Muses: A Century of Influences

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By Lilly Palmer I September

artwork by Laetitia Dewachter

Throughout history, music has consistently been associated with romance. It’s practically rooted in it, especially when it’s written for someone. Therefore, over the years, music has led us to some remarkably known muses for their influence on the scene at the time. Due to this, it’s key that we unveil and scrutinise the renowned legacies of some of these women.

Pattie Boyd

No list of memorable muses would be complete without mention of Pattie Boyd herself. Boyd was one of the notorious models of the 60s, which instantly drew attention to her. It's no wonder that she influenced some of the most powerful love songs of all time. Alongside modelling, Boyd is also well-known for the infamous Harrison-Clapton love triangle. This feud between The Beatles’ George Harrison and Derek and The Dominos’ Eric Clapton later produced infamous tracks like “Something” and “Layla”, which subsequently marked music history. These tracks were written in an attempt to ‘Win over’ Boyd, being so recognisable and well-known, emphasises her significance as a musical inspiration without even mentioning her heavy influence on some of The Beatles’ work on Harrison's behalf, making her one of the most distinguishable muses to date. 

Yoko Ono

In continuation of Beatles' wives, Yoko Ono is easily seen as the most influential woman in relation to The Beatles’ discography, with her even having a track named after her with “The Ballad Of John And Yoko”, and vocals on “Revolution 9”. Ono herself has commonly been branded as just Yoko, highlighting her significance across the board as an adored artist and one of the most controversial muses over the years. Aside from songs written about Ono, she’s also a considerably well-known artist for her solo work or even just simply being found in the back of John Lennon’s music videos as his personal muse.  

Stevie Nicks

Stevie Nicks embodies the essence of being a muse and writing for one. Famously known for being the front of Fleetwood Mac and one of the main faces of the 70s, with her whimsical fashion sense that encapsulates her essence perfectly. Nicks, of course, is recognised for writing some of the most romantic songs encompassing her relationship with band member Lindsay Buckingham, like “Landslide” or the contrasting, more apprehensive songs such as “Silver Springs”. However, Nicks is no stranger to being the reason behind songs, as Nicks influenced the Tom Petty song “Stop Draggin' My Heart Around”, which Nicks would later feature on. Alongside her heavy influence, she later featured on Lana Del Rey’s “Beautiful People Beautiful Problems”.  

Courtney Love

To continue the trend of those who have played both writing to a muse alongside being one, we are presented with Courtney Love. Love Famously uses herself as a muse in her band Hole’s “Live Through This” album, with tracks like “Doll Parts”. Secondly, following being married to the late Kurt Cobain, it is also speculated that she played the role of muse in Nirvana's “Heart-Shaped Box” whilst also falling under as the negative influence in Foo Fighters’ track “I'll Stick Around”, due to her troubled relationship with frontman and ex-Nirvana member Dave Grohl. Aside from this, Love also has some connotation to songs like The Smashing Pumpkins’ “Where Boys Fear To Tread” as it is heavily associated with her despite not being publicly confirmed. 

Alexa Chung

Alexa Chung is one of the most popular muses of the modern era. The model's relationship with Arctic Monkeys’ frontman Alex Turner around 2007-2011 earned them the title of 'Indie Rock Royalty’, so it’s no wonder that Chung received a few songs in her thought. Many fans over the years have deciphered lyrics to pinpoint which exact songs were inspired by Alexa, which concluded in tracks like “She's Thunderstorms” or “Knee Socks” being highlighted, due to their obvious implications to Chung, as if “Knee Socks” was a clear intimation of her signature look. However, over the years, the only song to be confirmed by frontman Alex Turner to be about Chung was the track “The Fire And The Thud”. 

In conclusion, over the years, muses have been prevalent on the music scene. Whether it's self-inspiration, written for a lover, or even in spite. Influence is so important to art creation, and especially when something so beautiful is birthed in the thought of something or someone, it should be highlighted and documented, for a simple song can retell a myriad of emotions, thoughts and feelings. 

BRUIT. Playlist:

muses playlist