MK Ultra (song)
| Muse song | |
|---|---|
| Name | MK Ultra |
| Album/single | The Resistance (7)[1] |
| Length | 4:06 |
| Alternative titles | MK ULTRA |
| First live performance | 10th November 2009 |
| Latest live performance | 6th December 2010 |
| Recorded | Studio Bellini, Lake Como and Milan, Italy, 2009 |
| Writer/composer | Matthew Bellamy, Dominic Howard, Christopher Wolstenholme |
| Producer | Muse |
| Song Nav | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unnatural Selection | < | MK Ultra | > | I Belong to You |
| Album Nav | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Holes and Revelations (2006) | < | The Resistance (2009) | > | The 2nd Law (2012) |
Description
"MK Ultra" has an electronic sound and powerful, "spidery" riffs.[2][3] The end riff bears similarity to the main riff of Slither by Velvet Revolver.
Matt said, "This song is about brainwashing and the psychological manipulation that has been going on in the world, behind closed doors and via the media during the 20th century."[4]
Information
The title is derived from Project MK-ULTRA, the code name for a CIA project that sought to use drugs for the purposes of mind control and interrogation. An image of some declassified MK-ULTRA documents appears in the booklet of Black Holes and Revelations.
The song received regular airplay on Canadian alt-rock stations such as AltNation. The Howard Stern Show occasionally uses the outro as an interlude when the show is on break.
MTV Exit used the song in a music video that highlighted the dangers and impact of human trafficking. The video was premièred during the 11th September concert at Wembley Stadium.
Live
For live performances, the song is played half a step down, making it their only song--live or recorded--that utilizes Drop C# tuning. Also, Matt does not play the guitar part for the breakdown (starting at "and they're breaking through"). That part is done solely by Wolstenholme, due to the difficulty of keeping the irregular timing of the guitar part and singing at the same time.
A version of the song live from Turin featured in the 2009 Christmas present.
Lyrics
The wavelength gently grows,
Coercive notions re-evolve, A universe is trapped inside a tear, It resonates the core, Creates unnatural laws, Replaces love and happiness with fear
How much deception can you take? How many lies will you create? How much longer until you break? Your mind's about to fall
And they're breaking through They're breaking through They're breaking through (We are losing control)
They're breaking through They're breaking through And they are breaking through, They are breaking through, Now we're falling, We are losing control
Invisible to all, The mind becomes a wall. All of history deleted with one stroke
How much deception can you take? How many lies will you create? How much longer until you break? Your mind's about to fall
And they are breaking through, They are breaking through, They are breaking through, Now we're falling, We are losing control
References
- ↑ 7. MK Ultra (2009-07-03). Twitter. Retrieved 2009-07-03 from twitter.com.
- ↑ Julien Bordier. (2009-07-0?). Jai ecoute le nouveau Muse. L'Express. Retrieved 2009-07-10 from www.muselive.com. [verify]
- ↑ New album preview (2009-07-22). New Musical Express, 23–25. Retrieved 2009-07-29 from www.muselive.com. [verify]
- ↑ iTunes LP - The Resistance