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Survival - Official 2012 London Olympics Song

Niall

By Niall
in Songs & Releases

How would you rate Survival, on a scale of 1-5?  

800 members have voted

  1. 1. How would you rate Survival, on a scale of 1-5?

    • Poor - What is this shite?
      75
    • Fair - Well, it's tolerable, but I'll skip it a lot.
      82
    • Good - Decent song, some good parts.
      167
    • Very good - Mostly enjoyable, some really great moments, but not perfect.
      314
    • Excellent - Holy crap, I love it. I had to change my pants.
      162

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zomuse Escapee

zomuse

Posted
Posted
I think it is on the album, it was on that pic of the song list with Dom laughing.

 

Perhaps it was just there for convenience? Since they were recording the songs during the same time. Or just me wishful thinking-ing.

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L. Escapee

L.

Posted
Posted

Listen to it again this morning - still loving the instrumental after the piano part but still having the same issue with it being disjointed that doesn't mesh together and did Matt really have to go CHOIR ALL THE THINGS!!

 

IBTY is so wrong it's right but Survival fail to do that for me.

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Pyroma Escapee

Pyroma

Posted
Posted

Just to jump on the bandwagon, it's improved massively since I first heard it. I think it's better as a sing-along, now I've learned the words and the general progression of the song, I would say it has improved on most of The Resistance. I do think that it's better with the prelude though, makes it sound more showy and like a soundtrack rather than launching into the 'It's A Hard Knock Life piano intro.

The only thing letting it down is the opera soprano "So I told you"s and the final falsetto note. If he just sang the lower of the two octaves then it would be a superb song. It is anyway, but the last bit just leaves a bad taste at the end. This in mind: 7/10

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ExogenesisP1 Escapee

ExogenesisP1

Posted
Posted

Hi all. Here are a few comments from a London 2012 Olympics thread relating to the new song, mixed reactions as you'll see;

 

 

"I like Muse, but I don't like this. I think the Elbow track would be much more in tune with the mood of the ceremony (well, as I'd picture it will role out) and grab the audiences better, it just all seems a little self loathing and destructive for a jovial sporting get together"

 

 

"I really like it. If any country can pull off something as off-beat and edgy as this, it Cool Britania."

 

 

"Its a god damn awful song, can anyone say they feel motivated, inspired, excited by that song, it is downbeat.

They did say they were worried about the athletes march over-running, maybe thats why they have given them a god damn awful song to march to. They will be out of there pronto!"

 

 

"Awesome song, finally some real music at an Olympics."

 

 

"Not the greatest song ever, but it's going to have some impact I reckon and the instrumentals should be huge in the stadium. So different from the usual Eurovisionesque cheese Olympic Games normally churn out.

It'll definitely pack more of a punch from the stadium's million watt sound system than from my laptop speakers."

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weedkill Escapee

weedkill

Posted
Posted

I find it quite USOE-like with all the strings and the choir, pompous vocals, phrygian mode melodies and a pinch of queen. But more powerful and guitarish.

 

A song or two like this I can definitely take, I just hope the whole album's not gonna be that way.

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Guest bellamylookalike

Guest bellamylookalike

Posted
Posted
Is this really the 2012 London Olympics song? It's the most unfitting song I've ever heard in my life :LOL: One of the lines is 'I won't forgive, vengeance is mine'. So much for the Olympic spirit :LOL:

 

Do you play any competitive sports?

You want to beat those that have beaten you before. Even if it is as futile as trying to better that Mr Usain Bolt ;)

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Bumpypotato Dead Star

Bumpypotato

Posted
Posted
All you haters; have a cry you retards. Sure, it's certainly not a perfect 'muse song' - it's a feel good anthem made for the masses to be heard at the olympics. Stop saying all your bullshit about "ohhh WHHAAAA I miss showbiz!". By the way, showbiz sucks big time.

 

Wow.

 

It's a grower, not a shower.

 

I was thinking the same thin, tbh :chuckle:

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darkshineskitty Escapee

darkshineskitty

Posted
Posted
Do you play any competitive sports?

You want to beat those that have beaten you before. Even if it is as futile as trying to better that Mr Usain Bolt ;)

 

Yeah but at the same time, the Olympic values are supposed to be excellence, respect and friendship- not sure if I'd call this song friendly :LOL:

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Niall Dead Star

Niall

Posted
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I want to know why the hell this isn't on Spotify yet.

 

Listen to it again this morning - still loving the instrumental after the

piano part but still having the same issue with it being disjointed that doesn't mesh together and did Matt really have to go CHOIR ALL THE THINGS!!

 

IBTY is so wrong it's right but Survival fail to do that for me.

 

Yeah this is still my opinion of it. IBTY has a lot of redeeming qualities. It has a unique quirkiness with thinks like the French lyrics and the clarinet and the lyrics intended to be somewhat humorous. This is just...bad. Pieces of it are okay, some are even good, but as a whole song it's an incoherent mess that doesn't know what it's meant to me. Trying to be eclectic with genres on an album is one thing, trying to be eclectic with genres in a song is definitely another.

