The band has three #1 albums (Faceless, IV, The Oracle) on the Billboard 200, four Grammy nominations, and eight #1 hits on Mainstream Rock Radio. Godsmack has sold over 19 million records worldwide.
Since its inception, Godsmack has toured on Ozzfest on more than one occasion, and have toured with many other large tours and festivals, including supporting its albums with its own arena tours. In the summer of 2009, Godsmack toured as support to Mötley Crüe's Crüe Fest 2 tour.
In February 1995, Sully Erna decided to start a new band as the lead singer after playing the drums for more than 23 years, including over two years in the now-defunct band Strip Mind. His new band The Scam formed with Erna on vocals, Robbie Merrill on bass, local guitarist and friend Lee Richards on guitar, and Tommy Stewart on drums. The Scam quickly changed its name to Godsmack, after recording one demo. The newly formed band started playing small bars in their hometown of Boston, Mass.. Locally popular songs such as "Keep Away" and "Whatever" soon brought them to the top of the hit charts in the Boston/New England area.
The band's name, according to Merrill in the Smack This! DVD, was taken from the Alice in Chains' song "God Smack". However, Erna stated in a 1999 interview that "I was making fun of somebody who had a cold sore on his lip and the next day I had one myself and somebody said, 'It's a godsmack.' The name stuck. We were aware of the Alice in Chains song but didn't really think much about it. It's a cool song and the name had meaning for us".
In 1996, Tony Rombola and Joe D'Arco joined Godsmack as the guitarist and drummer, after Richards left after finding out he had a six-year-old child and Stewart left due to personal differences. In the same year the band entered the studio for the first time, recording its first CD titled "All Wound Up". The CD was recorded in just three days for $2,600.
For the next two years, the band played throughout the Boston area. Eventually Godsmack's CD landed in the hands of Rocko, the night-time DJ for Boston radio station WAAF (FM). The radio station put "Keep Away" into heavy rotation and the song rose to the number one spot at the station very quickly. Newbury Comics, a New England record store chain, agreed to sell the CD on consignment. Shortly after the success of "Keep Away", Godsmack went back into the studio and recorded a single titled "Whatever", which became the new local favorite on WAAF (FM).
In an interview Sully Erna stated, "we had been selling maybe 50 copies a month at the time WAAF picked up the album. All of a sudden we started moving over records a week. It was insane. Even crazier, I was doing all this from my bedroom. After years of grinding away, things finally started taking off."
Alice in Chains is believed to be the primary influence to Godsmack. Many believe Godsmack obtained their name from the Alice in Chains song "God Smack" off the album Dirt. In an interview with MTV upon the death of Alice in Chains lead singer Layne Staley, Godsmack frontman Sully Erna stated that Staley "was single-handedly the guy that got me to start singing." Erna went on to later confirm that indeed "God Smack" is the inspiration for the bands name and the reason their sound sounds similar to that of Alice in Chains Other bands cited by Godsmack members as their primary influences typically include Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, Rush, Black Sabbath, ² and White Zombie. More recently, Godsmack have attempted to distance themselves from the Alice in Chains comparison with Erna stating in an interview with Matt Ashare, "I've just never really heard that in our music." In that same interview, Erna offers an alternative explanation to the origin of their band name by stating, "It happened at rehearsal when our drummer came in with a big cold sore on his lip. I was making fun of him all day because we had a photo shoot coming up. And then the next day when I came in, I had a big cold sore on my lip. So my guitar player said, See, God just smacked you for making fun of him." Nevertheless, the comparison to Alice in Chains is well documented. Sully Erna's style of singing mirrors that of Layne Staley's while the overall sound of the band's first two albums sound incredibly similar to the sound of Dirt. The logo of Godsmack is similar to the sun logo of Alice in Chains. Godsmack also released an album titled "Faceless" which is similar in name to Alice in Chain's first album Facelift. The band even transcended from their heavy sound to a more mellow acoustic sound on their album "The Other Side" in the same manner Alice in Chains did in "Jar of Flies".
In 2002, Godsmack received a Grammy nomination in "Best Rock Instrumental Performance" for the song "Vampires" from the album Awake. In 2004, they opened for Metallica, while headlining with Dropbox in the summer. They did acoustic shows for their newly released album The Other Side in the fall of 2004, while still opening for Metallica. In September 2004, Godsmack issued a live DVD titled "Changes" which the band recorded earlier that year. That same month, the group also released "Batalla de los Tambores", a live cut available only via online services such as Apple's iTunes Music Store, Real and Napster. They released their latest album 'The Oracle' on May 3rd, 2010.
Some songs from the album "Faceless" are also in the video game soundtrack for "Prince of Persia: Warrior Within".
Current members
* Sully Erna - Vocals, Lyrics, Guitar and Percussion.
* Robbie Merrill - Bass and Backing Vocals
* Tony Rombola - Guitars and Backing Vocals
* Shannon Larkin - Drums/Percussion
Awake
Godsmack Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can't you see what this pain has fucking done to me
I'm alive and still kickin'
What you see I can't see and maybe
You'll think before you speak
I'm alive for you
I'm awake because of you
I'm awake swallowing you
Take another second
Turn your back on me and make believe that
You're always happy
It's safe to say you're never alive
A big part of you has died
And by the way, I hope you're satisfied
I'm alive for you
I'm awake because of you
I'm alive I told you
I'm awake swallowing you
I'm alive for you
I'm awake because of you
I'm alive I told you
I'm awake
Tearing it back unveiling me
Taking a step back so I can breathe
Hear the silence about to break
Fear resistance when I'm awake
Tearing it back unveiling me
Taking a step back so I can breathe
Hear the silence about to break
Fear resistance when I'm awake
I'm alive for you
I'm awake because of you
I'm alive I told you
I'm awake swallowing you
I'm alive for you
I'm awake because of you
I'm alive I told you
I'm awake swallowing you
The lyrics to Godsmack's song "Awake" speak to the pain and struggle the singer has experienced, but also the strength and resilience that has come out of that pain. The first verse begins with the singer addressing someone who may not understand what they've been through, but he is still alive and kicking. He urges this person to think before they speak, perhaps implying that they may not fully understand what he's gone through.
