Hysteria by Muse - Songfacts

Album: Absolution (2003)

Charted: 17

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Songfacts®:

This obsessive song is about a stalker who is losing his mind going after a girl. "I want you now, I'll feel my heart implode," Matt Bellamy sings.
Chris Wolstenholme's bass line from this track was voted the best of all time in a poll run by MusicRadar. Rush's instrumental "YYZ"came a very close second, followed by two entries from Queen, "Another One Bites The Dust" and "Under Pressure." MusicRadar said of the winner: "Chris Wolstenholme certainly takes center-stage with his intricate processed riff driving the singalong and providing a fat bedrock for Matt Bellamy's guitar histrionics."
The actor Justin Theroux stars in the video, where he trashes a hotel room in an outburst that would have impressed Keith Moon. No members of Muse show up in the clip, which was directed by the UK filmmaker Mat Kirkby. His other credits include the Basement Jaxx video for "Good Luck" and Adele's "Make You Feel My Love."

Comments: 19

Brayden from TexasI love the turf war between those who supposedly have had an orgasm and those who haven't 'seen' one before, it really points out the immaturity in people who go to songfacts to argue about what a song is about while dictating the exact same idea lol
Matthew from Wales, you almost proved your masculinity with that one, just lost it by poorly attempting to justify why you are right with the blatantly obvious
except for the stalker logic lmao not sure where that bit was routed from, you came to this page for a reason mate
Matthew from Wales, UkMarcus, judging by the fact that you said " ZING! " As if you are funny, proves how cringe you are lol. If you think this song is sweet then you're probably a stalker yourself.
Justin from Sevierville, TnI would like to say something here. Marcus, from MI, saying, "This song is sweet!" Well, I have to disagree with saying that the people here haven't "Seen" an Orgasm, If I'm not mistaken you can't "See" and Orgasm, so that means know one here has "Seen" An orgasm, they may have "Felt" An orgasm, so make sure you try to sound like you have "Felt" one before you talk some s--t. :)
Grace from Malibu, CaInsane bass, courtesy of Chris. Matt shreds guitar (not to mention the singing) And Dom rocks!
Edgar from Grandville, MiYou guys are weird. When you say orgasm, you're thinking too hard about a good song. It's just a song, not an orgasm. Okay?
Michael from Alta Loma, CaActually amys right

Hysteria was originally a now-defunct psychoanalytical diagnosis particularly afflicted to females, akin to sexual frustration. The treatment consisted of a massage of the genitals leading to "hysterical paroxysm", or what is now known as the female orgasm. It later came to mean overwhelming fear, panic or emotional excess, or alternatively, a mental disorder that is without an organic cause.[1] Hysteria is sometimes referred to as "the slyest reference to a female orgasm in a rock song"[1]

that's just the origin of the word, but it sort of fits. Nice work Amy.
Marcus from Jackson, MiWhy the hell are half of the people that commented on this obsessed with Amy's comment...This song is f--king sweet I don't really care what it's about. You guys probably want to know about female orgasms cuz you never seen one, ZING! This song is f--king sweet.
Jessica from Bloomfield , Njthis is about a guy who wants a girl and it's tearing him up inside. i don't get stalker from this. sorry
Jack from Salem, Ori believe amy is being sarcastic, shes saying way to point out the obvious matt
Billy from Perris, CaI think Amy was talking about the title...
Will from Baghdad, Iraqwhat does this song have to do with an orgasm amy? just watch the video....
Nady from Adelaide, AustraliaI just wanna know where Amy got that idea from? I cant remotely see this song being about orgasm, it's clearly about a derranged man pining after this woman/prostitute or whatever, so uch that its driving him completely and utterly mad. Why isnt Blackout or Newborn on the list? jeez they missed a few goodn's!
Lanaia from Port. A., BcBefore I saw the video, I thought it was about a guy who wanted this girl, who he stalked, like, he'd sell his soul for her, and he does, and the 'grating me', and 'caving in' was all part of selling it to the devil.
Now, I'm not too sure what I thought was right.
Andrew from Manchester, United KingdomOk right, I have studied the video, Amy, you are totally wrong, its about a guy who stalks a girl he wants really badly, he finds out that she is a prostitute, he invites her tyo his hotel room and attacks her, nothing about an orgasm.
Amy from Adelaide,Actually its about a female orgasm. Apparently. Kudos to matt lol
Jessiah from Kingston, Ohtheres two videos two this song then cause i saw one where the band plays in a room with abunch of lights.
Sam from Newton Abbot, Englandif u watch the video a few times then u will see he has a camera and had been filming her without her knowing and he realises that shes a prostitute he calls her to a hotel. but then gets angry as hes deeply in love with her. in the begining of the video he wakes up to a wrecked room and locks the cleaner out.
Matthew from Milford, MaHow about a boy wanting a girl so badly, he's willing to imprison her in his home?
Matt from Harlan, KyI think this song is about a boy wanting a girl so badly that he cannot stand still.

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