The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
They'll laugh as they watch us fall
The lucky don't care at all
No chance for fate
It's unnatural selection
I want the truth
I'm hungry for some unrest
I wanna push it beyond a peaceful protest
I wanna speak in a language that they'll understand
Dedication to a new age
Is this the end of destruction and rampage?
Another chance to erase and then repeat it again
Counter balance this commotion
We're not droplets in the ocean
Ocean
They'll laugh as they watch us fall
The lucky don't care at all
No chance for fate (hey, hey, hey)
It's unnatural selection
I want the truth
No religion or mind virus
Is there a hope that the facts would ever find us?
Just make sure that you are looking out for number one
And I'm hungry for some unrest
Well, let's push it beyond a peaceful protest
I wanna speak in a language that you will understand
Counter balance this commotion
We're not droplets in the ocean
Ocean
They'll laugh as they watch us crawl
The lucky don't share at all
No hope for fate (hey, hey, hey)
It's a random chance selection
I want the truth
Try to ride out the storm
Whilst they'll make you believe
They are the special ones
(We have not been chosen)
We trust
This is enough
You won't be the first
And you know that you won't be the last
Counter balance this commotion
We're not droplets in the ocean
Ocean, ocean, ocean
They'll laugh as they watch us fall
And the lucky, they don't care at all
No chance for fate (hey, hey, hey)
It's unnatural selection
I want the truth, I want the truth
And I want the truth, I want the truth
The lucky don't care at all
No chance for fate
It's unnatural selection
I want the truth
I'm hungry for some unrest
I wanna push it beyond a peaceful protest
I wanna speak in a language that they'll understand
Dedication to a new age
Is this the end of destruction and rampage?
Another chance to erase and then repeat it again
Counter balance this commotion
We're not droplets in the ocean
Ocean
They'll laugh as they watch us fall
The lucky don't care at all
No chance for fate (hey, hey, hey)
It's unnatural selection
I want the truth
No religion or mind virus
Is there a hope that the facts would ever find us?
Just make sure that you are looking out for number one
And I'm hungry for some unrest
Well, let's push it beyond a peaceful protest
I wanna speak in a language that you will understand
Counter balance this commotion
We're not droplets in the ocean
Ocean
They'll laugh as they watch us crawl
The lucky don't share at all
No hope for fate (hey, hey, hey)
It's a random chance selection
I want the truth
Try to ride out the storm
Whilst they'll make you believe
They are the special ones
(We have not been chosen)
We trust
This is enough
You won't be the first
And you know that you won't be the last
Counter balance this commotion
We're not droplets in the ocean
Ocean, ocean, ocean
They'll laugh as they watch us fall
And the lucky, they don't care at all
No chance for fate (hey, hey, hey)
It's unnatural selection
I want the truth, I want the truth
And I want the truth, I want the truth
Lyrics submitted by blinxbcr, edited by jjrex, InfectedGT
Unnatural Selection Lyrics as written by Matt Bellamy
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Rated -1 I see the meaning of the song differently. I think it's about Western society (not just America, because the band's British), capitalism, and the direction are cultures seem to be going.
The "they" that laugh as we fall are big businesses - and perhaps by an extension, governments. People who are lucky can also be the big businesses and people of wealth in general. We're falling because of troubled economic times. We don't have a chance at "fate" because the common person can't change the economic situation, while big businesses can get bail-outs (which goes against natural selection.)
Bellamy wants the truth - which is for the big businesses and governments to admit their corruption. He wants the common person to not be treated like nothing - but as something great and powerful that needs to be listened to (hence the reference to the ocean.)
His atheism shows through a little; he doesn't want religion or propaganda to make people believe that this is their fate - being subordinate to businesses and governments. He wants people to realize that they have power and influence in their societies and they need to do something to make their conditions better.
Or maybe I sound like I'm suggesting Muse wants a Proletariat uprising - I don't know.
(Yeah, I posted this twice..)
Resistance is really "1984" soundtrack apart from exogenesis and i belong to you. All are attached to 1984
This is something I definitely saw too. this song in particular really reminds me of 1984.<br /> the regular, everyday people need to learn to step up and take charge of what's going on. create a better world for future generations. "dedication to a new age"
This is something I definitely saw too. this song in particular really reminds me of 1984.<br /> the regular, everyday people need to learn to step up and take charge of what's going on. create a better world for future generations. "dedication to a new age"
This is something I definitely saw too. this song in particular really reminds me of 1984.<br /> the regular, everyday people need to learn to step up and take charge of what's going on. create a better world for future generations. "dedication to a new age"
I disagree about I Belong To You not being attached to 1984. As the french lyrics are from a Samson and Delilah opera. And that story is very similiar to Winston and Julia's love story in 1984. With both women Delilah and Julia sent to use their feminine charms on Samson/Winston Smith by their "superiors". Both were to find the men's weakness so that they could be annihilated.And they succeeded as the men did fall hopelessly in love with them. But, both women unexpectedly fell in love with them as well...but both Delilah & Julia were too fearful and still betrayed their lovers. I could be wrong, of course. But that's how I interpreted the lyrics. And if it's correct...it does go along with the whole 1984 theme with the adulation,love, deception & betrayal aspect.
I hate it when people say its about US politics... Their British they don't give a crap!!
