Life's a race
But I'm gonna win
Yes, I'm gonna win
And I'll light the fuse
And I'll never lose
And I choose to survive
Whatever it takes
You won't pull ahead
I'll keep up the pace
And I'll reveal my strength
To the whole human race
Yes, I am prepared
To stay alive
I won't forgive
Vengeance is mine
And I won't give in
Because I choose to thrive
Yeah, we're gonna win
It's a race
But I'm gonna win
Yes, I'm gonna win
And I'll 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
![Cover art for Survival lyrics by Muse](https://images.songmeanings.com/31639903-c037-4d2a-b9f3-11ccc70fd97c.webp)
Commenters here before me totally missed the point of these lyrics. If you've listened to even the most mainstream Muse songs, you'd know that these lyrics are sarcastic!
Life isn't a race. There's nothing to win. The only people that feel the need to reveal their strength to the whole human race are those people that want to control you. It's the same power hungry people that keep us in chains that think and act like this.
This song is awesome because it's an official Olympics 2012 song and everyone thinks it's a rah-rah "I'm gonna win!!" triumph of athletes song, but it isn't. It isn't at all. It's making fun of the people who think life is a race and they have to win, at all costs, at the expense of everyone else.
This song is genius. It's a message in disguise and hardly anyone will get it. Good job Muse, good job!
i don't think so.
i don't think so.
I appreciate your post! I am not a genius or anything, but I am also not blind. The fact that even some Muse fans are completely oblivious to the irony involved freaks me out. I didn't realize this was the official 2012 Olympic song, so i had to do a little "research" on the internet. According to an interview after the Olympics:
I appreciate your post! I am not a genius or anything, but I am also not blind. The fact that even some Muse fans are completely oblivious to the irony involved freaks me out. I didn't realize this was the official 2012 Olympic song, so i had to do a little "research" on the internet. According to an interview after the Olympics:
" Bellamy admits that the song was already written when the organisers approached him. "It was definitely a bit more demented than I think they realised,' he says with pleasure.' "
" Bellamy admits that the song was already written when the organisers approached him. "It was definitely a bit more demented than I think they realised,' he says with pleasure.' "
We are living...
We are living in the twilight zone. Hopefully this opens peoples eyes who are still not getting it. Or maybe I am just an idiot. Either way I feel I will learn from they way people respond to this. Here is a link to the article:
http://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/sep/30/muse-2nd-law-tour-interview
![Cover art for Survival lyrics by Muse](https://images.songmeanings.com/31639903-c037-4d2a-b9f3-11ccc70fd97c.webp)
Don't forget to think about this song in context to the album. While I'm sure they happened to coincide with a message of strength for the Olympics, I think this song in context to the album is one of objectivism. "An economy based on unsustainable growth" and all that, this song must be the vantage point of someone who is clearly the one crashing it into the ground. Their selfish, competitive, capitalistic ideals are crashing the world into the ground. I really love it. I love Muse, man, their album themes are so beautiful. I thought things couldn't get any better than Resistance, but I was CLEARLY wrong.
![Cover art for Survival lyrics by Muse](https://images.songmeanings.com/31639903-c037-4d2a-b9f3-11ccc70fd97c.webp)
That's just like continuation of Falling Down. They were the small band nobody listened to, but now they managed to be on top. And they don't plan to lose the "fight".
The good thing is that if you put it in the context of the album it can be about all the greedy people who are ready start a fire just to have more money and power and the fact that they'll beat everybody just to achieve their goals.
Nice comeback Muse!
![Cover art for Survival lyrics by Muse](https://images.songmeanings.com/31639903-c037-4d2a-b9f3-11ccc70fd97c.webp)
According to Matt the song is about "trying to get into that mindset of being completely determined to win, doing it against all the odds, the conviction and the truth of just wanting to win. I wanted to tune into the competitiveness of it all."[1] It's about "total conviction and pure determination to win."
i think that's accurate. i'm not sure matt completely agrees with this sentiment (at least most of the time), but it accurately expresses the completely competitive nature of athletes on the world stage, which is, after all, the context that this song was written for.
i think that's accurate. i'm not sure matt completely agrees with this sentiment (at least most of the time), but it accurately expresses the completely competitive nature of athletes on the world stage, which is, after all, the context that this song was written for.
