After signing to Jive Records, Three Days Grace released two studio albums, Three Days Grace in 2003 and One-X in 2006, both of which have been certified platinum and double platinum in the US and Canada, respectively. In 2007, the band was declared number one rock artist of the year by Billboard and was the number four artist in airplay in Canada that same year. The band's third album, Life Starts Now, was released on September 22, 2009.
History
Three Days Grace formed in 1992 under the name Groundswell in Norwood, Ontario, Canada. Groundswell's line-up consisted of five members: Adam Gontier (vocals, guitar), Neil Sanderson (backing vocals, drums), Brad Walst (bass), Phil Crowe (guitar), and Joe Grant (guitar), all of whom were attending high school when the band formed.
In 1997, after being disbanded for two years, the band regrouped in Toronto as a trio consisting of Gontier, Sanderson, and Walst. They also changed their name to "Three Days Grace". According to Gontier, the name stands for the question: If you had three days to change something in your life, could you do it? Once in Toronto, the band became acquainted with local producer Gavin Brown. The band gave him several years of material that they had created since forming, and he "picked out what he called 'the golden nuggets'", according to Gontier. Brown and the band polished the songs into a demo album which they gave to EMI Music Publishing Canada. The record label wanted to hear more material, and with Brown producing, the band created the song, "I Hate Everything About You", which attracted the interest of several record labels. The band was soon signed to Jive Records after being sought out by the company's president.
Three Days Grace (2003 - 2005)
After being signed to Jive, the band moved to Long View Farms, a studio in Boston, to record their debut album. The self-titled album was finished in Woodstock, New York and released on July 22, 2003. It was met with generally favorable reviews. Dave Doray of IGN said of the album, "Mistakes? There's not many." Allmusic reviewer Heather Phares said that on Three Days Grace, "the band's focus and adherence to alt-metal's formulas ā coupled with tight songwriting and some unexpectedly pretty choruses ā results in a strong tracks that are more memorable than the work of many of their peers". She did criticize the album for its simplicity, concluding, "Three Days Grace are definitely one of the most accessible alt-metal bands of the 2000s; they just need to add some more distinctiveness to their sound."
After acquiring lead guitarist Barry Stock in late 2003, Three Days Grace toured continuously and extensively for almost two years in support of their major label debut. The album peaked at number nine on the Canadian Albums Chart and number 69 on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum in the US by the RIAA in December 2004 and double platinum in Canada by the CRIA.
One-X (2006 - 2008)
While touring in support of Three Days Grace, Gontier became depressed and addicted to drugs and alcohol. He went into rehab after the band finished touring, and while there, began writing material for the band's second album. After leaving rehab, he rejoined the band in a cottage in Ontario to finish writing material for the album. In a 2006 interview, Gontier said that the album's material was more personal to him than the band's previous release, being based on the despondence, drug abuse, and rehab that constituted the past two years of his life. The album, titled One-X, was then released on June 13, 2006, and was guitarist Barry Stock's recorded debut.
One-X was met with generally favorable reviews. The Toronto Star complimented the album with a review title of "One CD worth buying..." and focused on its lyrics, saying, "The lyrics really speak out to you, especially if you're going through a tough time in your life." Allmusic reviewer Corey Apar praised the music, saying it "remains catchy despite its lyrical darkness". The album did receive some negative criticism. Apar pointed out that Three Days Grace is "hardly innovative" in their approach to writing music and that "further distinctive qualities" would help the band separate itself "from their alt-metal peers".
One-X peaked at number two on the Canadian album chart and at number five on the Billboard 200, selling 78,000 copies in the US in its first week of release. Its first single, "Animal I Have Become", was Three Days Grace's most successful, becoming 2006's most played rock song in Canada, and the album helped propel Three Days Grace to become the number one rock artist in airplay in the US and Canada in 2007, with Billboard ranking them as the number one rock artist of the year in 2007. One-X was certified platinum by the RIAA in the US on August 30, 2007, and double platinum by the CRIA in Canada in July 2007. Three Days Grace toured the US and Canada throughout the second half of 2006 and all of 2007 in support of One-X. In early 2008, they toured alongside Seether and Breaking Benjamin across the US
Life Starts Now (2009 - 2011)
From March to August 2008, to January to April 2009, Three Days Grace recorded their third album at The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Los Angeles, with producer Howard Benson, who had worked with them on their previous releases. The album, entitled Life Starts Now, was released on September 22, 2009. Critics as well as band members have noted the album's departure from the angry tone of the band's previous releases into a lyrical style that comes off as more optimistic. According to guitarist Barry Stock, the album's theme centers around "a new sense of freshness" and the idea that "you don't have to be stuck in whatever it is you're dealing with. Whether it's good or bad, it's your choice to make a change."
