I Stand Alone (song)
Encyclopedia
"I Stand Alone" is a song by American heavy metal
band Godsmack
. It served as a single
from the Scorpion King
soundtrack on March 5, 2002. It would reappear on Godsmack's third studio album, Faceless
, the following year.
"I Stand Alone" reached #1 one on the Mainstream Rock chart and #20 on the Modern Rock chart. The single achieved Gold certification for more than half million copies shipped in the United States, spurring sales of over 1.5 million copies for Faceless and propelling Godsmack to worldwide popularity.
In terms of production, Robbie Merrill stated that Mudrock managed to bring Sully to another level with his vocal range and trying different ideas that the band wouldn't have tried in the past. They wanted to give the producer a chance and it worked out well.
"I Stand Alone" features a chugging main riff enhanced by textural, single-note guitar lines and powerful, melodic vocals. The song starts with a lunging beat and a guitar riff that shifts between a low, rumbling buzz and an eerie series of notes much higher up the fretboard. Then, for the verse, the song locks into a crunching, percussive riff reminiscent of Metallica
before kicking back into the eerie opening passage with Sully Erna scream-singing the song's title and the lines "I'm not afraid of fading/ Feeling your sting down inside of me/ I'm not dying for it." During the midsection of the song, the music turns creepy and atmospheric, and the singer moans, "It's my time to dream/ Dream of the skies/ Make me believe that this place isn't made by the poison in me/ Help me decide if my fire will burn out before you can breathe."
.
. About the song, Sully Erna
told LAUNCH Media
, "It's like a prequel to the movie The Mummy Returns
. It happens 5,000 years ago in ancient Egypt--5,000 years prior to, you know? They sent a script and they sent a trailer, and that's kind of what it was based on--was about the character in the movie."
One fan of that song is Dwayne Johnson, also known by his former ring name "The Rock", star of The Scorpion King. He says Erna's study of the film's theme and story led to the creation of a great song. "Godsmack sat down with Chuck Russell, the director, and Chuck laid out the entire story and what my character was all about, and Sully wrote the song. That's what makes the song so great. When you see that on the trailer, "I Stand Alone", that's a hot, hot song, and very indicative of what the character's all about," the Rock says.
The song was also featured in the video game Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
, used both for its trailer and the ingame music that mimics the song. The main theme of the game revolves around the Prince trying to change his fate all by himself, while the Time Guardian known as the Dahaka tries to end his life. "I Stand Alone" is also the entrance song of Houston Astros
pitcher
Roy Oswalt
as well as former Boston Red Sox
pitcher Craig Hansen
.
On January 20, 2009, the song became available for download in the Rock Band
series, marking the first time Godsmack is represented in a music video game.
The song also featured in 2005 film Return of the Living Dead: Necropolis
.
The song featured in video game Rock Band Unplugged
as a DLC
.
for 'Best Rock Song' and, 'Best Hard Rock Performance' respectively.
In an interview with him, Sully Erna said that the group's two Grammy Award nominations took the band by surprise, because they didn't release an album in 2002.
"It did take us by surprise, because we've been so busy working on the new record and things like that, we didn't even think about," Erna said. "2002 was kind of a wash for us, except for that one track. It served its purpose. It kept us afloat the whole time we were down working on the new album and stuff, so...but now that it's soaking in I'm like, I'm pretty excited that we just got nominated for a couple. Whether we take it, or whether we don't, it's still...Someone recognized us for the hard work we've done."
Also, Erna admits that the band was pretty excited because they were nominated in a rock category.
"It was definitely a surprise being nominated again," Erna said. "The first year, I don't even know why we were nominated, because we were in a category with Joe Satriani
and these other guys for best instrumental performance. And the instrumental that we had on our record was an accident, so that was pretty bizarre to be nominated for that. But this year we're pretty excited because we consider ourselves a rock band and we're in a rock category."
and Awake
.
The song became the most played Active Rock song in 2002 for fourteen weeks straight. The song has been certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), with access sales of half million copies in the United States.
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Godsmack
Godsmack
Godsmack is an American heavy metal band from Lawrence, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. The band is composed of founder, frontman and songwriter Sully Erna, guitarist Tony Rombola, bassist Robbie Merrill, and drummer Shannon Larkin...
. It served as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from the Scorpion King
The Scorpion King
The Scorpion King is a 2002 American action film directed by Chuck Russell, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Kelly Hu, Grant Heslov, and Michael Clarke Duncan...
soundtrack on March 5, 2002. It would reappear on Godsmack's third studio album, Faceless
Faceless
UK bonus tracks-Personnel:* Sully Erna - rhythm guitar, vocals, producer* Tony Rombola - lead guitar, back-up vocals* Robbie Merrill - bass, back-up vocals* Shannon Larkin - drums, percussion* Tommy Stewart - Drums on "I Stand Alone"...
