I see a lot of people bashing "Liberation" for being a Queen-rip-off; possessing "awful" lyrics; and/or listing it as the worst, or at least one of the worst songs off Will of the People. While everyone has the right to an opinion, all the negativity surrounding the song prompted me to post a positive write-up of it.
First off, while there are undoubtedly Queen-influences present in this track, I see them as much less overbearing than in some other songs - most notably "United States of Eurasia" (love this track too, by the way). The most obvious said inspiration occurs between the verse and chorus, where multiple vocals are layered - somewhat reminiscent of "Bohemian Rhapsody." That's it, though, and such a musical maneuver is far from rare in Muse's catalog. Hell, just look at this album - the same type of sound transpires at the very tail-end of "We Are F-ing F-ed" (another great song). Queen has long been a major influence on Muse, but, and Queen legendary guitarist Brian May has made similar claims, the band hasn't blatantly ripped-off Queen, so much as they've simply incorporated elements from the band's music to help form their own distinctive sound.
When it comes to lyrics, I've heard everything from "Matt Bellamy is a genius!" to "His lyrics are so cringe!" The most common reaction tends to be something along the lines of "Eh, whatever. I've never listened to Muse for the lyrics." Regardless of your opinion, I feel two things which make poetry most effective are empathy and relatability. The former helps the writer to better understand the subject about which he or she is writing, and also exhibits a greater heart and sensitivity to the author. The latter increases potential outreach, as people of all stripes can directly feel some semblance of inspiration from it - almost as if the song is being sung specifically for them. Matt has said "Liberation" was inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement and protests. Living in the U.S.; knowing Black Americans who have been unfairly targeted by law enforcement due to the color of their skin; and taken part in this very movement myself, whenever I hear this song, I get chills. I immediately see images of unarmed Black men and women being killed by cops: George Floyd, Tamir Rice, Eric Garner, Walter Scott, the list sadly goes on and on. But then I envision protests far and wide; people of all stripes coming together to right the wrongs of the past which have continued into the present; and at the end of the day Martin Luther King's dream ultimately coming to fruition.
The song was inspired by real-life events, which makes it all the more impactful to me. It showcases empathy, which is sadly lacking in this world - so, to me at least, it comes across as refreshing. All in all, I think it's one of the two most powerful tracks on the new album, along with "Verona." It reflects on what was and provides hope for what will be.
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