Feeling Good (song)
| Muse song | |
|---|---|
| Name | Feeling Good |
| Album/single |
|
| Length | 3:19 |
| Alternative titles | - |
| First live performance | 23rd November 1999 |
| Latest live performance | 10th April 2011 |
| Recorded | Real World Studio Wiltshire 2001 |
| Writer/composer | Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse |
| Producer | John Leckie |
| Chart position | 24 |
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Description
The most popular Muse cover, and covered because of Matt's ex-girlfriend's liking of the song.[1] The song was used by Nescafé for their advertisement but without the band's permission. The band denied them the use of the song because they didn't believe in having their music used to advertise supermarket products. Nescafé withdrew that version for a different version. Muse were subsequently paid £500,000 of settlement money, which they donated to Oxfam.[1]
In an interview with Rocksound Magazine, Bellamy stated that "our interpretation is quite different from the original, but nowhere near as good. I chose it because it’s got brilliant lyrics, and it fits in with some of the other songs on the album. It’s about becoming you – getting rid of your past and thinking about leading a new life. I just want people to know that underlying what I do is something positive, and that I’m not here to kill myself or to destroy the situation we live in.”[2]
In Taratata part 2,the host tells Matt that he has heard that Matt's mother likes the song. Bellamy replies with "loves the song."
"Feeling Good" was written by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for the musical "The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd", though was made famous when performed by the legendary jazz artist Nina Simone.
Matthew Bellamy definition of Feeling Good
"The music is very dark and moody but as plain text the lyrics are just a cheesy, happy poem, just so amazingly positive, and It can make you feel like there's really something worth fighting for. It is depressing but it’s almost like humanity singing about how good things could be"[3]
Composition
Feeling Good is written in the key of G minor. It moves in 12/8 time at a slow tempo of 72 bpm.
Bellamy's vocal range spans from F3 to F5. The song contains his highest note in the modal register, B♭4, which is shared with Unnatural Selection and Futurism.
Additional information
This cover was commonly played live between 2000 and 2003, but wasn't played between Laugardalshöll 2003 and Southside Festival 2006. It was once again played regularly live from 2006 onwards.
This song was played on Spanish TVE:Radio3 as a live recording, in which, after the second verse, Matt Bellamy started swearing in time with the music for two lines; they were told not to swear which angered Muse as they never swore in their music until then, so they swore extensively. The video for this can be found here. Muse have been banned from Radio 3 ever since. During the performance, he sang "Fucking, fucking, fucking, fucking hell! Fucking, fucking little, fucking, fucking fuckers, yeah!".
In live performances, Matt sings the third verse through a megaphone.
Alternative versions
A radio edit of "Feeling Good" with clean vocals on the third verse and can be found on the second UK "Hyper Music/Feeling Good" promo CD (catalogue number 'MUSE 19'). An isolation of the drum, bass and keyboard feeds from the H.A.A.R.P. show features in the audio set-up section of the H.A.A.R.P. DVD. It was first played live as a guitar version in the BBC session in 1999 (also known as "diferent take session").
Lyrics
Birds flying high you know how I feel
Sun in the sky you know how I feel
Reeds drifting on by you know how I feel
It's a new dawn it's a new day it's a new life for me
And I'm feeling good
Fish in the sea you know how I feel
River running free you know how I feel
Blossom in the trees you know how I feel
It's a new dawn it's a new day it's a new life for me
And I'm feeling good
Dragonflies out in the sun
You know what I mean, don't you know
Butterflies are all having fun
You know what I mean
Sleep in peace
When the day is done
And this old world is a new world and a bold world for me
Stars when you shine you know how I feel
Scent of the pine you know how I feel
Yeah freedom is mine
And you know how I feel
It's a new dawn it's a new day it's a new life for me
Butterflies, ooh
Oh, ooh ...
Ooooh... Freer than you... Ooooh...
Feeling good