I went to see Blur at Hyde Park for
the Closing Ceremony Celebrations. I’m not the biggest the blur fan, Oasis was
always more catchy to my ear but some of the idea of blurs were good and having
already seen Oasis at Wembley, I felt I had to give Blur a chance. This song
never got into my head much in “pre-gig” listening but live, it was amazing.
This song was the one EVERYONE sang, especially the “Oh my baby” parts. It made it that more special as well as
sentimental. This may have become from when Graham Coxon left for a while and
the crowd sang his part but with the choral parts as well, you want to just
sing the song yourself.
Any song with the title “Tender”
immediately tells you its going to be close to heart and not extreme or rocking
hard. Musical, it’s actually quite thin. Guitars, drum, clapping? And that is
what it makes it beautiful and so much more personal I my view. I could only
imagine how difficult it is to go out and purposefully write a song like this,
but I really think blur have made it work well.
I think its beautifully innocent and makes me miss my child
years a bit. If I’m ever allowed o have children, (not anytime soon though!) I
would probably sing or play it to them as a bed time song. (Awwww)
Everyone is going Olympics crazy, well, those of us that
care. Personally I do. I think it a once in a life-time thing for it to be
hosted in London. This is why I
have chosen to look at the Olympic theme tune. Survival by Muse, (or the Matt
Bellamy Trio!)
In an interview I saw on Youtube, matt says “when people try
to make music for the Olympics it is all encompassing and ends up Luke-warm, I
just wanted to focus on one element and that is the fight to win.” – So how
does the song stay true to these words?
The beginning of the song is incredibly musical, something
that should be a Reprise from Oliver Twist or another musical. Is this a bad
thing, well yes, it does seem a bit corny, especially with the finger-clicking.
On the other hand it’s a reflection on Muse’s musical prowess. Their recent
album was remarked for its dub step exploration, but this brings us back to the
classical piano Muse from the Absolution era. When the added piano melody comes
in note the rhythm, it will be mentioned later.
When the vocals and the full band do come in, matt’s choice
of lyrics are magnificently suitable for the song. Short lyrical phrases ending
on the first beat of the bar giving the final word of the line more emphasis.
When you have words like, race, win, lose, survive, pace, strength, etc they
are definitely words of a fighter and you want them emphasised in a song like
this.
The bass and drums take of the rhythm from the piano
mentioned earlier. But if you focus solely on the rhythm, (and this is what I
love most about song analysis and this song,) you will hear a war beat, or
something similar, but you could picture the beat being played out on war drums
in marching to battles in Lord of the Rings! This rhythm is the base layer of
the songs triumphant sound and dominant atmosphere.
Halfway through this verse enter the vocal choruses singing
“So I Told You”. This choice of lyrics pulls the listener in, using words like
“I” and “You” make the song personal and allows the listen to relate to the
song.
"You wont't pull ahead (So I told you)
I'll keep up the pace (So I told you)
And I'll reveal my strength (So I told you)
To the whole human race (So I told you)"
Matt puts you in athlete’s shoes and opens you up to how
determine you must be to win your event. Taking the motto “Inspire a
Generation” to a whole new level!
So far, no guitar! And it wouldn’t be a Muse song if there
wasn’t something ridiculous on guitar with Matt’s being worldwide renown for
his technology used with his guitar. The vocal build up in the end verse is
used as the introduction for the entrance of the guitar the solo is hypnotic,
like a magic being caste. The guitar solo builds bringing the vocal choruses
once again, and still matt makes the guitar build the atmosphere after so it
feel like (though its just the change in key helping to lift, a notable
technique for those songwriters out there).
When the guitar drops back to earth for the second verse
(after soaring to the end of the universe it seems) matt voice comes back with
more force than before helping to build the atmosphere once again, the vocals
are there already and suddenly the same lyrics being sung again have more force
behind their meaning. Matt actually sings the words closer to the beat than
before. The guitar starts chugging the chords and an extra layer, though I feel
it brings to mood to a darker place with the amount of distortion. Pretty good
for a determined fighting wanting to win, though completely different to the
mood set at the beginning of the song with the piano. The song has evolved into
a more serious form that almost scares you to get out of you seat and start
exercising. And the end of the second verse matt goes into his incredible
falsetto voice and brings with it the hugely powerful guitar riff which once
again shows the underlying rhythm that has been used throughout the song
without a rest. No need for the vocal choruses here, it’s all about the riff!
After a while the guitar goes into question and response
style the solo, being back by the vocal chorus again being answer by just the
bands riff. The guitar stays with the classic sound that was used in the first
solo.
After, the guitar drops back inline with the rhythm section
which jumps out at you with the use of more bass drums. The vocal choruses
start shrieking fight and the win and other layers harmonies up a scale to
build the atmosphere. Here the song seem almost naked until matt voice, once
again comes in with a “Yes, I’m Gonna Win”. The tension that is realised here is
massive as finally the rhythm has stopped having been going since the
beginning. You could just imagine Jessica Ennis crossing the line at this point
knowing that she’s won. You can finally sit back comfortably in your chair as
the last few notes hold out to a stop. Only now at the end of the song can you
finally breathe once more.
There have been a few comments about this song being similar
to bands such as Queen and Radiohead. I’m not the biggest Radiohead person and
can’t talk for the latter but the former, Queen, yes I would say. If you listen
to The Show Must Go On the beginning is very similar, yet the underlying theme
are also very similar, shows that Muse have got it right doesn’t it?
For those that say it similar to bohemian Rhapsody, yes, for
2 bars but no one ever notice the change in rhythm. This tells me that it’s
completely different to what we’re truly hearing for Muse.
A review from NME online says – “It’ll certainly make the
rest of the world’s athletes believe that Britain is populate solely by
immortal classical Gods who can probably throw a shot put as far as Istanbul,
but come the album we’d appreciate a little more dub step”. NME – Mark Beaumont.
In response I say, “let them think we can, and may the
rest of the album be of this standard of musical power!” and of course “Go Team
GB!”
Youtube of the song, has added piano part at the beginning.
