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
Changes
Godsmack Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mmm
Still don't know what I was waitin' for
And my time was runnin' wild
A million dead end streets and
Every time I thought I'd got it made
It seemed the taste was not so sweet
So I turned myself to face me
How the others must see the faker
I'm much too fast to take that test
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Turn and face the strange
Ch-ch-changes
Don't want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Turn and face the strange
Ch-ch-changes
Just gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I can't trace time
Mmm, yeah I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence
So the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're goin' through
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Turn and face the strange
Ch-ch-changes
Don't tell them to grow up and out of it
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Turn and face the strange
Ch-ch-changes
Where's your shame?
You've left us up to our necks in it
Time may change me
But you can't trace time
Strange fascination, fascinatin'
Ah, changes are takin'
The pace I'm goin' through
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Turn and face the strange
Ch-ch-changes
Oh, look out you rock 'n' rollers
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Turn and face the strange
Ch-ch-changes
Pretty soon now you're gonna get older
Time may change me
But I can't trace time I said that time may change me
But I can't trace time
The lyrics to Godsmack's song Changes, originally written and sung by David Bowie, explore the theme of adapting to change as time moves forward. The first few lines suggest a sense of restlessness and uncertainty, with the singer unsure of what they were waiting for in life. They feel as though time is slipping away from them and that they are walking down a never-ending maze of dead-end streets. Every time they think they have a breakthrough, they are disappointed by its outcome.
The singer then turns to face themselves, but they are afraid to look deep enough to really understand who they are. They feel that they are moving too quickly to take the time to self-reflect and that they are seen as fake by others. The chorus urges the singer to embrace change and face the unknown, to become a different person and not cling to material wealth.
Throughout the song, there is a sense that time is a force that cannot be controlled or predicted, and that everyone is just floating through life, watching the days pass without any real progress. The singer comments on how children trying to change their world are not making any noticeable impact, and that they are aware of the challenges they face. The final lines suggest that no matter how much time passes, the singer will keep changing, but they cannot keep track of the changes or stop them from happening.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, yeah
Expressing excitement and anticipation for what is to come.
Mmm
A sound of satisfaction or deep thought.
Still don't know what I was waitin' for
Confusion and uncertainty about the direction of one's life.
And my time was runnin' wild
Feeling like time is slipping away without any clear purpose or direction.
A million dead end streets and
The feeling of being stuck in a rut and not making any progress in life.
Every time I thought I'd got it made
False sense of security in achieving one's goals.
It seemed the taste was not so sweet
Disappointment in realizing that what was once desired is not what was expected.
So I turned myself to face me
Taking a moment of introspection and self-reflection to reevaluate oneself.
But I've never caught a glimpse of
Unable to fully understand how others perceive oneself.
How the others must see the faker
Feeling like a fraud or imposter while attempting to portray oneself to others.
I'm much too fast to take that test
Not wanting or feeling the need to prove oneself to others.
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
The inevitability of change and the need to adapt.
Turn and face the strange
Confronting the unfamiliar and learning from it.
Don't want to be a richer man
Material wealth is not a priority or goal in life.
Just gonna have to be a different man
Embracing change and the need for personal growth.
Time may change me
Acknowledging the passage of time and its effects on oneself.
But I can't trace time
Unable to track or control the natural progression and changes in life.
Mmm, yeah I watch the ripples change their size
Observing the patterns and effects of change in the world around oneself.
But never leave the stream
Change is a constant in life and cannot be avoided or ignored.
Of warm impermanence
The fleeting nature of life and the beauty in its impermanence.
So the days float through my eyes
Feeling like time is moving quickly and passing by.
But still the days seem the same
A sense of monotony in daily life despite the passage of time.
And these children that you spit on
Society may look down upon those who are attempting to enact change.
As they try to change their worlds
Those who are trying to make a difference and create positive change in the world.
Are immune to your consultations
Not willing to conform to societal norms or listen to the advice of those who do not understand their struggle.
They're quite aware of what they're goin' through
Having a clear understanding of their own struggles and the realities of the world around them.
Don't tell them to grow up and out of it
Rejecting the idea that maturity means giving up on dreams and aspirations.
Where's your shame?
Questioning society's lack of compassion and empathy for those who are struggling.
You've left us up to our necks in it
Society is responsible for the problems and struggles faced by individuals.
Strange fascination, fascinatin'
The allure and intrigue of the unknown.
Ah, changes are takin'
Recognizing the ongoing changes happening in life.
The pace I'm goin' through
The speed at which one is adapting and growing.
Oh, look out you rock 'n' rollers
A warning to those who resist change or refuse to adapt.
Pretty soon now you're gonna get older
The inevitability of aging and the need to embrace change before it is too late.
I said that time may change me
Reiterating the fact that one's experiences and environment will lead to personal growth and evolution.
But I can't trace time
Once again acknowledging the inability to control the natural course of life and the changes it brings.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: SALVATORE P. ERNA, TONY ROMBOLA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind