"Starlight" was first written in the band's practice studio in late 2004. Bassist Chris Wolstenholme said that it is "a love song about missing someone, friends, family, someone you love." Lead singer Matt Bellamy commented that he first wrote the song on a boat in bad weather.
In a separate interview with Tom Wilson and Lara Mathews, posted on MuseLive Forums, Wolstenholme was asked what he thought "was the hardest song on the album to record?" His response was "Starlight," stating it "was one of the songs we went around in circles with, and we recorded maybe six or seven different versions of it."
An alternative mix of "Starlight", known as the "New Mix, "Radio Mix" or "Radio Version" was distributed on promotional media only. This version was presumably created to give the song a sound more suitable for radio broadcast.
Muse worked with Paul Minor on Starlight's music video, which was filmed in Los Angeles. In the video, the band perform on the deck of the MS Ocean Chie, a handysize bulk carrier. Band members are also carrying flares, in an attempt to "get rescued," but in the end this fails and they are abandoned. This relates to the song's lyrics, which mentions ships and abandonment.
Matthew Bellamy stated in an interview with The Sunday Mail that the band wanted to "create the idea of a band lost at sea because we see ourselves as being outside what's happening in the music scene." He also told the interviewer, Billy Sloan, that "it was an epic feeling playing on a huge platform with the sea all around us."
"Starlight" received mixed critical reviews, from various publishers.
NME's review was harshly critical of the song, with the reviewer stating that the song "is a tune so chart-hungry it's virtually dry-humping JK and Joel's legs."
MusicOMH stated that the song was "a track perfectly at home on drivetime radio" while saying it "showcases another side to the band's music and their staggering breadth of appeal."
Meanwhile, Leeds Music Scene reviewer Maria Pinto-Fernandes gave "Starlight" a glowing review, with a score of 4.5 stars out of 5. In her review, she commented that "the band's musical arrangements on the track do not come into being just by accident." She also stated that the song was just as passionate when performed live as when heard on CD.
"Starlight" entered the UK Singles Chart the week of September 3 at number 38 via digital downloads. The following week, and with the physical release in the United Kingdom, the single peaked at number 13. Since then, the single's chart position steadily declined, and it remained in the Top 75 after fifteen weeks, during the week of December 11, 2006. The next week, "Starlight" had fallen out of the Top 75.
"Starlight" has also peaked at number two on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart, Muse's second highest charting single to date on any major chart in the US. It also charted in at number nine on the Triple J Hottest 100, 2006. It was also ranked at number four on Colombian radio station Radiónica's 2006 top 100.
Starlight
Muse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This ship is takin' 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
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
I'll never let you go
If you promise not to fade away
Never fade away
And our hopes and expectations
Black holes and revelations
And our hopes and expectations
Black holes and revelations
Hold you in my arms
I just wanted to hold you in my arms
Far away
This ship has taken 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, yeah
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
The lyrics of Muse's song Starlight portray a sense of longing to escape from one's memories and the people who care about their well-being. The singer is on a ship heading towards a distant place, far away from their past experiences. The starlight becomes a motif for hope and the desire to reach for something beyond their current circumstances. The preoccupation with the starlight is a manifestation of the singer’s inner conflict as they questions whether chasing it is worth it anymore.
Throughout the song, there is a strong sense of desire and the yearning to be with someone, someone who electrifies their life as they conspire to ignite all the souls that would die just to feel alive. The singer seems to be holding onto the hope of finding someone that will not fade away, someone they can hold in their arms. The second verse further explores the theme of hope and expectations and how they are linked with the unknown realms of black holes and revelations. The hope of holding on to someone is juxtaposed with the singer's hope of discovering new things from traveling and exploring the unknown.
Overall, the lyrics of Starlight explore themes of longing, hope, and the search for meaning. The singer desires to escape from their past experiences and to find something worth chasing. In the end, the song's lyrics suggest that it is the people we hold onto that give us hope and that make our lives electrifying.
Line by Line Meaning
Far away
I am physically distant from my current situation.
This ship is takin' me far away
I am being transported to a new location.
Far away from the memories
I am removing myself from past experiences.
Of the people who care if I live or die
I am escaping from those who have a strong emotional attachment to my well-being.
The starlight
I am fascinated by a light in the sky.
I will be chasing a starlight
I am in pursuit of this light.
Until the end of my life
This is a long-term goal for me.
I don't know if it's worth it anymore
I am uncertain if my goal is still valuable.
Hold you in my arms
I desire physical contact with another person.
You electrify my life
You bring excitement and joy to my existence.
Let's conspire to ignite
We should work together to create something amazing.
All the souls that would die just to feel alive
There are individuals who are willing to risk everything for moments of intense happiness.
I'll never let you go
I am willing to cling onto this relationship indefinitely.
If you promise not to fade away
I need assurance that this individual will remain constant in my life.
Our hopes and expectations
We have dreams and aspirations for our future.
Black holes and revelations
We have experienced moments of extreme darkness and enlightenment.
And our hopes and expectations
We remain optimistic about what is yet to come.
Hold you in my arms
I desire physical contact with another person.
I just wanted to hold you in my arms
I crave comfort and affection from you.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Matthew James Bellamy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mirrorbay1570
Full Starlight Lyrics......
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
Source: LyricFind
@chatkins100
My son was carried in his coffin with this playing. He was 27 and the biggest Muse fan ever. Four songs played at his funeral and all of them Muse
5 years later and this is the first time I’ve had the strength to listen to it again
My daughter and I have silver lockets with his fingerprints embossed with the words ‘never fade away’
Can hear him in my heart playing his guitar full volume to this. Listening to this is like a dagger going through my heart but needing to feel the pain.
Sleep tight x
@abrilm.fer.3242
I am sorry for your loss :(
@emmanuelacosta4286
My condolences. May he Rest in Peace.
@TheAbandonedAccount7
So sick of all the 94 babies dying :( I always feel like im next
@dianestevenson2637
❤
@oliviapeterson425
R.i.Paradise child of God
Prayers for yours and your family's healing.
God bless
🙏🏾🕊️♾️
@mattsmith3022
Anybody get here after watching Homer Simpson sing this during a concert with transformers, storm troopers, and Shrek in the audience?
@themyers48
yes dammit. fuck
@josh-z2o
i prerfer the homer simpson cover
@williamb1933
lmao, yes. Totally forgot about this song and wanted to hear the original, it's such a great song.