Life Starts Now debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, Three Days Grace's highest chart position, and sold 79,000 copies in its first week. The album was met with mixed reviews. Ben Rayner of the Toronto Star gave the album a negative review, saying it possesses "no sound of its own, just a shallow range between Linkin Park and Nickelback". According to Allmusic reviewer James Christopher Monger, who gave the album three out of five stars, Life Starts Now continues the theme of One-X, Gontier's personal demons, but with a "hint of sunlight". He compliments the album, saying it "treats the well-worn metal themes of anger, isolation, heartache, and redemption with the kind of begrudging respect they deserve, pumping out a competent flurry of fist-bump anthems and world-weary, midtempo rockers".[32] Harsher negative reviews came from Ben Czajkowski from 411mania.com as he described the album as "Boring, bland, trite, tired, tried, and true".
The first single from the album, "Break", was released on September 1, 2009. Three Days Grace embarked on a 20-date Canadian tour lasting through November and December 2009.[36] They co-headlined a JanuaryāFebruary 2010 tour of the US with Breaking Benjamin and Flyleaf.
They embarked on a US headlining tour with support from Chevelle, and Adelitas Way starting on March 26, 2010 in Grand Rapids, Michigan and ending on April 16, 2010 in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Three Days Grace went on tour with Nickelback and Buckcherry on the Dark Horse Fall 2010 Tour. They toured with My Darkest Days starting in March 2011 in Seattle, Washington.[39] They also joined Avenged Sevenfold on their Spring "Welcome to the Family" tour in 2011.[citation needed] They toured with Avenged Sevenfold, Seether, Escape The Fate, and Bullet For My Valentine on the Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar tour from August 2011 to October 2011. It was their last album under Jive Records and their first album under Sony Music Entertainment after the Sony BMG joint venture ended, moving all former BMG labels to the new Sony Music Entertainment.
Transit of Venus and Gontier's departure (2012 - present)
On October 7, 2011, RCA Music Group announced it was disbanding Jive Records along with Arista Records and J Records. With the shutdown, the band (and all other artists previously signed to these three labels) will release their future material (including their upcoming fourth studio album) on the RCA Records brand.
On June 5, 2012, at 9:00 A.M. PST, the same day as Venus' visible transit across the sun, the band announced that their fourth studio album will be called Transit of Venus and that it is set to be released October 2, 2012. They created an early promotional video that was released on their website, featuring clips of them in the studio as well as footage of the physical transit of Venus. Due to the rarity of this occurrence, they created the slogan, "some things will never happen again in your lifetime", reflecting both this uncommon occurrence as well as the mood that the lyrics and music will most likely take on. The first single on the album, "Chalk Outline", was released August 14.
On January 9, 2013, Three Days Grace announced that Adam Gontier was resigning from the band. Brad's brother, Matt Walst of My Darkest Days, would be touring with the band as lead vocals. They cited Adam Gontier's sudden departure due to medical reasons.
Three Days Grace kicked off their 2013 tour in Moline, IL with Matt Walst as touring lead singer; he later became a permanent member of the band.
Awards
Three Days Grace has been recognized for their musical efforts through several awards and nominations. In 2007, the band was ranked by Mediabase as the top artist in airplay across all rock formats in the US and Canada, and Billboard named them Rock Artist of the Year. Three Days Grace has been nominated for four Juno Awards. In 2004, the band was nominated for New Group of the Year.[49] "I Hate Everything About You" was nominated for Best Rock Video and People's Choice: Favourite Canadian Group at Much Music Awards. In 2007, they were nominated for Best Group of the Year, and their album One-X was nominated for Album of the Year.[51] The band's first single from One-X, "Animal I Have Become", was Canada's most played rock song in 2006 and won that year's Mediabase award for the most played rock song on radio. "Never Too Late" was nominated for Best Video and Best Rock Video and "Pain" was nominated for Best International Video by a Canadian and People's Choice: Favorite Canadian Group at Much Music Awards.
In 2010, Life Starts Now was nominated for best Rock Album at the Juno awards but lost to Billy Talent III. In 2010, "Break" was nominated for Best Post Production Video and Best Rock Video of the year at Much Music Awards.On Fuse.tv. "Break" was nominated for "Best Single" and "Life Starts Now" won for "Best Album" at the Casby Awards.
