I read a really good analysis that someone made in a Muse forum, connecting this song with the artwork of the cover of the album, Ill try quote some of it.
If we ignore the clouds in the sky and identify the red desert they're sitting in as Mars, they are the knights of Cydonia.
They have little horses on the table. This suggests that they represent the four horsemen of the apocalypse, adapted from Biblical times to reflect the problems in our society. Each man represents: religious extremism, gouvernment control, energy crisis, and social injustice.
They are playing poker, which:
a. is a nod to Muse's newfound fondness of it on the MTVu tour
b. implies that they're just passing the time before the world ends.
If you go around the table, starting with the man on the left and quoting City of Delusion you get this: "I will avenge....and justify my reasons with your blood" That guy is covered in religious figures and has a set of set of blinkers. Obvious message being that religious extremists are blind to the bigger picture.
Then the next man whose face we can't see, goes with thhis fraction of the song "I choose to hide from your all-seeing eye". This guy is wearing a suit covered in eyes, representing the 'all-seeing eye' of Illuminati conspiracy theories. Brilliantly, we can't see his face, so we can't identify who's really in control.
Now the guy sitting on the right "Do not deny......that you live and let die."
The man on the right is fat and wearing a gold suit, implying wealth and representing the financial inequality of modern society.
Interestingly, he's looking to the Illuminatus for his cues which would make it clear that there's a connection between the very rich and those who are controlling the world.
Finally there's the man on the other side of the table. "You'll not rest or settle for less...until you guzzle and squander what's left."
He's wearing a suit made of little shiny things. They could be mirrors, a symbol of our vain consumer culture, but I think they're little solar panels. Very symbolically Mr Energy Crisis is staring the Illuminatus (ie our leaders) in the face but the Illuminatus is looking past him. In the context of the poker game the Knights seem to be playing, he's challenging the Illuminatus to do something.
This would be very in keeping with the band's references to peak oil.
I totally agree with what this guy thinks, I quoted it from that forum. Its really well thought and totally makes sense :)
Thank you, Luckymuse, for sharing this with everyone! That is very well put. If one looks at the cover more closely, the symbolism becomes quite obvious (unfortunately, the CD art does not do it justice, so I recommend downloading a high-resolution jpeg from the internet). As far as this song goes, to me it feels like the center piece of the whole album, and a perfect summation of everything that Matt Bellemy has been alluding to in his lyrics, which is: "WE ARE BEING LIED TO AND MANIPULATED." What most of us believe about the world today is simply not...
Thank you, Luckymuse, for sharing this with everyone! That is very well put. If one looks at the cover more closely, the symbolism becomes quite obvious (unfortunately, the CD art does not do it justice, so I recommend downloading a high-resolution jpeg from the internet). As far as this song goes, to me it feels like the center piece of the whole album, and a perfect summation of everything that Matt Bellemy has been alluding to in his lyrics, which is: "WE ARE BEING LIED TO AND MANIPULATED." What most of us believe about the world today is simply not true. We live in this "City of Delusion" where the news media feeds us lies everyday and we swallow it whole thinking it is the truth. Technology has advanced to a state that we are bombarded with messages everyday telling us to obey and consume. OBEY and CONSUME. We are told that these are our prime responsibilities. If we do not or can not follow these, we are not worthwhile and to be disposed with. Don't believe me? Just look at the advertisements in magazines, on television, on billboards. There is always something to buy, something to consume, and we are told we need it. And why do you think the news media focuses so much on the negative... on violence, on disasters, on scandals, on everyday crime? To get us to fear and obey! War, religious extremism, social injustice, suppression of knowledge, environmental destruction, economic collapse... these are all being set in place in order to bring the population of the world to their knees begging for their leaders to save them, not realizing who perpetrated the situation to begin with. By the time that happens it will be too late and we will have no choice but to obey. Anyone who does not submit to authority will not be tolerated. We will be living in a police state, with no rights, no freedom, and no reason to live. We will become slaves. You have to ask yourself, is this is what you want for your future or your children's future? We have to wake up. We have to open our eyes, and convince others to do the same. Change will not be brought about until there is a mass-awakening.
“Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we're being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I'm liable to be put away as insane for expressing that. That's what's insane about it.” -John Lennon
Well...very clever...I have studied that cover and got nothing...which is probably why I failed my semiotic essay. I love this forum, it doesn't matter what the song is about (any song), you take your own interpretation and if you don't have one you're satisfied with ,you come to this forum and choose one you affiliate with best. And even better if it comes from a Muse forum. thanks for posting :)
Well...very clever...I have studied that cover and got nothing...which is probably why I failed my semiotic essay. I love this forum, it doesn't matter what the song is about (any song), you take your own interpretation and if you don't have one you're satisfied with ,you come to this forum and choose one you affiliate with best. And even better if it comes from a Muse forum. thanks for posting :)
I read a really good analysis that someone made in a Muse forum, connecting this song with the artwork of the cover of the album, Ill try quote some of it.
