Muse are an English rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The b… Read Full Bio ↴Muse are an English rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of Matt Bellamy (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Chris Wolstenholme (bass guitar, backing vocals), and Dominic Howard (drums). They released their debut album, Showbiz, in 1999, showcasing Bellamy's falsetto and a melancholic alternative rock style. Their second album, Origin of Symmetry (2001), incorporated wider instrumentation and romantic classical influences and earned them a reputation for energetic live performances. Absolution (2003) saw further classical influence, with strings on tracks such as "Butterflies and Hurricanes", and was the first of seven consecutive UK number-one albums.

Black Holes and Revelations (2006) incorporated electronic and pop elements, displayed in singles such as "Supermassive Black Hole", and brought Muse wider international success. The Resistance (2009) and The 2nd Law (2012) explored themes of government oppression and civil uprising and cemented Muse as one of the world's major stadium acts. Rolling Stone stated the band possessed "stadium-crushing songs". Topping the US Billboard 200, their seventh album, Drones (2015), was a concept album about drone warfare and returned to a harder rock sound. Their eighth album, Simulation Theory (2018), prominently featured synthesisers and was influenced by science fiction and the simulation hypothesis. Their ninth album, Will of the People (2022), which combined many genres and themes from their previous albums, was released in August 2022.

Muse have won numerous awards, including two Grammy Awards, two Brit Awards, five MTV Europe Music Awards and eight NME Awards. In 2012 they received the Ivor Novello Award for International Achievement from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors. As of June 2016, they have sold over 30 million albums worldwide.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muse_(band)

Studio albums
Showbiz (1999)
Origin of Symmetry (2001)
Absolution (2003)
Black Holes and Revelations (2006)
The Resistance (2009)
The 2nd Law (2012)
Drones (2015)
Simulation Theory (2018)
Will of the People (2022)

Thoughts Of A Dying Atheist
Muse Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Erie whispers
Trapped beneath my pillow
You won't let me sleep
Your memories

I know you're in this room
I'm sure I heard you sigh
Floating in between

Where our worlds collide

Scares the hell out of me
And the end is all I can see
And it scares the hell out of me
And the end is all I can see

And I know the moment's near
And there's nothing we can do
Look through a faithless eye
Are you afraid to die?

It scares the hell out of me
And the end is all I can see
And it scares the hell out of me
And the end is all I can see

It scares the hell out of me
And the end is all I can see

And it scares the hell out of me
And the end is all I can see

Overall Meaning

In the lyrics of Muse's song "Thoughts of a Dying Atheist," the singer seems to be struggling with the idea of mortality and the possibility of an afterlife. The "Erie whispers trapped beneath my pillow" and "memories" suggest a haunting feeling that may be related to the singer's own imminent death. The reference to hearing a sigh adds to the sense of an unseen presence, perhaps the ghost of someone who has already passed on.

The idea of worlds colliding suggests a tension between the singer's current state of existence and a potential afterlife or spiritual realm. The repeated refrain of "It scares the hell out of me, and the end is all I can see" speaks to a fear of the unknown and the finality of death. The closing question "Are you afraid to die?" seems to be directed both at the singer and the listener, challenging us to confront our own fears and beliefs about mortality.

Overall, the song grapples with weighty themes in a musically and lyrically compelling way. It is a powerful exploration of the human psyche and our relationship to the unknown.

Line by Line Meaning

Eerie whispers
Strange sounds in my head

Trapped beneath my pillow
Cannot escape these thoughts

You won't let me sleep
My fears and doubts keep me awake

Your memories
The past that haunts me

I know you're in this room
My thoughts are suffocating me

I'm sure I heard you sigh
My imagination is playing tricks on me

Floating in between
Between reality and my fears

Where our worlds collide
The clash of my doubts and beliefs

Scares the hell out of me
It's terrifying

And the end is all I can see
Death is all that's certain

And I know the moment's near
The end is approaching