Since Mutemath released its first EP in late 2004 and hit the road in 2005, their musical style has transformed over the years. By the time of their 2006 self-titled debut, their blending of adverse genres earned them a reputation as one of modern music’s most daring young groups. By 2007, they found themselves Grammy nominated and declared by Alternative Press as “the #1 band you need to see live before you die.” But in the band almost broke up during the making of their sophomore album Armistice. “It was a risk we had to take,” says King looking back on what they set out to accomplish for Armistice. “This record was by far the most painful music-making experience I’ve ever had, but also the one I’m most proud of.”
The band is best known for the 2007 single “Typical”, taken from their 2006 self titled album. The song’s innovative backwards video was nominated for a Grammy in 2008 for Best Short Form Music Video. Speaking with Songfacts in a 2011 interview, Darren King poked fun at the somewhat futile nomination : "For the rest of our career, we get to say "Grammy nominated band." We don't have to say what it was for. (Laughing)." Mutemath re-enacted the "Typical" video during a live performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, using the same reverse playback technique used in the original video. The song also peaked at #33 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.
The band has contributed songs to various films such as Twilight, Transformers, Never Back Down, The Stepfather, The Rocker, and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2.
Alongside contributing songs to film and product endorsements, Mutemath has appeared on every major late night television program including: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.
In April 2011, it was announced on their official website that founding guitarist Greg Hill had left the band in October 2010. The new album was recorded with other band members filling in on guitar and a new guitarist, Todd Gummerman, was named shortly after Odd Soul was released and he features in most music videos from the album.
Control
Mutemath Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take me far away from here
There is no better loss than to lose myself in you
In a parachute to glide, I am captive in your sky
Surrender has somehow become so beautiful
Take control of the atmosphere
Take control of the atmosphere
Take control, take control
It's such a beautiful surrender
It's such a beautiful surrender
It's such a beautiful surrender
It's such a beautiful surrender
Move me up through the darkest clouds
Till I've lost in the sun every shadow of doubt
There is no better find than to find myself with you
In a fog you are all I see
I'm inviting you closer with each time I breathe
Surrender has somehow become so beautiful
Take control of the atmosphere
Take control of the atmosphere
There is no reason I should breathe unless you're in the air
Take control
Its such a beautiful surrender
Its such a beautiful surrender
And I'm calling out
Would you take control
And I'm calling out
The lyrics to Mutemath's song Control are about giving yourself completely to someone else and finding beauty and freedom in that surrender. The singer is asking for their love interest to take control of the atmosphere, to take them away from their current situation and fill the air with their presence. The loss of self in this other person is seen as a positive thing, as the singer can glide in their partner's sky like a parachute. Surrendering to this person has become something beautiful and desirable to the singer.
The second verse continues with this theme of surrender and finding oneself in the other person. The singer wants to be moved up through the obstacles and doubts in their life until they are in the sun, completely free. Finding oneself with this person is seen as the best thing that can happen to them, and they see their partner as the only thing they can see through the fog.
The repetition of "take control of the atmosphere" and "it's such a beautiful surrender" throughout the song reinforces the idea that giving up control to this person is a positive thing. The chorus builds with each repetition, culminating in the singer saying that there is no reason for them to breathe unless their partner is in the air. The final lines of the song continue the call for their partner to take control.
Overall, the lyrics are about the beauty and freedom found in surrendering oneself to someone else, and how this surrender can be seen as a positive thing.
Line by Line Meaning
Take control of the atmosphere
Gain power over the environment around us
Take me far away from here
Take me to a place that’s far from here
There is no better loss than to lose myself in you
There's nothing more worth sacrificing than losing oneself in another person
In a parachute to glide, I am captive in your sky
Safely floating in the air with a parachute, I am captivated by your presence
Surrender has somehow become so beautiful
Giving up control and submitting myself to you has become a sublime experience
You can take my world you can fill the air
You have the ability to take over my world and fill it with yourself
It's such a beautiful surrender
The act of giving up control to you is a beautiful thing
Move me up through the darkest clouds
Elevate me beyond my struggles
Till I've lost in the sun every shadow of doubt
Until I'm free of all doubt and fear
There is no better find than to find myself with you
There is no greater discovery than finding myself beside you
In a fog you are all I see
When my mind is foggy, all I see is you
I'm inviting you closer with each time I breathe
I'm yearning to be closer to you with every breath I take
There is no reason I should breathe unless you're in the air
I have no purpose in breathing if you're not around
And I'm calling out
I'm reaching out to you
Would you take control
Will you please take charge?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Brendan Collins, Jamie Quinn, Thomas Havelock
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kevincarrier7232
Take control of the atmosphere
Take me far away from here
There is no better loss than to lose myself in you
In a parachute to glide, I am captive in your sky
Surrender has somehow become so beautiful
Take control of the atmosphere
Take control of the atmosphere
You can take my world, you can fill the air
Take control
Take control
It's such a beautiful surrender
Move me up through the darkest clouds
Till I've lost in the sun every shadow of doubt
There is no better find than to find myself with you
In a fog you are all I see
I'm inviting you closer with each time I breathe
Surrender has somehow become so beautiful
Take control of the atmosphere
Take control of the atmosphere
You can take my world, you can fill the air
Take control
Take control
Take control
Take control
It's such a beautiful surrender
Take control of the atmosphere
Take control of the atmosphere
There's no reason I should breathe unless you're in the air
Take control
It's such a beautiful surrender
And I'm calling out
Would you take control?
And I'm calling out
@admarhermans1
One of a handful of great bands back than! Great songs and huge players, all of them.
Did they shy away from John Mayers and other ‘plastic peoples’’ succes? Don’t know.
They could kill Mayer and his bands (all of them) each and every time, in their sleep, live!!
That bassplayer and drummer were true beasts!
Best live band I never got to see live...
🖖
@JabezGill
I miss this band so much!
@ericberumenmusic
Only a select few will know the specialness of this band from the 2004-2008 era... <3
@zachgreen759
I think it started in 2006 with me.
@user-xm5le5ok2r
Yes, yes!
@Clumsy_Hearted
This is the song that made me absolutely fall in love with MM. Still listening to them daily in 2021!
@nandeiras82
I just discovered this group now in 2023, why I never heard before!? they are so great!!
@carlaalvarez3360
Loved them at 14 still love them at 24.
@ayemdismantld
One day I was walking to work through a beaten path, listening to this song was next up on the walkman, and i was thinking of Jesus on the cross. This song came on and i wept with great joy! It will aways be a heart song to me, bless the creators of such inspiring music. Bless them Father <3
@therepublicofsardonicaandc1486
Who's the creator?
@zachgreen759
heart song for sure.