Musical style and influences
Three Days Grace's musical style has generally been described by critics as alternative metal and hard rock throughout the band's career. Heather Phares of Allmusic, in a review of the band's debut album, compared them to rock bands Chevelle and Helmet. Dave Doray of IGN described Three Days Grace as "heavy and catchy, with chewy chunks of assurance and fury thrown in for added measure." Allmusic's Corey Apar said One-X brings an "accessible alt-metal attack of blunt lyrics and crunching rhythms" that retains the melodic sound of its predecessor "despite its lyrical darkness".
The band has listed numerous influences in their music. Gontier has mentioned such bands as Sunny Day Real Estate, Kyuss, Nine Inch Nails, and Tool as influences for the band's music. According to Gontier, the lyrics for Three Days Grace songs have mostly been influenced by the Seattle music scene. He summarized about the band's influences in an interview, "Musically there's a lot of different influences, but lyrically it's hard to have different influences because you just write."
Band members:
Current Members
* Matt Walst ā lead vocals (2013-present)
* Brad Walst ā bass guitar, backing vocals (1997 - present)
* Neil Sanderson ā drums, backing vocals (1997 - present)
* Barry Stock ā lead guitar (2003 - present)
Former Members
* Adam Gontier ā lead vocals, rhythm guitar (1997ā2013)
Live Members
* Dani Rosenoer ā piano, synthesizer, backing vocals (2012-present)
Three Days Grace discography
* Three Days Grace (2003)
* One-X (2006)
* Life Starts Now (2009)
* Transit of Venus (2012)
* Human (2015)
* Outsider (2018)
* EXPLOSIONS (2022)
The High Road
Three Days Grace Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bleeding on the inside
I told you I was lost
In the middle of my life
There's times I stayed alive for you
There's times I would've died for you
There's times it didn't matter at all
Will you help me find the right way up
Or let me take the wrong way down
Will you straighten me out
Or make me take the long way around
I took the low road in
I'll take the high road out
I'll do whatever it takes
To be the mistake you can't live without
Standing in the dark
I can see your shadow
You're the only light
That's breaking through the window
There's times I stayed alive for you
There's times I would've died for you
There's times it didn't matter at all
Will you help me find the right way up
Or let me take the wrong way down
Will you straighten me out
Or make me take the long way around
I took the low road in
I'll take the high road out
I'll do whatever it takes
To be the mistake you can't live without
We'll I'm not gonna give it away
Not gonna let it go, just to wake up someday gone! Gone!
The worst part is looking back
And knowing that I was wrong
Help me find the right way up
Or let me take the wrong way down
Will you straighten me out
Or make me take the long way around
I took the low road in
I'll take the high road out
I'll do whatever it takes
To be the mistake you can't live without
I'll do whatever it takes
To be the mistake you can't live without
The lyrics of Three Days Grace's song "The High Road" express emotional vulnerability and the desire for love and support. The first two lines "I told you I was hurt, bleeding on the inside," reveal that the singer is struggling with pain and seeks comfort from the person they are addressing in the song. The following lines "There's times I stayed alive for you, there's times I would've died for you, there's times it didn't matter at all" illustrate the singer's devotion towards the person, implying that they have been through thick and thin for them, but are unsure if it holds any significance.
The chorus repeats the question "Will you help me find the right way up or let me take the wrong way down?" The singer is seeking guidance and support, asking if the other person will "straighten them out" or make them "take the long way around." The following lines "I took the low road in, I'll take the high road out, I'll do whatever it takes to be the mistake you can't live without" illustrate the depth of their commitment towards the person they are addressing. The singer is willing to do whatever it takes to be a part of the other person's life, even if it means being an error in their life that they cannot live without.
The song's overall message is about the importance of having someone to rely on in the face of personal struggle. It suggests that having that support, even if it means being perceived as a mistake, is preferable to being alone. It also addresses the concerns of not finding that support and feeling lost, making the wrong choices and regretting them in hindsight.
Line by Line Meaning
I told you I was hurt
I expressed my pain and anguish to you
Bleeding on the inside
I am dealing with emotional wounds
I told you I was lost
I shared with you my feeling of confusion and uncertainty
In the middle of my life
I am struggling to find my place in the world
There's times I stayed alive for you
There were moments where I continued on living because of my love for you
There's times I would've died for you
There were moments where I was willing to sacrifice my life for you
There's times it didn't matter at all
There were also moments where our relationship didn't seem to be important enough to justify such drastic actions
Will you help me find the right way up
Can you support me in finding a healthier and happier path?
Or let me take the wrong way down
Will you allow me to make my own mistakes and learn from them?
