MUSE – United States of Eurasia (+Collateral Damage)

July 23rd, 2009

This new MUSE single is EPIC, in the best of ways.  You can download the single if you register with the MUSE microsite.  Basically, this thing starts out with soft piano, and Matthew Bellamy whispering criticisms of the political workings of the world. There are subtle strings resting in between the vocals and piano part, and then a soft cymbal kicks in to keep the time. At just over a minute, the sound explodes into Queen-like harmonies and a Lawrence of Arabia-type musical melody. Bellamy’s voice gets stronger and stronger as the song progresses, and a bad-ass guitar riff jumps in after the second verse. The last words are practically spat out at you – “Eura-SIA!” – and the storm that is this song rumbles past, leaving in its wake the collateral damage:  piano-rain tinkling down on your head and the echoes of kids, off jumping in the puddles somewhere. The strings pick up one last time, bringing out the rainbow, and the sound of a jet taking off into the newly-bright sky closes the tune.

It’s the kind of epic, storytelling song you’d expect from MUSE. Hopefully, their performance on the MTV VMAs this year is going to help them break to a bigger American audience, because goodness knows it’s been a long time coming. The lyrics, for your enjoyment, are below (I transcribed them by ear, so feel free to correct any mistakes you see. I’m pretty sure they’re accurate, though.)

MUSE – United States of Eurasia (+Collateral Damage)

“You and me are the same/We don’t know or care who’s to blame/But we know that, whoever holds the reigns/Nothing will change, our cause has gone insane/And these wars, they can’t be won/And these wars, they can’t be won/And do you want them to go on and on and on?/Why split these states, when you can be only one?/And must we do as we’re told?/Must we do as we’re told?

You and me fall in line/To be punished for unproven crimes/And we know that there’s no one we can trust/Our ancient heroes, they are turning to dust/And these wars, they can’t be won/Does anyone know, or care how they begun?/They just promise to go on and on and on/But soon we will see, there can be only one/United States/United States of – Eurasia! Sia! Sia! Sia! Eurasia! Sia! Sia! Sia! Eurasia! Sia! Sia! Sia!”

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