, the following year.
"I Stand Alone" reached #1 one on the Mainstream Rock chart and #20 on the Modern Rock chart. The single achieved Gold certification for more than half million copies shipped in the United States, spurring sales of over 1.5 million copies for Faceless and propelling Godsmack to worldwide popularity.
Writing and production
"I Stand Alone" was written by Sully Erna and produced by Mudrock. Erna elaborated on how the song was created:- "I had a little bit of time before we started writing the new album. And it turned out that The Scorpion KingThe Scorpion KingThe Scorpion King is a 2002 American action film directed by Chuck Russell, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Kelly Hu, Grant Heslov, and Michael Clarke Duncan...
director Chuck Russell was a fan of Godsmack and wanted to use our song "Voodoo" in the movie. Because the song was a little dated, he wanted me to redo it, and I wasn't really up for that. Instead I submitted some new music I had written 'I Stand Alone'. Once we were working together, he leaned on me a little bit to help him find some of the best up-and-coming bands."
In terms of production, Robbie Merrill stated that Mudrock managed to bring Sully to another level with his vocal range and trying different ideas that the band wouldn't have tried in the past. They wanted to give the producer a chance and it worked out well.
Music and lyrics
"The song was written about the character, the Scorpion King, in the movie," Erna explained on the set of the accompanying video. "It's about him being this big, masculine badass, but he has this hidden sensitive side to him. He feels like he's isolated, and he likes to do things alone because he was hurt in the past or whatever. I don't really know why he is the way he is. I guess there's always this mystique about those people who are really tough but maybe feel a little bit lonely inside. So the lyrics are kind of based on his character — being as masculine as he can be but yet isolated and a loner.""I Stand Alone" features a chugging main riff enhanced by textural, single-note guitar lines and powerful, melodic vocals. The song starts with a lunging beat and a guitar riff that shifts between a low, rumbling buzz and an eerie series of notes much higher up the fretboard. Then, for the verse, the song locks into a crunching, percussive riff reminiscent of Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
before kicking back into the eerie opening passage with Sully Erna scream-singing the song's title and the lines "I'm not afraid of fading/ Feeling your sting down inside of me/ I'm not dying for it." During the midsection of the song, the music turns creepy and atmospheric, and the singer moans, "It's my time to dream/ Dream of the skies/ Make me believe that this place isn't made by the poison in me/ Help me decide if my fire will burn out before you can breathe."
Music video
The music video is based on The Scorpion King, and it also featured clips from the film. It was directed by the Brothers StrauseBrothers Strause
Brothers Greg and Colin Strause are a directing duo, most famous for directing Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem and Skyline, and special effects artists who make movies and grew up in Waukegan, Illinois...
.
Appearances
"I Stand Alone" was featured on the soundtrack to the 2002 film The Scorpion KingThe Scorpion King
The Scorpion King is a 2002 American action film directed by Chuck Russell, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Kelly Hu, Grant Heslov, and Michael Clarke Duncan...
. About the song, Sully Erna
Sully Erna
Salvatore Paul "Sully" Erna , is an American vocalist and primary songwriter for the American heavy metal band, Godsmack. Erna is also a guitarist and drummer, performing these both on albums and during live shows. He has a daughter named Skylar Brooke Erna and an older sister named Maria.-Early...
told LAUNCH Media
LAUNCH Media
LAUNCH Media is a Santa Monica-based media company that created LAUNCH.com, an online music site, and LAUNCH , a magazine issued both in print and as a CD-ROM disk magazine. LAUNCH Media was acquired by Yahoo! for US$12 million in 2001...
, "It's like a prequel to the movie The Mummy Returns
The Mummy Returns
The Mummy Returns is a 2001 American adventure film written and directed by Stephen Sommers, starring Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Oded Fehr, Patricia Velásquez and Freddie Boath. The film is a sequel to the 1999 film The Mummy...
. It happens 5,000 years ago in ancient Egypt--5,000 years prior to, you know? They sent a script and they sent a trailer, and that's kind of what it was based on--was about the character in the movie."
One fan of that song is Dwayne Johnson, also known by his former ring name "The Rock", star of The Scorpion King. He says Erna's study of the film's theme and story led to the creation of a great song. "Godsmack sat down with Chuck Russell, the director, and Chuck laid out the entire story and what my character was all about, and Sully wrote the song. That's what makes the song so great. When you see that on the trailer, "I Stand Alone", that's a hot, hot song, and very indicative of what the character's all about," the Rock says.
