Time Is Running Out

I feel like the song is about being completely infatuated with another person. In the beginning the other person does not know that you are infatuated with them, and this kills you inside. Eventually they realize it, though, and they know they can use this knowledge of your feelings to their advantage and manipulate you however they see fit. This is why he is "trapped" "now that you know."

No, because it's too good of a song to be about drugs. That's what everyone always thinks every song is about, but most of the time you can tell when the songs mean something more. If the song was about drugs, what would the chorus mean in relation to that meaning?

Not saying you're wrong, just saying that it's too common of a hypothesized theme for songs.

Muse is a smart band. A woman would be obvious. Too obvious for this band. And drugs would be way too elementary for these kinds of lyrics.

In my opinion, Time is Running Out, is a message to the "Man".

"I think I'm drowning.. I wanna break this spell you've created" - this could be referring to controversies that revolve around the government and how they control things like the media to "brainwash" citizens.

"You're something beautiful.. A contradiction.. I wanna play the game.. I want the friction"

• This could represent a melancholy sort of admiration. Something like a "beautiful lie". "wanting to play the game.. i want the friction" could be a sort of challenge towards the "Man".

I think it makes sense this way and I applaud the band for the beautiful, lyrical poetry. If you're interested to know my opinion about the other parts of the song, just reply me.

Upon hearing the song, it gave me the impression of a lover.

On the first reading of the song, it gave me the impression of addiction to drugs.

It could probably mean an addiction, obsession or dependence on something, that if continued on for longer, will ruin one's life...

The person here knows that whatever he is addicted to is bad for him, but he does not want to let it 'bury', 'murder' and 'smother' his life, however it is very hard as he goes deeper into the addiction, he can't just 'push it underground' or 'stop it from screaming out'.

Co-Dependence y'all! CO-DEPENDENCE!!!

This could be interpreted in so many ways. To take it most literally, it's about erotic asphyxiation. It fits the lyrics perfectly. Read over again and you'll see.

"Bury it I won't let you bury it I won't let you smother it I won't let you murder it"

"it" & "you" in the above lines make me wonder and I can think of "you" as addressed to God, religion (by an atheist) or a totalitarian or any anti-liberty/ anti-freedom form of government (by an individualist) and "it" as meant to be "the truth" in a philosophical sense of the term.

The lyricist sings about being asphyxiated & addicted (to what? seeking favors from govt. perhaps OR seeking peace from something religious which is psychologically healthy short-term but suicidal in the long-term) & thus bound, restricted (by the trap created by the govt./ the religion) which is in contradiction to his wanting (phil.) freedom. And thus he ain't being consistent & honest to his own self and his losing his life, his 'soul'. There's this divide between his sense of life and his explicit philosophy. He knows what the truth but is not courageous enough to stand for it.

personally I'd go for a generalized meaning of the lyrics- how the song makes me feel like when I listen to it. You have to hold on to your principles no matter what & everyday you have to act by those principles you hold to be right and be 'good', be true to yourself, introspect, self-reflect, gauge your virtues by the standards you hold to be 'good'. Since we're humans & not 100% perfect or consistent, it so happens at times that you're emotionally-driven & tempted to do things which your sane mind wouldn't otherwise allow you to. If at such moments, we manage to gain self-control and talk sense into ourselves, well and good! But when we act on such temptations, we're being self-destroyers and insulting our own values. Thus you may find something beautiful which is a contradiction; to act on such a temptation gives you only momentary pleasure.

i think it is about likeing a girl but not wanting to or feeling that she is wrong (the entire beginning and talking about friction), he is trying not to like her but cant help it (i tried to give you up but im addicted) so now decided to just go for it all (the chorus)

Its not about abortion, because he doesnt say "ovulation" He says...."Sense of Elation". So yeah...Its not about abotion. In my opinion, its about the military. Hence looking at the video. Exactly what $aint said.

"I wanted freedom Bound and restricted I tried to give you up But I'm addicted"

this is the verse that convinced me of what the song was about. This verse shows the addiction to materialistic values that we all have and how hard living without technology is, true freedom is not possible with these values.

"Now that you know I'm trapped Sense of elation You'd never dream of Breaking this fixation"

this is quite similar to the last but shows that the people on the inside need us to miantain the lifestyle they want. because without us there would be no armys no workers no consumers. "You will squeeze the life out of me" they push us to extrems too.

"How did it come to this?"

I want to know.

last point, the video shows (what I think is) an underground bunker with world leaders gathered inside. these people then seemingly for no reason start stripping. I think this represents the perversion that these people obviousley suffer from.

...man that took longer that I thought it would

I haver just started checking this band´s lyrcis. so too soon to be sure of anything whether that is possible... :) at first analysis this band (or his songwriter) has clearly big issues with christian theology, concepts like election, end of times, he seems not to be satisfied with the solution proposed by that but in the inner man he feels that might be true. he is a great seeker of the truth but at same time he does not want (or cant) believe he already knows is the truth. Confusing, yes, but also true for many in the world these days. He is a representative of these times... good luck for him, may him be singing of something more clear soon, for now, I got the sound, it is powerful.