If we ignore the clouds in the sky and identify the red desert they're sitting in as Mars, they are the knights of Cydonia. They have little horses on the table. This suggests that they represent the four horsemen of the apocalypse, adapted from Biblical times to reflect the problems in our society. Each man represents: religious extremism, gouvernment control, energy crisis, and social injustice. They are playing poker, which: a. is a nod to Muse's newfound fondness of it on the MTVu tour b. implies that they're just passing the time before the world ends.
If you go around the table, starting with the man on the left and quoting City of Delusion you get this: "I will avenge....and justify my reasons with your blood" That guy is covered in religious figures and has a set of set of blinkers. Obvious message being that religious extremists are blind to the bigger picture.
Then the next man whose face we can't see, goes with thhis fraction of the song "I choose to hide from your all-seeing eye". This guy is wearing a suit covered in eyes, representing the 'all-seeing eye' of Illuminati conspiracy theories. Brilliantly, we can't see his face, so we can't identify who's really in control.
Now the guy sitting on the right "Do not deny......that you live and let die." The man on the right is fat and wearing a gold suit, implying wealth and representing the financial inequality of modern society. Interestingly, he's looking to the Illuminatus for his cues which would make it clear that there's a connection between the very rich and those who are controlling the world.
Finally there's the man on the other side of the table. "You'll not rest or settle for less...until you guzzle and squander what's left." He's wearing a suit made of little shiny things. They could be mirrors, a symbol of our vain consumer culture, but I think they're little solar panels. Very symbolically Mr Energy Crisis is staring the Illuminatus (ie our leaders) in the face but the Illuminatus is looking past him. In the context of the poker game the Knights seem to be playing, he's challenging the Illuminatus to do something. This would be very in keeping with the band's references to peak oil.
I totally agree with what this guy thinks, I quoted it from that forum. Its really well thought and totally makes sense :)
Thank you, Luckymuse, for sharing this with everyone! That is very well put. If one looks at the cover more closely, the symbolism becomes quite obvious (unfortunately, the CD art does not do it justice, so I recommend downloading a high-resolution jpeg from the internet). As far as this song goes, to me it feels like the center piece of the whole album, and a perfect summation of everything that Matt Bellemy has been alluding to in his lyrics, which is: "WE ARE BEING LIED TO AND MANIPULATED." What most of us believe about the world today is simply not...
Thank you, Luckymuse, for sharing this with everyone! That is very well put. If one looks at the cover more closely, the symbolism becomes quite obvious (unfortunately, the CD art does not do it justice, so I recommend downloading a high-resolution jpeg from the internet). As far as this song goes, to me it feels like the center piece of the whole album, and a perfect summation of everything that Matt Bellemy has been alluding to in his lyrics, which is: "WE ARE BEING LIED TO AND MANIPULATED." What most of us believe about the world today is simply not true. We live in this "City of Delusion" where the news media feeds us lies everyday and we swallow it whole thinking it is the truth. Technology has advanced to a state that we are bombarded with messages everyday telling us to obey and consume. OBEY and CONSUME. We are told that these are our prime responsibilities. If we do not or can not follow these, we are not worthwhile and to be disposed with. Don't believe me? Just look at the advertisements in magazines, on television, on billboards. There is always something to buy, something to consume, and we are told we need it. And why do you think the news media focuses so much on the negative... on violence, on disasters, on scandals, on everyday crime? To get us to fear and obey! War, religious extremism, social injustice, suppression of knowledge, environmental destruction, economic collapse... these are all being set in place in order to bring the population of the world to their knees begging for their leaders to save them, not realizing who perpetrated the situation to begin with. By the time that happens it will be too late and we will have no choice but to obey. Anyone who does not submit to authority will not be tolerated. We will be living in a police state, with no rights, no freedom, and no reason to live. We will become slaves. You have to ask yourself, is this is what you want for your future or your children's future? We have to wake up. We have to open our eyes, and convince others to do the same. Change will not be brought about until there is a mass-awakening.
“Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we're being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I'm liable to be put away as insane for expressing that. That's what's insane about it.” -John Lennon
I completely agree with both of you, and the Lennon quote is one of my favorites.
I completely agree with both of you, and the Lennon quote is one of my favorites.
I completely agree with both of you, and the Lennon quote is one of my favorites.
I completely agree with both of you, and the Lennon quote is one of my favorites.
Well...very clever...I have studied that cover and got nothing...which is probably why I failed my semiotic essay. I love this forum, it doesn't matter what the song is about (any song), you take your own interpretation and if you don't have one you're satisfied with ,you come to this forum and choose one you affiliate with best. And even better if it comes from a Muse forum. thanks for posting :)
Well...very clever...I have studied that cover and got nothing...which is probably why I failed my semiotic essay. I love this forum, it doesn't matter what the song is about (any song), you take your own interpretation and if you don't have one you're satisfied with ,you come to this forum and choose one you affiliate with best. And even better if it comes from a Muse forum. thanks for posting :)