The chorus "I'm alive for you, I'm awake because of you, I'm alive I told you, I'm awake swallowing you" suggests a sense of purpose and motivation that comes from this person. The singer is alive and awake because of someone or something else, and that purpose gives him strength to keep going. The second verse challenges someone who pretends to always be happy, but the singer contends that they're never really alive. He hopes they're satisfied with their façade, perhaps suggesting that they may not be as fulfilled as they appear.
The lines "Tearing it back, unveiling me, taking a step back so I can breathe" speak to a sense of reclaiming oneself and taking a step back from a situation that may have been suffocating. The final lines "fear resistance when I'm awake" suggest a desire to confront and overcome fears and challenges, especially when one is fully present and aware.
Line by Line Meaning
Wait another minute
Please give me a second to compose myself before we continue.
Can't you see what this pain has fucking done to me
The pain I am experiencing has had a terrible impact on me, and you should be able to see that clearly.
I'm alive and still kickin'
Despite everything, I am still alive and fighting to succeed.
What you see I can't see and maybe
Perhaps you can see something that I am unable to, and I hope you will consider this when you speak to me.
You'll think before you speak
Please consider your words carefully before you say them.
I'm alive for you
I am living for you and will do everything in my power to make you happy.
I'm awake because of you
My passion and drive are due to your influence.
I'm alive I told you
Completely alive and ready to take on whatever comes my way.
I'm awake swallowing you
I am so passionate about you that it's consuming my whole being.
Take another second
Please give me more time to understand what you are trying to say.
Turn your back on me and make believe that
It seems like you are ignoring me or pretending that nothing is wrong.
You're always happy
You have a bright and chipper demeanour and never seem to be bothered by anything.
It's safe to say you're never alive
It seems like you aren't really living, just going through the motions of life without much feeling.
A big part of you has died
My perception is that something traumatic has happened to you that has caused you to lose a part of yourself.
And by the way, I hope you're satisfied
I hope you are happy with yourself, even though you seem unhappy with the world around you.
Tearing it back unveiling me
I am pulling back the layers of myself to reveal my true self and be more open with you.
Taking a step back so I can breathe
I am stepping away from a stressful situation to give myself some space and air to breathe.
Hear the silence about to break
The calm and quiet environment is about to be disturbed, and any tension will become apparent.
Fear resistance when I'm awake
I am fighting my fear and pushing through obstacles to continue advancing towards my goals.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SALVATORE P. ERNA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@michellebarrow4616
Lyrics - Yeah
Wait, another minute
Can't you see
What this pain has fuckin' done to me?
I'm alive and still kickin'
What you see I can't see
And maybe you'll think before you speak
I'm alive for you
I'm awake because of you
I'm alive, told you
I'm awake, swallowin' you
Yeah
Take another second
Turn your back on me
And make believe that you're always happy
It's safe to say, you're never alive
A big part of you has died
And, by the way, I hope you're satisfied
I'm alive for you
I'm awake because of you
I'm alive, told you
I'm awake, swallowin' you
I'm alive for you
I'm awake because of you
I'm alive, told you
I'm awake
Go
Tearin' it back, unveilin' me
Takin' a step back so I can breathe
Hear the silence about to break
Fear resistance when I'm awake
Tearin' it back, unveilin' me
Takin' a step back, so I can breathe
Hear the silence, about to break
Fear resistance, when I'm awake
Ooh, yeah
Ahh, yeah
I'm alive for you
I'm awake because of you
I'm alive, told you
I'm awake, swallowin' you
I'm alive for you
I'm awake because of you
I'm alive, told you
I'm awake, swallowin' you
Awake
Source: Musixmatch
@saimerolcelikoren9447
Wait another minute
Can't you see what this pain has fucking done to me
I'm alive and still kicking
What you see I can't see and maybe
You'll think before you speak
[Chorus]
I'm alive. for you
I'm awake. Because of you
I'm alive. I told you
I'm awake swallowing you alive!
Take another second
Turn your back on me and make believe, that
You're always happy
It's safe to say you're never alive
A big part of you has died and by the way
I hope you're satisfied
I'm alive. For you
I'm awake. Because of you
I'm alive. I told you
I'm awake swallowing you alive!
For you, I'm awake
Because of you
I'm alive. I told you I'm awake
Tearing it back unveiling me
Taking a step back so I can breathe
Hear the silence about to break
Fear resistance when I'm awake
Tearing it back unveiling me
Taking a step back so I can breathe
Hear the silence about to break
Fear resistance when I'm awake
Alive for you
I'm awake, because of you
I'm alive, I told you
I'm awake swallowing you
I'm alive, i told you
I'm awake
Because of you
I'm alive, I told you I'm awake
Swallowing you alive
@ayoubmojahed445
Anyone in 2024 ?
@jessicameehan7963
Right over here baaby... 😝🤘
@geelight3
Yep
@DIESELSQUADENT8996
Hell yeah 💯💯 🔥🔥
@jungpinoir
Im alive
@MarceloMercadoDespot
Here here!
@Wilrizen48
I’m 75 now, and Godsmack keeps me AWAKE in a good way. Peace
@bertkidd2905
At 40 I hope to be you somday
@berserker6818
Haha wish u all the Best and health Sir :)
@kingsasuka
Wish you the best my nigga . ROCK AWAY 🎸 🤘