Muscle Museum

"Muscle Museum"
File:Muse mm.jpg The "Muscle Museum" CD1 cover.
Single by Muse
from the album Showbiz
B-side	"Minimum" (7") "Do We Need This?" (CD1) "Pink Ego Box" (CD2) "Con-Science" (CD2)
Released	22 November 1999
Format	7", 2×CD
Recorded	April 1999 at Sawmills Studio, Cornwall
Genre	Alternative rock hard rock new prog
Length	4:22 (Album Version) 5:25 (Full-Length Version) 3:55 (Radio Edit)
Label	Taste/Mushroom
Writer(s)	Matthew Bellamy
Producer(s)	Paul Reeve Muse
Muse singles chronology
"Cave" (September 1999) "Muscle Museum" (November 1999) "Sunburn" (February 2000)
Showbiz track listing "Sunburn" (1) "Muscle Museum" (2) "Fillip" (3)

"Muscle Museum" is the third single by English alternative rock band Muse, and the second track from their debut album, Showbiz. It was released on 7" vinyl—backed with "Minimum"—and double CD—backed with "Do We Need This?", a live acoustic version of the song, "Pink Ego Box" and "Con-Science"—on 22 November 1999 and reached #43 in the UK Singles Chart—an improvement of 9 positions on "Cave". The words Muscle and Museum come immediately before and after the word "Muse" in most dictionaries. The song is available to play on Rocksmith 2014 as part of a Muse 5-song pack.

Music video

The music video is directed by Joseph Kahn and features different people in a suburban neighbourhood, crying in different situations. Joseph Kahn wanted to express the "sadness" of life in the suburbs where every house looks more or less the same. Individual expression is not possible because of the surroundings and the rules in those suburbs and happiness (or pretending to be happy) is mandatory.

Though Joseph Kahn himself thinks of the video as one of the best he made, he believes that most people, including Muse, don't like the video.

Track listings

All songs written and composed by Matthew Bellamy. 

7" (MUSH66S)
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Muscle Museum"	4:22
2.	"Minimum"	2:40
Total length:		7:02

CD1 (MUSH66CDS); French CD1 (NV 3212-4)
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Muscle Museum"	4:22
2.	"Do We Need This?"	4:15
3.	"Muscle Museum" (live acoustic version)	4:44
Total length:		13:21

CD2 (MUSH66CDSX); French CD2 (NV 3212-5)
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Muscle Museum" (full-length version)	5:25
2.	"Pink Ego Box"	3:32
3.	"Con-Science"	4:52
Total length:		13:49

Promo CD (MUSE 5)
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Muscle Museum" (radio edit)	3:55
Total length:		3:55

Australian CD (561 360-2); Benelux CD (481.2002.22)
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Muscle Museum"	4:22
2.	"Do We Need This?"	4:15
3.	"Pink Ego Box"	3:32
4.	"Muscle Museum" (live acoustic version)	4:44
Total length:		16:53

German CD+ (561 360-2)
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Muscle Museum" (radio edit)	3:17
2.	"Overdue"	2:26
3.	"Jimmy Kane"	3:27
4.	"Muscle Museum" (album version)	4:22
Total length:		13:32

US promo CD (PRO-CD-9841); French 2-track promo CD (NV 3217-2)
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Muscle Museum" (radio edit)	3:51
2.	"Muscle Museum" (album version)	4:22
Total length:		8:13

Re-release

"Muscle Museum"
Single by Muse
from the album Showbiz
Released	9 October 2000
Format	7", 2CD
Label	Taste/Mushroom
Muse singles chronology
"Unintended" (May 2000) "Muscle Museum" (re-release) (October 2000) "Plug In Baby" (March 2001)

A 'US Mix' of "Muscle Museum" was released on 7" vinyl—backed with a live version of "Escape"—and double CD—backed with a live version of "Agitated", the 'Timo Maas Sunstroke Remix' of "Sunburn", the 'Saint US Mix' of "Sober" and the 'Soulwax Remix' of the song—on 9 October 2000 and reached #25 in the UK Singles Chart—18 positions higher than its original release.

7" (MUSH84S)
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Muscle Museum" (US Mix)	4:29
2.	"Escape" (live)	3:34
Total length:		8:03

CD1 (MUSH84CDS)
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Muscle Museum" (US Mix)	4:29
2.	"Agitated" (live)	3:11
3.	"Sunburn" (Timo Maas Sunstroke Mix)	6:27
4.	"Muscle Museum" (live video)	4:29
Total length:		18:36

CD2 (MUSH84CDSX)
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Muscle Museum" (US Mix)	4:29
2.	"Sober" (Saint US Mix)	4:04
3.	"Muscle Museum" (Soulwax Remix)	3:46
Total length:		12:19

Remix promo CD (MUSE 10)
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Muscle Museum" (radio edit)	3:58
2.	"Sober" (The Saint Remix)	4:04
3.	"Sunburn" (Timo Maas Sunstroke Mix)	6:44
Total length:		14:46

Release history

Region	Date	Label	Format	Catalog
United Kingdom	22 November 1999	Mushroom	7"	MUSH66S
			2CD	MUSH66CDS/MUSH66CDSX
			CD	MUSE 5
Australia		Mushroom	CD	561 360-2
Benelux		Play It Again Sam	CD	481.2002.22
France		Naïve	2CD	NV 3212-4/NV 3212-5
Germany		Motor	CD+	561 360-2
United States		Maverick	CD	PRO-CD-9841
Worldwide reissue	9 October 2000	Mushroom	7"	MUSH84S
			2CD	MUSH84CDS/MUSH84CDSX
			CD	MUSE 10

External links

• Lyrics
• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics