It’s crazy to think Aaron wrote the majority of this song, while live, on stage, with Fred Durst. Before that concert, this song was only an idea, with the chorus written. Aaron is full of talent and emotion.
“Excess Baggage” must be a great snack for a therapist.
For me the, “I can see through you. See your true colors. Inside you’re ugly, you’re ugly like me. I can see through you, see to the real you” does drive connection with others, but also stands as the flashpoint for the deepest emotional wounds. If we’ve apparently been accepted, but then our “ugly” parts get used as weapons against us the betrayal hurts more. The “see to the real you” at the end sounds to me like giving yourself permission to let go of that person. Because they’re no longer on that pedestal, you recognize their flaws and can choose to leave. You’re no longer deluding yourself about who they really are. It might be colored by my situation, I think it could stand to be a moment of clarity, where taking the person off of the pedestal can allow you to completely accept someone into your life. I’ve just always felt the song was taking a shot at the people that hurt you.
Stainds new that just came out is absolutely unbelievable. It definitely takes you back in the day. Lowest in me is a great song off the new album.
The live version is amazing
The live version is so much better than this he really belts that second verse, and it just hits different
Saw Staind in concert a year after this song came out with Godsmack. This song live is UNBELIEVABLE
You hammed the nail for me, this is the song that the female loved… She was the person that suicide suicide the day I was going to ask her out =[ I found out that she was living the same crap life that I lived… I was the eldest of seven children.
Epiphany, Tangled Up in You, and The Corner would all be great songs to analyze.
Yup. Bingo. This is about an imbalanced relationship where the other person is shutting you out.
Listen to his story on this song. He literally wrote it on stage while he sang it. His story telling on this song being created is to die for
I think it’s so important someone that looks like you saying that
Aaron Lewis is the real deal. All his music, especially back in these days… so good. Just pain, you can feel it
A friend of mine worked security for a show Aaron Lewis did, said he’s a huge asshole, total rockstar persona
You should listen to tangled up in you. By Staind. Amazing
Now i miss my minitruck…
If you are sorta new to Staind, which blows my mind, listen to Epiphany. I’m a 90s baby, so I grew up on this stuff, so I love seeing other ppl discover amazing songs and artistry. Also… MORE NF!
what part i never really understand is: “And I taste what I could never have It was from you”
sounds to me he has an desire that gets never fulfilled for him but he saw it in that other “part/love/whatever”.
the song means for me that he is talking about himself. A shit part of himself he doesn’t like, but he also want or need.
I think you focus too much on the refrain but the story is behind the bridges.
Staind is full of bangers that really make you think about life, mental illness, and struggle. Aaron Lewis single-handedly got me through my teen years and early 20s and their stuff hits even harder today once you’ve actually been through some shit.
The best part of this song is that Aaron made most of this up on the fly, with Fred Durst sitting next to him on stage. He had pieces of it from when he was the lead singer of J-Cat. But it shows how talented Aaron used to be in terms of his writing and even when just winging it on stage, he was able to express an emotion and create something so many could relate to.