The song was also featured in the video game Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within is a video game and sequel to Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Warrior Within was developed and published by Ubisoft, and released on December 2, 2004 for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Microsoft Windows. It picks up where The Sands of Time left off,...
, used both for its trailer and the ingame music that mimics the song. The main theme of the game revolves around the Prince trying to change his fate all by himself, while the Time Guardian known as the Dahaka tries to end his life. "I Stand Alone" is also the entrance song of Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Roy Oswalt
Roy Oswalt
Roy Edward Oswalt is an American Major League Baseball pitcher and Olympic gold medalist who is currently a free agent. Oswalt, a slender six-foot right-handed starting pitcher, is currently in his eleventh major league season...
as well as former Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
pitcher Craig Hansen
Craig Hansen
Craig Robert Hansen is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. A closer out of St. John's University, Hansen was drafted in and quickly made his major league debut, but has since spent most of his career at the Triple-A level...
.
On January 20, 2009, the song became available for download in the Rock Band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
series, marking the first time Godsmack is represented in a music video game.
The song also featured in 2005 film Return of the Living Dead: Necropolis
Return of the Living Dead: Necropolis
Return of the Living Dead: Necropolis , is a 2005 zombie television horror film directed by Ellory Elkayem, starring Aimee Lynn Chadwick, Cory Hardrict, John Keefe, Jana Kramer, and Peter Coyote. The plot revolves around a group of teenagers attempting to rescue their friend from an evil corporation...
.
The song featured in video game Rock Band Unplugged
Rock Band Unplugged
Rock Band Unplugged is an expansion of the Rock Band series of music video games released for the PlayStation Portable. The game is developed by Backbone Entertainment in conjunction with Harmonix Music Systems and is distributed by MTV Games and Electronic Arts...
as a DLC
DLC
DLC may refer to:* Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport, which has the IATA code DLC, a military and public airport in Ganjingzi District, Dalian, China* Dead Letter Circus, an alternative rock band from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia...
.
Grammy Awards
"I Stand Alone" had two Grammy nominationsGrammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for 'Best Rock Song' and, 'Best Hard Rock Performance' respectively.
In an interview with him, Sully Erna said that the group's two Grammy Award nominations took the band by surprise, because they didn't release an album in 2002.
"It did take us by surprise, because we've been so busy working on the new record and things like that, we didn't even think about," Erna said. "2002 was kind of a wash for us, except for that one track. It served its purpose. It kept us afloat the whole time we were down working on the new album and stuff, so...but now that it's soaking in I'm like, I'm pretty excited that we just got nominated for a couple. Whether we take it, or whether we don't, it's still...Someone recognized us for the hard work we've done."
Also, Erna admits that the band was pretty excited because they were nominated in a rock category.
"It was definitely a surprise being nominated again," Erna said. "The first year, I don't even know why we were nominated, because we were in a category with Joe Satriani
Joe Satriani
Joseph "Joe" Satriani is an American instrumental rock guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, with multiple Grammy Award nominations...
and these other guys for best instrumental performance. And the instrumental that we had on our record was an accident, so that was pretty bizarre to be nominated for that. But this year we're pretty excited because we consider ourselves a rock band and we're in a rock category."
Track listing
Though it appeared on Faceless, "I Stand Alone" was released a year early in conjunction with The Scorpion King, and only later added to Faceless. Therefore, the tracks on the single are all off their previous releases, GodsmackGodsmack (album)
-Controversy:The album caused controversy due to its profane lyrics without a Parental Advisory Label. After listening to his son's copy of the album, a father in the U.S. complained to Wal-Mart, who sold him the album, that the lyrics were offensive. Wal-Mart and Kmart took the album off the...
and Awake
Awake (Godsmack album)
-Track listing:Japanese bonus tracks-Personnel:Godsmack*Sully Erna - vocals, rhythm guitar*Tony Rombola - lead guitar, backing vocals*Robbie Merrill - bass, backing vocals*Tommy Stewart - drums, backing vocalsAdditional performances...
.
Chart positions
| Chart (2002) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Dutch Top 100 Netherlands The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders... |
70 |
| Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks | 1 |
| Billboard Modern Rock Tracks Modern Rock Tracks Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs... |
20 |
| Billboard Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
103 |
The song became the most played Active Rock song in 2002 for fourteen weeks straight. The song has been certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), with access sales of half million copies in the United States.
Certification
| Country | Sales | Certification Date | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 500,000+ | June 1, 2006 | Gold |