"Planet Zero" (2022). As of 2018, the band has had 23 Top 5 hits on Mainstream Rock radio, including 12 number one singles, and a Top 10 hit on the Hot 100 with "Second Chance".
On July 13, 2003, the band released their debut album Leave A Whisper. The album sold the popular singles "Fly From The Inside" and "45". Leave A Whisper was re-released on June 15, 2004, to capitalize on the strength of a new single: A cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Simple Man". This song is often dedicated to their friend Dimebag Darrell who died in 2004. The re-release also featured an acoustic version of "45", and a new mix of "Burning Bright", which was to be the fourth single from the album. During 2004, the band notably opened for Van Halen. On September 21, 2005, Leave A Whisper was certified as gold. On August 23, 2005, the band released a live DVD called Live From The Inside that contained a full-length Shinedown concert held at the House Of Blues in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
On October 4, 2005, the band released their second album called Us And Them, backed by the single "Save Me". Save Me maintained a #1 position on active rock charts for twelve weeks. The song became the theme song for WWE No Mercy 2005. The follow-up single, "I Dare You", also did respectably, and became one of the theme songs of WWE's WrestleMania 22 and was also performed on American Idol by Chris Daughtry. There are currently three versions of Us And Them: the regular thirteen-track version, a limited edition with three bonus acoustic tracks, and a store-specific edition with two bonus tracks: "Break" and "Carried Away". In 2006, the band co-headlined the SnoCore Tour with Seether, Flyleaf, and Halestorm, which was followed by the Equinox Tour in which Shinedown co-headlined with Trapt. Shinedown played their first overseas concert at the London Astoria on June 6, 2006, supporting Alter Bridge. In the late summer of 2006, the band opened for Godsmack and Rob Zombie on their North American Tour.
On December 12, 2006, Shinedown played in Knoxville, Tennessee at The Tennessee Theatre which was filmed for an upcoming DVD the band was expected to be releasing later this year (2007). However, after a recent show, Waukesha, WI, July 21, 2007, the band made it known that the DVD was scrapped by Atlantic Records.
The band began recording their new album in Los Angeles on September 20, 2007. Their first single, Devour, was released on May 20, 2008, and has proven a successful single, with it charting in the Top 10. The video for the song was released on June 25, 2008. On June 17, 2008, the album in it's entirety was put up on their MySpace page for listening. Shinedown's third album, The Sound of Madness, was released on June 24, 2008. The band is currently playing various festivals across North America before embarking on a tour in support of the new album.
Regarding the upcoming album, lead singer Brent Smith was quoted in an interview with Billboard.com as saying; "It's time to just go over the top, literally go above and beyond what a human being thinks they're capable of recording. We want to do a huge hard rock record that has a lot of crossover potential, but also some of the most insanely intense and heavy material that this band has ever tried - and see if we can pull it off." Smith noted that the group had more than forty songs to consider after writing sessions in Atlanta, Nashville and Los Angeles, but this was narrowed down to eleven songs for the standard album, and 14 songs for the deluxe edition.
In 2007 and 2008, Shinedown had some lineup changes with Brad Stewart and Jasin Todd leaving the band and Zach Myers*, Nick Perry, and Eric Bass joining the band.
*Zach Myers was touring guitarist from 2005-2007 and performed as bass guitarist during the recording of The Sound of Madness.
Shinedown performed free concerts at numerous state fairs across the US between June and September of 2009.
According to the Bully Songfacts, the lead single from Shinedown's fourth studio album, Amaryllis, is titled "Bully." It is the first new music to be heard from the Florida-based hard rockers since all six singles from The Sound Of Madness topped the rock radio chart. The song was released on January 3, 2012.
