Annotations for Madness

Lyric: Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-madness
Annotation:
The broken up single word “madness” recurs throughout the intro, both verses, the chorus, and the refrain, but it isn’t until the outro refrain that it finally resolves into a very satisfying concluding “madness.”

Lyric: Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-mad-mad-mad
 Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-mad-mad-mad
 Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-mad-mad-mad
 Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-mad-mad-mad
Annotation:
Going mad is often referred to as “cracking up.” Muse hits that theme right away, providing a punchy, staccato opening of the word “madness” without resolution.

Lyric: Now, I have finally seen the light
 And I have finally realised
 What you need
Annotation:
This bridge, similar to the previous one, reveals a succumbing to the madness and/or a succumbing to his lover. He is willing to change or give in to end the madness.

Lyric: And I, I tried so hard to let you go
 But some kind of madness is swallowing me whole, yeah
Annotation:
He wanted to escape the relationship and stop loving her but failed–proving that the madness and chaos of the relationship has somehow infected him and prevents him from abandoning the relationship.

Lyric: And baby, you’re too headstrong
Annotation:
Immediately after admitting his own defeat and flaws, he accuses the other person of also being imperfect.  He basically buttered her up to give her a criticism.

Lyric: Yes, I know, I can be wrong
Annotation:
Conceding to his own fallibility, he admits that he is not perfect, demonstrating that he really wants to make this relationship work.  People generally do not like to draw attention to their mistakes, but revealing one’s error can show sensitivity to others as well as humility and make the other person feel immediately better about himself/herself. In arguments, people do not like to be the first to apologize because that would place them at fault. On the other hand, here the singer tries to put an end to their fighting through recognizing his capacity for misjudgment and poor choices.

Lyric: Now, I need to know, is this real love
 Or is it just madness keeping us afloat? Mm
Annotation:
At this point, he wants to know if it’s really love that’s keeping them together or just some crazy addiction (as seen in  Time Is Running Out by  Muse). A similar notion is expressed in  Our Love is Senile by  Of Montreal.

Lyric: I, I can’t get these memories out of my mind
 And some kind of madness is starting to evolve, mm
Annotation:
The messy fights of the relationship have become haunting. They are no longer exceptions or random, they are ingrained and deep-rooted. This is the starting point of the madness.

Lyric: And when I look back at all the crazy fights we had
 It’s like some kind of madness was taking control, yeah
Annotation:
Frontman Bellamy wrote this song after a fight with girlfriend Kate Hudson. At its essence, the song describes a fight spiralled out of control and the ensuing silence and reflection that follows.