![Cover art for Survival lyrics by Muse](https://images.songmeanings.com/31639903-c037-4d2a-b9f3-11ccc70fd97c.webp)
considering it was written for the Olympics (or at least heavily inspired by it) the lyrics need not be entirely complex. this song serves its purpose to inspire. great song and it subdued my fears of a heavy dub-stepped album. can never say a bad thing about matt's voice, too.
![Cover art for Survival lyrics by Muse](https://images.songmeanings.com/31639903-c037-4d2a-b9f3-11ccc70fd97c.webp)
What are the background singers saying? It sounds like "Soul Life, Soul Life..."
I hear "So I told you" but that's probably not right either.
I hear "So I told you" but that's probably not right either.
I hear 'So I'm told...' repeated. Which kinda adds to the 'sarcastic' view of the lyrics.
I hear 'So I'm told...' repeated. Which kinda adds to the 'sarcastic' view of the lyrics.
"so i told you..." not sure what that adds to the song....
"so i told you..." not sure what that adds to the song....
![Cover art for Survival lyrics by Muse](https://images.songmeanings.com/31639903-c037-4d2a-b9f3-11ccc70fd97c.webp)
And I won't forgive The vengeance is mine And I won't give in 'Cause I choose to strive
Sinister lyrics chosen for Olympics 2012.
I guess they were too late for V for Vendetta.
![Cover art for Survival lyrics by Muse](https://images.songmeanings.com/31639903-c037-4d2a-b9f3-11ccc70fd97c.webp)
I agree with both statements. They are by far the worst lyrics Muse have ever had, but it doesn't really matter in the context. Muse have never had great lyrics anyway.
Also, I think it says "thrive" rather than "strive".
![Cover art for Survival lyrics by Muse](https://images.songmeanings.com/31639903-c037-4d2a-b9f3-11ccc70fd97c.webp)
With this type of lyrics I could say Matt is able to think like an athlete and it well written for this event. Surely this will spark and lit up the will and determination of the Olympiads.
You silly haters The Olympics is a world event, an event for the masses. Would you expect Matt to write something like "When the Zetas fill the skies, it's just our leaders in disguise" or "Hex, feed the hex on the country you love"?
![Cover art for Survival lyrics by Muse](https://images.songmeanings.com/31639903-c037-4d2a-b9f3-11ccc70fd97c.webp)
People, first Before Reading this, Play Survival Again. Then listen to Follow me, then Explorers. In that specific Order. THe only person above that is Close to the Meaning is LATCARF. Yes we all love Muse's sarcasm. The first part is all about ONE's CONFIDENCE. But he inputs a KEY WORDS before the CHORUS:
"I won't forgive Vengeance is mine And I won't give in Because I choose to fight Yeah, WE"RE gonna win"
WE"RE GONNA WIN. Implying if We, the world stepped up as a (MILLION ONE) instead of thinking that ONE PERSON must strive through the world alone kicking & Screaming & dying to get ahead.
MUSE IS implying WE STEP UP AS ONE People! Not u, Not i, WE...
Wow, I wish This site could have used the real Lyrics before I made my statement.
Wow, I wish This site could have used the real Lyrics before I made my statement.
The real end the first set of lyrics is:
The real end the first set of lyrics is:
"Because I choose to thrive
"Because I choose to thrive
Yes, I'm gonna win"
Yes, I'm gonna win"
Go the to Muse page: http://www.musewiki.org/Survival_(song)
Go the to Muse page: http://www.musewiki.org/Survival_(song)
So to adapt this I and I'll & I and I'll again & again. Life is all about me & until The ME realizes that me must unify to save our lives; that it is about US & not YOU.
So to adapt this I and I'll & I and I'll again & again. Life is all about me & until The ME realizes that me must unify to save our lives; that it is about US & not YOU.
So Matt says: ""total conviction and pure determination to win." I agree, we...
So Matt says: ""total conviction and pure determination to win." I agree, we all have to strive harder, like the Hunger games, to live our lives. Everything revolves around Competition & Money. I do like that he is giving us all confidence that we are bigger than them.