Because they are British, they don't give a crap? These guys travel the world and play music even in the USA. What makes you think they dont or wouldn't have an opinion?<br /> <br /> This song may not be about US politics, but who's to say other songs by them aren't?
Heh, allow me to point to United States of Eurasia. That probably has nothing to do with US politics and our war in the middle east, right? ;P
United States of Eurasia is not about US politics. It's about all the wars that have been going on on the continent since forever and the fact that certain countries still refuse to join the European Union.
Nexius, Unites States of Eurasia isn't about the USA at all. It is a hint at the book "1984" by George Orwell, which depicts only 3 major world superpowers, Oceania, Eurasia and Eastasie. In fact this whole album seems like the soundtrack to 1984.
Real lyrics:
"They'll laugh as they watch us fall The lucky don't care at all No hope for fate It's unnatural selection I want the truth
I'm hungry for some unrest I want to push this beyond the peaceful protest I wanna speak in a language that they'll understand
Dedication, to a new age Is this the end of destruction and rampage? Another chance to erase then repeat it again
Counter balance this commotion We're not droplets in the ocean
They'll laugh as they watch us fall The lucky don't care at all No (hey) chance (hey) for fate (hey) It's unnatural selection I want the truth
No religion or mind virus Is there a hope that the facts would ever find us? Just make sure that you are looking out for number one I'm hungry for some unrest Let's push this beyond the peaceful protest I wanna speak in a language that you will understand
Counter balance this commotion We're not droplets in the ocean
They'll laugh as they watch us crawl The lucky don't share at all No (hey) hope (hey) for fate (hey) It's a random chance selection I want the truth
Try to ride out the storm Whilst they'll make you believe That they are the special ones (We have not been chosen)
Injustice is the norm You are not the first And you know you won't be the last
Counter balance this commotion We're not droplets in the ocean
They'll laugh as they watch us fall And the lucky don't care at all No (hey) chance (hey) for fate (hey) It's unnatural selection I want the truth, I want the truth I want the truth, I want the truth"
I have the CD. These are the real lyrics.
I haven't had much time to go through all the comments, but i must say, i've read a few good interpretations... I think the comment added JoeEllis1026 is quite similar to my line of thought... So i'm just going to add a few details that i think are relevant... I'm going to make reference to the two most frequently uttered statements
Firstly... The term "natural selection" itself refers to the process by which life came into existence.... A random process, which is the backbone of the theory of evolution.... So naming the song "Unnatural Selection" is in defiance therefore of Darwinism, or the theory of evolution itself.... Hence the phrase "It's unnatural selection, i want the truth"
What he's trying to say is that the evidence and the facts of life point towards a greater meaning in terms of the source of life, at least one greater than the current theory of evolution.
The second most prominent phrase in this song is "we're not droplets in the ocean"
Of course, this can have broad meaning, but without looking too hard, we can see that it quite closely links to the whole evolution theme as well... According to the theory of evolution, all life originated from the ocean, and life started out as simple single celled organisms, hence the term "droplets"... So When he says "we're not droplets in the ocean", he's basicaly emphasizing the same point made in the title phrase itself... Evolution is untrue, and intellectually unsatisfying...
Further thoughts on what i've mentioned would be welcomed... :)
For me this song has a political meaning, and well.. i know that you dont have to be an evolutionist to be an atheist, but Matt is an atheist/agnostic and doesnt believe in afterlife/creation.
I don't really think that he was trying to hint at an anti-scientific argument. He is probably an atheist and has conspiratory tendencies. He is probably making a parallel between the evolutionary principle and socio-economic class struggles. Natural selection failing because the upper class is not superior, just oppressive.
You seriously misread. The key part you ignored is:<br /> "I'm hungry for some unrest<br /> Well let's push it beyond the peaceful protest<br /> I wanna speak in a language that you will understand"<br /> <br /> Natural selection is survival of the fittest based on genetics and the natural environment. As HisNoodlyA* wrote, the song is about how success (selection) in human society is largely based not on merit but luck ("The lucky don't care/share at all) and oppression.<br /> <br />
"The term "natural selection" itself refers to the process by which life came into existence"<br /> This is one of the most common misunderstandings about Dawin's natural selection. The theory has absolutely nothing to say on the origins of life. Darwin explained how the diversity of life could come to existence, not life itself. It's not as subtle of a difference as it sounds :P
@StJimmy27 matt is an atheist and evolution might not be something he would write about. I think it's about the random selection of lucky ones, the wealthy.<br /> the ocean might signify the majority of the humanity. disagreeing about being droplets in the ocean may mean that humans are individuals after all. everyone is different.
Great song
epic... seems like another political song
I think it means how he wants things to change, and for people who are "resting" to "unrest" and push change, even if they have to be aggressive and violent.
To me...im drunk though
political song; the american dream is broken, the system has failed.
'They'll laugh as they watch us fall The lucky don't care at all'
'I'm hungry for some unrest I wanna push it beyond the peaceful protest I wanna speak in a language that they will understand'
and so on...
its 'no religion or mind virus' great song though, EPIC!
That's ridiculous because Matt doesn't live in the US. Just a tip.
This song isn't about America. I interprit it as a rebellion against the current political climate in Britain. A frayed relationship with America, the next election coming up, with the Conservatives winning in the polls (I'm a Labour man) and the recent expenses scandal.
great song.