Apocalypse Please

"Apocalypse Please"
Single by Muse
from the album Absolution
Released23 August 2004
Recorded2003 (2003) (album version)
27 June 2004 at Glastonbury Festival (single version)
Genre
Length4:12 (Album version)
4:34 (Album version with intro)
4:48 (Single version)
Label
Composer(s)Muse (Matt Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme, Dominic Howard)
Lyricist(s)Matt Bellamy
Producer(s)
Muse singles chronology
"Sing for Absolution"
(2004) 		"Apocalypse Please"
(2004) 		"Butterflies and Hurricanes"
(2004)

"Apocalypse Please" is a song by English rock band Muse, featured on their third studio album, Absolution (2003). A live version of the song was released as a download single on 23 August 2004, from which approximately 70% of all proceeds were donated to Oxfam.[1] The song reached number ten on the first edition of the UK Official Download Chart, announced on 1 September 2004.[2]

Background

"Apocalypse Please" was originally recorded with an orchestral backing, which was removed simply for being, according to Bellamy, "too much."[3] Drummer Dominic Howard described the song as "a very theatrical song about religious fanatics and their wish that their prophecies come true [...] So that they can confirm their religion."[4]

Producer Rich Costey said he wanted the toms on "Apocalypse Please" to sound as "ridiculous and as epic as possible".[5] He had Howard play a pair of close-miked kick drums "to get a low, thumping sound".[5] The song also features additional drumming by bassist Chris Wolstenholme.[3]

Release

Along with the single release, Muse ran a competition to win a signed and framed set list, also in conjunction with Oxfam.[6] In 2005, "Apocalypse Please" was featured on the live video album Absolution Tour;[7] in 2008, it was also featured on the DVD edition of the live album HAARP.[8]

Charts

Chart performance for "Apocalypse Please"
Chart (2004) Peak
position
UK Singles Downloads (OCC)[9] 10

References

  1. ^ "Chris' Hand Injury, New Download Single". microcuts.net. 16 August 2004. Archived from the original on 14 February 2009. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  2. ^ "Westlife top first download chart". BBC. 1 September 2004. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  3. ^ a b Muse: Making of Absolution (Official Documentary) (DVD). Muse. 2003.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. ^ "We feel sorry for bands being hyped". MuseWiki. 2 October 2003. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  5. ^ a b "Rich Costey: Producer |". soundonsound.com. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
  6. ^ "Oxfam Download". microcuts.net. 25 August 2004. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  7. ^ "Absolution Tour". Muse. Archived from the original on 3 August 2009. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  8. ^ "HAARP". Muse. Archived from the original on 3 August 2009. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  9. ^ "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.