Will you straighten me out
Can you guide me towards making better choices?
Or make me take the long way around
Or will you force me to make a more difficult journey to get there?
I took the low road in
I made unhealthy decisions in the past
I'll take the high road out
I will make better choices in the future
I'll do whatever it takes
I am committed to doing whatever is necessary
To be the mistake you can't live without
To be someone you have learned from and cannot live without
Standing in the dark
I find myself lost and alone
I can see your shadow
But I also see your presence and influence in my life
You're the only light
You may be the only positive influence in my life
That's breaking through the window
Offering hope and guidance where there was none before
We'll I'm not gonna give it away
I am not going to let go of my determination and motivation
Not gonna let it go, just to wake up someday gone! Gone!
I will not give up on myself and risk losing everything I have worked for
The worst part is looking back
The most difficult part of the journey is reflecting on past mistakes
And knowing that I was wrong
And realizing that I made choices that led me down an unhealthy path
Help me find the right way up
Assist me in finding a healthier and happier path
Or let me take the wrong way down
Or give me the freedom to make mistakes and learn from them
To be the mistake you can't live without
To be someone who has taught you valuable lessons and you cannot imagine life without
I'll do whatever it takes
I will do everything in my power to achieve my goal
To be the mistake you can't live without
To be someone who has impacted your life in a positive way and is essential to your happiness
Lyrics Ā© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DON GILMORE, ADAM GONTIER, NEIL SANDERSON, BARRY STOCK, CHRIS TOMPKINS, BRAD WALST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Richard Aultman
I told you I was hurt
Bleeding on the inside
I told you I was lost
In the middle of my life
Thereās times I stayed alive for you
Thereās times I wouldāve died for you
Thereās times it didnāt matter at all
Will you help me find the right way up
Or let me take the wrong way down
Will you straighten me out
Or make me take the long way around
I took the low road in
Iāll take the high road out
Iāll do whatever it takes
To be the mistake you canāt live without
Standing in the dark
I can see your shadow
Youāre the only light
Thatās breaking through the window
Thereās times I stayed alive for you
Thereās times I wouldāve died for you
Thereās times it didnāt matter at all
Will you help me find the right way up
Or let me take the wrong way down
Will you straighten me out
Or make me take the long way around
I took the low road in
Iāll take the high road out
Iāll do whatever it takes
To be the mistake you canāt live without
Weāll Iām not gonna give it away
Not gonna let it go, just to wake up someday gone! Gone!
The worst part is looking back
And knowing that I was wrong
Help me find the right way up
Or let me take the wrong way down
Will you straighten me out
Or make me take the long way around
I took the low road in
Iāll take the high road out
Iāll do whatever it takes
To be the mistake you canāt live without
Iāll do whatever it takes
To be the mistake you canāt live without
Abid Muhtadi
I told you I was hurt
Bleeding on the inside
I told you I was lost
In the middle of my life
Thereās times I stayed alive for you
Thereās times I wouldāve died for you
Thereās times it didnāt matter at all
[Chorus]
Will you help me find the right way up
Or let me take the wrong way down
Will you straighten me out
Or make me take the long way around
I took the low road in
Iāll take the high road out
Iāll do whatever it takes
To be the mistake you canāt live without
[Verse 2]
Standing in the dark
I can see your shadow
Youāre the only light
Thatās breaking through the window
Thereās times I stayed alive for you
Thereās times I wouldāve died for you
Thereās times it didnāt matter at all
[Chorus]
[Bridge]
Well Iām not going to give it away
Not going to let it go, just to wake up someday gone! Gone!
The worst part is looking back
And knowing that I was wrong
[Chorus]
[Outro]
Iāll do whatever it takes
To be the mistake you canāt live without
Memie
It's weird looking back at all these songs I used to listen to when I was younger and then realising what they mean. They mean so much more now to me now that I've actually gone through some shit that relate to many of their songs. Just curious too does anybody else remember spamming on loads of three days grace videos " 1 thing 2 say 3 days grace 4 ever" or was that just me??? xD
Gman0_0
you r not alone XD
Ryan McClellen
im with you man
Maxwell's Silver Hammer
Do you still have to poop?
ĆJSTNĆ
+BrendanMaxwellMusic yes
dmg-//dragon master gaming
same
Roselieansy
This is real music.
CTheRevillusionS
This song always makes me feel sad when I hear it. Although I'm sure this isn't what the song is about, to me this song feels like it's Adam's final goodbye to Three Days Grace (specifically the chorus and the tune of the song). And it hits me right in the feels. Any one else?
Kaladin
same..
EricZulic
same