Knights of Cydonia
● Muse Lyrics

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Come ride with me
Through the veins of history
I'll show you why God
Falls asleep on the job

And how can we win,
When fools can be kings
Don't waste your time

Or time will waste you

No one's going to take me alive
Time has come to make things right
You and I must fight for our rights
You and I must fight to survive

No one's going to take me alive
Time has come to make things right
You and I must fight for our rights
You and I must fight to survive

No one's going to take me alive
Time has come to make things right

You and I must fight for our rights
You and I must fight to survive

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Muse's song Knights of Cydonia delves into the existential questions concerning the role of God and the struggles of humanity. The opening lines, "Come ride with me, through the veins of history, I'll show you why God falls asleep on the job," immediately grabs the listener's attention by establishing the theme of the song, questioning the existence and actions of God. The lyrics then shift to the troubles of humanity, "How can we win when fools can be kings, don't waste your time, or time will waste you," pointing towards the corrupt and unjust society that assigns power to those unworthy of it. The lyrics portray a call to action against this flawed society and the need to fight for what is right, "You and I must fight for our rights, you and I must fight to survive."

The repeated chorus, "No one's going to take me alive, time has come to make things right," reinforces the urgency for change and the need to stand up for oneself. The lyrics convey a sense of rebellion and determination against the oppressive systems, promoting a message of empowerment and perseverance.

Line by Line Meaning

Come ride with me
Join me on a journey

Through the veins of history
Exploring the past

I'll show you why God
I'll explain why higher power

Falls asleep on the job
Doesn't intervene in human affairs

And how can we win,
How can we be successful

When fools can be kings
When even those who lack knowledge can rule

Don't waste your time
Don't squander your opportunities

Or time will waste you
Or your life will pass you by

No one's going to take me alive
I won't be subdued

Time has come to make things right
It’s time to fix what's wrong

You and I must fight for our rights
We have to defend our freedoms