Current members of the band:
Brent Smith
Zach Myers
Eric Bass
Barry Kerch
Special
Shinedown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hurry up before your blood runs cold
None of us were ever meant to stay
We're all gonna find out one day
You see life's too short to run it like a race
So it's never gonna matter if you win first place
'Cause we're all the same
Stop waitin' on your fifteen minutes of fame
'Cause you're not special
I'm not tryin' to rain on your parade
But you're not special
I'm not tryin' to bring to you down
I'm not tryin' to sound so inaffectual
But you're not special
Hurry up before the bottle kicks in
Before the poison and the pain sets in
If you take it down a notch and you let me explain
That on this earth we are all the same
And all I can say is
Stop waitin' on your fifteen minutes of fame
'Cause you're not special
I'm not tryin' to rain on your parade
But you're not special
I'm not tryin' to bring to you down
I'm not tryin' to sound so inaffectual
'Cause you're not special
We all live to love, we all fall apart
We'd all go to war for the faint of heart
Instead we're condescending
There are no happy endings
I won't hold my breath, I won't cast a doubt
I'd never sell you out
But I'll give you one last chance to own it
'Cause you're not a god or a poet, so
Stop waitin' on your fifteen minutes of fame
'Cause you're not special
I'm not tryin' to rain on your parade
But you're not special
I'm not tryin' to bring to you down
I'm not tryin' to sound so ineffectual
But you're not special
Get up, get up
Get a move on
Get up, get up
But you're not special
Get up, get up
Get a move on
Just know that, just know that
But you're not special
'Cause you're not special
'Cause you're not special
The song "Special" by Shinedown is a powerful reminder that life is short and we should seize every moment before it's too late. The opening lines, "Hurry up before you go and get old, hurry up before your blood runs cold," urge listeners to live with urgency and not let time slip away without living life to the fullest. The chorus emphasizes the message that we are all the same and that nobody is entitled to special treatment or fame. The lyrics challenge the idea that people are born with a predetermined destiny, and instead emphasize that we have the power to create our own destiny through our choices and actions.
The second verse emphasizes the importance of living life in moderation, suggesting that we should not rush through life and risk burning out too quickly. The bridge highlights the need to acknowledge and accept the difficult realities of life, such as the fact that there are no easy solutions or happy endings. However, the song also offers hope and encourages listeners to take their lives into their own hands and make the most of the time they have.
In summary, "Special" is a song about the need to live with purpose and urgency, and to embrace the fact that we are not entitled to special treatment or fame. The song encourages listeners to take ownership of their lives and create their own destiny.
Line by Line Meaning
Hurry up before you go and get old
Life is short and we should make the most of it before we age and run out of time
Hurry up before your blood runs cold
We should live life to the fullest and not let our enthusiasm and passion fade away
None of us were ever meant to stay
Death is inevitable for all of us, and we should make the most of our time while we are alive
We're all gonna find out one day
Regardless of who we are, we will all face death someday
You see life's too short to run it like a race
We should not rush through life and try to enjoy the journey instead of just focusing on the destination
So it's never gonna matter if you win first place
Winning is not the most important thing in life, and it shouldn't be our sole focus
'Cause we're all the same
No matter how different we may seem on the outside, we all have the same internal struggles and emotions
Stop waitin' on your fifteen minutes of fame
We should not be obsessed with fame and recognition, as they do not define our worth or purpose in life
'Cause you're not special
We are all equal and none of us are more important or valuable than others
I'm not tryin' to rain on your parade
The artist is not trying to be negative or discouraging towards the listener
But you're not special
The singer is trying to emphasize the fact that the listener is not superior or unique compared to others
Hurry up before the bottle kicks in
We should avoid getting caught up in unhealthy behaviors or substances that can harm us
Before the poison and the pain sets in
We should take steps to prevent physical and emotional pain in our lives
If you take it down a notch and you let me explain
The singer is trying to offer guidance or advice to the listener in a calm and respectful manner
That on this earth we are all the same
Regardless of our differences, we all share a common humanity and should treat each other with respect and kindness
We all live to love, we all fall apart
Love and connection are important to all of us, but we also experience struggles and challenges in life
We'd all go to war for the faint of heart
We are willing to fight for the people we care about, even if it means putting ourselves in danger
Instead we're condescending
Unfortunately, we often treat others with disrespect and arrogance instead of compassion and empathy
There are no happy endings
Life is unpredictable and we cannot always control the outcome, so we should focus on the present moment and enjoy it while we can
I won't hold my breath, I won't cast a doubt
The artist is not going to be pessimistic or skeptical, but instead will offer support and encouragement
I'd never sell you out
The artist will not betray or abandon the listener, but will always be there for them
But I'll give you one last chance to own it
The artist is challenging the listener to take responsibility for their own life and actions, rather than relying on external factors or validation
'Cause you're not a god or a poet, so
The listener should not hold themselves above others or put themselves on a pedestal
Get up, get up
The artist is encouraging the listener to take action and make positive changes in their life
Get a move on
The listener should not procrastinate or delay in pursuing their goals and dreams
Just know that, just know that
The singer wants the listener to understand the message and take it to heart
But you're not special
The main theme of the song is that we are all equal and valuable in our own unique ways, but none of us are more important or special than others
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRENT SMITH, ERIC BASS, SCOTT STEVENS, ZACHARY MYERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Opixonic
It's not uncommon for Shinedown's music to get deep, really deep. This song, however, just went complete meta-tier deep if you listen to the album in order, especially with Get Up right before this.
