. Listeners are supposed to be on the side of the man who's building, inside the house.

To hear the full introduction on Hullabaloo Soundtrack, rewind from the first track.

• Lyrics »

• What's he building in there?
  What the hell is he building
  In there?
  He has subscriptions to those
  Magazines. .. He never
  Waves when he goes by
  He's hiding something from
  The rest of us ... He's all
  To himself ... I think I know
  Why ... He took down the
  Tire swing from the Peppertree
  He has no children of his
  Own you see ... He has no dog
  And he has no friends and
  His lawn is dying ... and
  What about all those packages
  He sends. What's he building in there?
  With that hook light
  On the stairs. What's he building
  In there ... I'll tell you one thing
  He's not building a playhouse for
  The children what's he building
  In there?
  
  Now what's that sound from underneath the door?
  He's pounding nails into a
  Hardwood floor ... and I
  Swear to god I heard someone
  Moaning low ... I keep
  Seeing the blue light of a
  T.V. show ...
  He has a router
  And a table saw ... and you
  Won't believe what Mr. Sticha saw
  There's poison underneath the sink
  Of course ... But there's also
  Enough formaldehyde to choke
  A horse ... What's he building
  In there? What the hell is he
  Building in there? I heard he
  Has an ex-wife in some place
  Called Mayors Income, Tennessee
  And he used to have a
  consulting business in Indonesia ...
  What's he building in there?
  
  He has no friends
  But he gets a lot of mail
  I'll bet he spent a little
  Time in jail ...
  I heard he was up on the
  Roof last night
  Signaling with a flashlight
  And what's that tune he's
  Always whistling ...
  What's he building in there?
  What's he building in there?
  
  We have a right to know ...