Glorious (song)
| Muse song | |
|---|---|
| Name | Glorious |
| Album/single |
|
| Length | 4:38 |
| Alternative titles |
|
| First live performance | 22nd October 2004 |
| Latest live performance | 19th August 2017 |
| Recorded | 2005-2006 |
| Writer/composer | Matthew Bellamy |
| Producer | Rich Costey |
| Song Nav | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knights of Cydonia | < | Glorious (bonus track) | > | |
| Album Nav | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Absolution (2003) | < | Black Holes and Revelations (2006) | > | The Resistance (2009) |
[Listen]
Description
Begins with a guitar riff which uses a pedal note throughout supported by a moving bass line which is continued in the verse. Drum part is rhythmically imitative of the guitar riff. The chorus is heavily chromatic. Both the guitar and vocal parts ascend chromatically, and when it moves out of this chromatic motif the guitar continues to imitate the vocal line melodically. The piece is brought to a close initially with the original guitar riff and then by a variation of the riff but with the same bass line. The song is bookended by 33 randomly overdubbed guitars, which eventually resolve to a B major chord to end the track.
Additional information
When played live, this song was referred to as DES due to a name printed on a set list. DES is the name of the keyboard technician - During the performance of Fillip for Bizarre 1999, there is a problem with the sound (a video of this can be seen here or downloaded here) and at the time, Matt made a beckoning gesture aimed backstage and he is heard saying "Des! Des!". It could also be a reference to DES, an American government cypher which would fit with the apparent cryptographic theme of the album. DES became a backronym for "Dead End Street" when some fans thought it was the title for the new song. The first two lyrics in the chorus are also the first two lyrics in the Radiohead song "My Iron Lung".
Matt first referred to this song in his October message on the Official messaged board stating that "the 33 randomised guitar overdubs on the church of sub genius ... have high chance of making it [on to Black Holes and Revelations]", Church of the SubGenius being the song's pre-release title.
It was included on the Japanese version of Black Holes and Revelations as an extra incentive to buy as Japanese albums are more expensive. It is also featured on the Invincible 7". Glorious also happens to be the only known Muse B-side to have its own promo singles printed.
It was also included as a Bonus Track to Black Holes and Revelations on U.S. iTunes.
Live
Glorious was the first song from the Black Holes and Revelations era to be played live as well as the first to be dropped from setlists. It was only played a handful of times in 2004 and just once in 2005. This song is probably the only instance of a Muse song where the majority of the song's performances were in Canada.
Dom revealed that he would like to see the song performed live again but he has not been able to convince Matt: "I want to play Glorious and Matt is always like ‘fuck off’..."[1]
It was performed for the first time since 2005 at Shepherd's Bush Empire on 19th August 2017. Introducing the song, Dom said he'd been trying to convince Matt to play it for seven years.
Lyrics
Rose-tinted view
And satellites that Compromise the truth
But I wanted more With the cuts and the bruises Touch my face A hopeless embrace
Faith It drives me away But it turns me on Like a stranger's love
It rockets through the universe It fuels the lies and feeds the curse Believes we could be glorious
I need to believe But I still want more With the cuts and the bruises Don't close the door On what you adore
And faith It drives me away But it turns me on Like a stranger's love
It rockets through the universe It fuels the lies and feeds the curse Believes we could be glorious
References
- ↑ Muse Messageboard - Muse answers your questions (2016-14-04). Muse Messageboard. Retrieved 2016-27-04 from board.muse.mu.