People are going to point out Get Up as the "top-40, Imagine Dragons" sounding song, where some people will imagine it as the music behind the credits at the end of a Disney movie. That was what I said when I first heard that. There will also be the people that are truly uplifted by it, because damn is it that sort of "feel good" tune that can put a smile on so many people's faces. It'll help a lot of people feel better. To actually get up and be happier. By itself, that's great, of course. Some might say it is too cheesy, too poppy though.
...However, maybe that was the point, because right after comes this welcome, and truly awesome sobering smack in the face. As if Shinedown actually made Get Up as poppy and uplifting sounding of a song as they possibly could, just to bring it back down to Earth and do a complete 180 right away. Musically, Special uses the same piano motif from Get Up, then even a very similar melody in the vocal line through the verse. Even that same "Get Up" line comes back again from time to time. However those same motifs from such an uplifting sounding song, now it all sounds...somber. Bittersweet. In terms of music theory, major keys are happy sounding and minor keys are more somber. Get Up is in the happy "C Major" key, whereas "Special" is in a more sad B minor key. The fact that the name of the song on this video is all lowercase, where the others are all caps isn't an accident either. Whereas Get Up had that Disney movie aspect, Special is the song that tells you that unlike a Disney movie, life isn't all peaches and cream. As the lyric says, "if you take it down a notch and you let me explain", we all have our demons to fight.
Then you go back to the concept of the record as a whole, where it really shines within these two songs. "Get Up" is this character in the story realizing they have the power to live again. We all have those days where everything feels right, nothing feels wrong. "Special" is the reminder that it's not always perfect though. On the wikipedia page for this album, an interview with Billboard is cited, one of the statements about the story within the album concerns the character "having to accept the fact that it's not always going to be great. It's not always going to be exactly the way you want it" (Thanks Wikipedia btw). These two songs are literally that in a nutshell. Nothing's perfect, but you still have to get up. We're not special in that we all have our demons to fight, but we're special in how we get up and rise from them. Our character truly is derived from adversity. Through the good and the bad, we have to keep going. We are defined by how we go about that.
Through musical motifs, lyrical motifs, a change in mood, the two songs really could act as one. Yes, there will be the great days, get up, rise and shine! then there's the bad days. Still have to get up and keep on keeping on. The underlying, connecting fabric of both songs that is the meat of the message in the album. Rise up from the fear, through the good and the bad. Keep moving on. Brent Smith's twitter bio even says "Deep breath...now move". Was that foreshadowing or something, Brent?
...yeah, Shinedown can get pretty deep with their music alright. Perhaps in even more awesome and interesting ways than even the most diehard Shinedown fan could expect from them. Well played.
Kristopher Schermerhorn
Definitely one of the most underrated Shinedown songs.
JD84
Every time I hear this song I think everyone on the planet needs to hear it
Crocodile509
Fr
TacticalWebs
Yup!
magicpyroninja
Yes, massive public service announcement translated into every language
Sarah Salway
More than any of those ‘you can be anything’ songs out there, I find this song motivating and comforting to the extreme. I never felt inspired by the ‘special snowflake’ thing as a kid, only a tremendous pressure to BE somebody. The first time I heard this song, I nearly broke down for how much of a relief it was to realize I don’t have to be f-ing special! I can just be a damn human being, and that’s enough! Thank you so much for this song!!
magicpyroninja
This is what people need to hear.
We're not all special. Some people excel well past others but that doesn't mean that you aren't doing your part and you don't matter. The guy who wakes up at 5:00 in the morning every day to go and open his corner store is just as important as Michael Jordan. In the grand scheme of things. We as a people got to be willing to accept our place instead of always being disappointed, we're not more than we are
Dragon
I love Brent's voice. I could listen to him sing all day. Can't wait to see them live in August.
Threes of Three
This is one of the reasons I love Shinedown. There are a lot of really great motivational songs out there. Like Get Up off the new album, just as a current example. Upbeat and inspirational, and sometimes that’s what you need to get you up off the ground and get moving again. But then there are songs like this, which tend to be less common. Because sometimes what you really need is to be told that hey, everyone struggles. You’re not alone, you’re not special. Now get your ass off the ground and keep going.
Kory Kebler
It's pretty rare when a band can make you truly feel the music they play, this song brings tears of joy along with uncontrollable emotions. That's fucking amazing. Love these guys.