Space Dementia (song)
| Muse song | |
|---|---|
| Name | Space Dementia |
| Album/single |
|
| Length | 6:20, 6:03 (unmastered) |
| Alternative titles | - |
| First live performance | 12th April 2001 (full) 24th June 2006 (outro for Knights of Cydonia) |
| Latest live performance | 17th August 2008 |
| Recorded | Real World Studio Wiltshire, 2001 |
| Writer/composer | Matthew Bellamy |
| Producer | John Leckie |
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Description
Space dementia is a hypothetical mental condition in popular science fiction astronauts are said to sometimes experience when they're in space. This can be contributed towards feelings of insignificance, insecurity lack of social contact and awareness of total isolation from the human race. A Rachmaninov-inspired song that starts with a piano introduction and heads into a heavy verse, with hammering piano and bass, the chorus is introduced by a looping synth keyboard, followed by a delicate vocal show, before hammering piano introduces the next verse. However, the chorus vocal line (from "... and tear us apart", until the end of the chorus) and chords are an exact reduction of part of Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto 1st Movement at about 1:30. The song is finished with an elaborate extended chorus, then a heavy codus at about 5:30, incorporating phase effects, piano, guitar, and distorted bass and contains sound of Matt's fly being zipped and unzipped.
Recording
When Muse first demoed the song for John Leckie, the piano was so overpowered by the bass and drums Leckie had to put his head in the piano whilst Matt played[1]
"Space Dementia" was originally intended to be the final song in Origin of Symmetry. The heavy guitar outro section was recorded seperately and intended to contrast the piano. The band originally wanted to increase the low-frequency sounds at the end below the levels of human hearing to an illegal level.[2]
H8
A comment from Matt detailed the meaning of 'H8' in a 2003 interview: "Using a microcomputer (Hitachi H8 / 3048F) which can be built into the industrial machines, you can learn and understand the inputs /outputs of the microcomputer as a basis of robot control and conduct the experiments by C-language for steppingmotor control, servomotor control (PWM control) and serial communication. H8 model, a 16-bit microcomputer consists of 32-bit registers, has a flash ROM of 128KB, a RAM of 4KB (SRAM) with external extension of 128KB and 78 I/O terminals with the built-in A/D and D/Aconverters. H8 is a microcomputer usually built into a TV, VTR, mobile-phone and car navigator. Since it has ample I/O terminals, H8 microcomputer is also used as a brain of a small robot."[3]
For the lyrics of "Space Dementia" in the sleeve notes of Origin of Symmetry, 'H8' is mistakenly printed as 'Height'.
Live
Starting at the Southside Festival on June the 24th 2006, the Space Dementia ending was used as an outro for "Knights of Cydonia". The playing of this outro was ceased between sometime in late October 2006 and Nottingham 17th November 2006. However, the song made a return to the live setlist at Monterrey Arena 16th July 2008, and was last played at V Festival 2008
Lyrics
Mmmmm H8 is the one for me It gives me all I need And helps me coexist With the chill You make me sick Because I adore you so I love all the dirty tricks And twisted games you play On me Space dementia in your eyes and Peace will arise And tear us apart And make us meaningless again Mmmm, yeah You'll make us wanna die I'd cut your name in my heart We'll destroy this world for you I know you want me to Feel your pain Space dementia in your eyes and Peace will arise And tear us apart And make us meaningless again Ooooh ...
References
- ↑ Muse: The Making of Origin of Symmetry (2007-10-07). Xfm. Retrieved from www.muselive.com. [verify]
- ↑ Matt Bellamy / Steve Lamacq. (2001). Promoting Origin Of Symmetry. BBC Radio 1. [verify]
- ↑ Interview (2003-06-03). Microcuts.net. Retrieved from microcuts.net.