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CarrieB Escapee

CarrieB

Posted
Posted
Hi all. Here are a few comments from a London 2012 Olympics thread relating to the new song, mixed reactions as you'll see;

 

 

"I like Muse, but I don't like this. I think the Elbow track would be much more in tune with the mood of the ceremony (well, as I'd picture it will role out) and grab the audiences better, it just all seems a little self loathing and destructive for a jovial sporting get together"

 

 

I don't know about "self loathing" but people seem to be feeling the edginess and darkness of the track, something I only really noticed later.

 

I wonder if the Olympic committee thought it was edgy.

 

It will go well I think with scenes of heightened security being broadcasted around the world. :LOL:

 

Maybe Muse didn't mean it to have a dark edge but just can't help it...

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Peter. Escapee

Peter.

Posted
Posted
I don't know about "self loathing" but people seem to be feeling the edginess and darkness of the track, something I only really noticed later.

 

I wonder if the Olympic committee thought it was edgy.

 

It will go well I think with scenes of heightened security being broadcasted around the world. :LOL:

 

Maybe Muse didn't mean it to have a dark edge but just can't help it...

 

well, it's Muse, so they should've known what they were doing. if it wouldn't be edgy and dark, it wouldn't be Musey enough:LOL:

anyway, I'm glad to see that there's a majority of people on this board who have a mostly positive view on the song, and appreciate the awesomeness the song contains.

I went with 'very good', but only because of the lyrics. if it was an instrumental or would have decent lyrics, I would've voted 'excellent'.

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Niall Dead Star

Niall

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Here is my critique of the lyrics.

 

Race

Life's a race

 

No it isn't? Unless you mean race to successfully reproduce and raise your children to reproductive age before you yourself die. Which I guess is right. But otherwise it isn't really.

 

But I'm gonna win

Yes, I'm gonna win

 

So...how does one win life? I don't think you can win life. I'm yet to encounter someone who like, got to the next level.

 

And I'll light the fuse

 

Wait...this is a race the involves some kind of explosion? Or is this a metaphor for triggering something big? How does that fit in?

 

And I'll never lose

 

Really? That's not very Olympian. I'm pretty sure there's no Olympian who can claim they've never lost a thing ever.

 

And I choose to survive

 

So you're not suicidal. Reassuring.

 

Whatever it takes

 

Doping?

 

You won't pull ahead

 

"Enjoy your silver. If you get a silver you suck at existing, how dare you compete in the Olympics."

 

I'll keep up the pace

 

Hang on, what the fuck, keep up the pace with what? If you won't let anyone pull ahead by definition you are setting the pace.

 

And I'll reveal my strength

To the whole human race

 

I thought we were running with the race metaphor? Now you're strong as well as being superfast.

 

Yes, I am prepared

To stay alive

 

"I have food and a supply of water. The temperature is adequate. I have basic medicine. I think it is unlikely I will die."

 

Or have we shifted paradigm again into a place where this is not longer a race nor a strength content but some kind of Battle Royale/Hunger Games contest?

 

I won't forgive

Vengeance is mine

 

Oh. Maybe then. Vengeance and a callous lack of forgiveness. That's the Olympic spirit alright!

 

And I won't give in

Because I choose to thrive

 

Maybe this song is also about reproducing before you die.

 

Yeah, we're gonna win

 

Huh...we? We've changed our pronouns now?

 

Race

It's a race

 

Oh now we're back to being in a race again

 

But I'm gonna win

Yes, I'm gonna win

And I will light the fuse

And I'll never lose

And I choose to survive

Whatever it takes

You won't pull ahead

Cause I'll keep up the pace

And I'll reveal my strength

To the whole human race

Yes, I'm gonna win

Yes, I'm gonna win

 

Yes have fun with the explosion strength race. The rest of us will be watching the gymnasts and divers in the Olympics.

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holdenc Escapee

holdenc

Posted
Posted

I honestly think this is going to be a massive hit once the olympics and all the fuss and the warm-hearted, if-you-really-really-believe-in-something,-wonderous-things-can-happen type of souls it drags with it takes over, which is quite an achievement from Muse since the song is at least 40% sarcastic and even self-ironic. And, even with the irony, it manages to maintain its epicness, in fact it even pushes the epicness further, almost over the top (the finishing falsetto scream {which is awesome} + the playful piano + the choir).

 

I think the choir here is used only to highlight the irony (the hahaha of the beginning etc), and I actaully hope the album is going to include more choir sections and backings, cause I think Muse is but just the band for that kind of theatricality, and they can do some amazing stuff with it. Here the choir was just used in a rather humorous way.

 

One of the most exciting and provocative parts of the song for me is Matt's voice during the 1st verse; it has a little hippide-hop type of swagger in it (especially during the parts 'pull ahead' and 'pace'.. listen to it, its magnifying) :) And then, when it slowly arises to the glory that the olympics represent, and finally OVER that glory, you can fairly say that Muse has done it again. The song successfully balances between the hypocracy and the bombast its theme symbolises. And it's not like the literature of the 21st century where the author debates with his own fucking characters, nothing of the kind.

 

Perhaps the only thing that I was left to wait was the "radically different" sound of Muse that they've advertised in a few interviews. I mean, this is basically a continuation (excluding the lyrics) from what we heard in the latter part of Resistance. But, if the album trailer sticks to it's guns, we'll get that new experimenting stuff too when the time comes. So psyched to be a Muse fan! The most innovative band ever (that still makes good music)!

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