Muse for me are one of the most established rock bands in the world at this moment in time spanning a career of 20 years now since they released Showbiz. Their album Blackholes and Revelations is probably my most favorite of all that they have produced and their song Starlight on the album I believe is something incredibly special.
I remember purchasing the album on CD in the summer of 2006 from Woolworth’s no less. The leisure centre I worked at had plenty of staff in on the day of release so my old boss at the time (who is a huge rock fan also) said let’s go into town and get it. I didn’t need to argue with that decision and it is incredible that it sticks in mind as most albums I cannot remember how and when I purchased them. So we did, when we got back the CD went straight in the player in the office (which the sound quality of this device really didn’t do Muse any favors) and listened to the latest work at that time. This was swiftly followed with playing the album many times at home as well and fully immersing myself with the music. It was awesome and two songs stuck on on the album, Knights of Cydonia & Starlight. Both of which are amazing and even to this day in 2019 can still give me goosebumps and a shiver of excitement.
Now for anyone who follows or has read other blogs of mine you will know that my mother passed away near the end of 2006 and this was a hard time for me. Starlight quickly developed an entire new meaning to me and very much ripped me apart inside when it was played because the lyrics were exactly what I was experiencing at the time and the song became upsetting to a degree as it flooded me with memories of a tough time. The lyrics below are as follows.
Far away
The ship is taking me far away
Far away from the memories
Of the people who care if I live or die
The starlight
I will be chasing a starlight
Until the end of my life
I don’t know if it’s worth it anymore
Hold you in my arms
I just wanted to hold
You in my arms
My life
You electrify my life
Let’s conspire to ignite
All the souls that would die just to feel alive
Now I’ll never let you go
If you promised not to fade away
Never fade away
Our hopes and expectations
Black holes and revelations
Our hopes and expectations
Black holes and revelations
Hold you in my arms
I just wanted to hold
You in my arms
Far away
The ship is taking me far away
Far away from the memories
Of the people who care if I live or die
And I’ll never let you go
If you promise not to fade away
Never fade away
Our hopes and expectations
Black holes and revelations
Our hopes and expectations
Black holes and revelations
Hold you in my arms
I just wanted to hold
You in my arms
I just wanted to hold
It’s crazy how the mind makes associations with music to periods in time. It does, this song that I loved, I didn’t hate or stop listening to but it was now full of sadness to me. Yet I do not believe that is what Muse are trying to achieve with it. It’s just this is all I thought and my mind would drift back to my mother and that tough time each occasion I heard the song. I couldn’t help myself. The line’s And I’ll never let you go, Hold you in my arms, If you promise not to fade away… All I could think about here is the passing of my mum and her being someone I can never see again.
It wasn’t something I wanted to change though. I love the song and I feel it became that much more significant to me because of the emotions it generated within me. It is it’s own memory I guess.
In 2007 my brothers and I acquired tickets to see the Blackholes and Revelations tour. This was to be the first time any of us had seen Muse (and for my youngest brother his first gig) and we were incredibly excited, we were going to Wembley stadium as well. The biggest stage. It was amazing and yet when Starlight was played the moment was full of sadness for me due to what the song meant to me. It hurt but took nothing away from an incredible occasion.
2007.
6 years later I got to take my wife to see Muse for her first time and my second as they were touring The 2nd Law. It doesn’t stick out in my mind though as to whether or not Starlight was played. If it was it did not have the same impact on that day. I’m not even sure if it was played. Nonetheless it was an incredible gig once again. Muse knocked it out of the Park in another inspired performance. They truly are an incredible live act.
201
2013.
Last Saturday in 2019 I was so pleased I got to see them for a third time at the Olympic Park in London. I first saw them when I was 21 years old and now 12 years on at 33 I was just as excited, although on the plus side not hungover, didn’t mention that bit before and it’s not even that important. It does however signify perhaps a maturing as well as having a different view on life. It is also the longest span of time for me in seeing the same artist perform, 12 years in this instance which blows my mind to a degree as the gig in 2007 was so special and memorable. The next longest span of an artist doesn’t even get in the double digits for time in years. The Red Hot Chili Peppers is 7 years, Feeder 9 years, The Enemy 8 years. I do know that in less than 3 weeks Muse will be beaten by Bonjovi hitting the 13 year mark, that will be quite a gig.
2019.
I digress, 12 years between first time seeing Muse to the recent gig. The set list was incredible and Starlight played. I just about broke out in tears but not because of the memories as you might expect. It was with what is to come and look forward to. My wife was with me and it was her second show and she is presently 5 and a half months pregnant. All I could think about during the song which made me incredibly happy was our little child on the way. Our hopes and expectations,
You electrify my life
I will be chasing a starlight
Hold you in my arms I just wanted to hold.
Starlight 2019.
I hadn’t forgotten my mother in that moment but those painful memories were totally superseded by the excitement of new life in the very near future. I was stunned at the revelation that this song’s meaning could change just like that. I do believe the live performance helped with this and Muse absolutely smashing it out of the park I have no doubt further aided the significance in that moment. I haven’t really stopped thinking about the new feelings and emotions that came out of the music in the last few days. I am amazed and very happy for it. There’s so much to look forward to.
Just before this 2019 gig I was having a conversation with some people who are not overly interested in music and pay no attention to the lyrics they do listen to. I was stunned! Although when I was a teenager perhaps did similar and did not pay the most amount of attention to what the artist was saying. Some lyrics are incredible and make so much sense, they’ve certainly helped me out in more challenging times but also aided in helping me celebrate the tough times. As a rocker I have really noticed so many powerful lyrics that rock/indie/punk/metal artists have created and they are amazing for it.
Other people I have spoken also believe rockers are negative and their songs are full of explicit content. I agree with this slightly but there is so many more rock songs that do not conform to this at all and deliver far better messages than what is in the charts in many instances. Just because they dress a little different and look a little different does not mean there is a need to fear the music. It’s just a fashion.
In the last year or so I have been trying to improve my positive mindset and avoid fixating on the negative. I feel this reaction has come about from this re-training of the mind and delving into my past to improve my future. I didn’t think music’s meaning could change like this, but I am so please it has as it feels incredible.
Thanks for reading, I hope you found it just a little interesting and give Muse a try if you have not listened to them before. They are Awesome!
the Wellbeing gamer 