I Will Not Bow

Album: Dear Agony (2009)
Charted: 40
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is the first single from American alternative metal band Breaking Benjamin's 4th studio album Dear Agony.
  • The song was premiered on the radio station 97.9X in Breaking Benjamin's hometown of Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania on the afternoon of August 11, 2009.
  • The song features in the 2009 Bruce Willis sci-fi movie Surrogates. The song was not written specifically for the film, but according to drummer Chad Szeliga, "Ben (Burnley, vocalist) sent a few songs to our record label, Hollywood Records," which is owned by Disney, who then decided they "wanted a Breaking Benjamin song for this movie."
  • The music video was filmed at the World Trade Center building 7. The director Rich Lee (Evanescence) chose the location as he felt it was an eerie location to film. Burnley described the shoot to Weekender magazine as "a great time," before admitting that it wasn't without its difficulties. He explained: "I have issues with heights and stuff, and when I first got up there I started to have a little bit of a panic attack," he says. "And I got over it really, really quick because I put it in my mind that the city was fake, because you're up so high it literally looks like a scale model, so I just kept thinking that, and I got through it. The windows go all the way down to the floor. In the very first shot of the video, where I'm standing looking over, I actually had my eyes shut, because you're so close, and if you're that close to the window, for me, then it kind of gets dizzying I guess? Nauseating? So I had to keep my eyes shut, and I opened them up when I turned around and started singing."
  • The song was written by Benjamin Burnley and Jasen Rauch, the guitar player and primary songwriter of the Christian alternative metal band Red. (check out "Death of Me").

Comments: 2

  • Nicole from Okemah OkSo insperational!
  • Slade from Yo Moma House, Lathis is the best song breaking benjamine had since diary of jane nad polyamerous
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Frankie Valli

Frankie ValliSong Writing

An interview with Frankie Valli, who talks about why his songs - both solo and with The Four Seasons - have endured, and reflects on his time as Rusty Millio on The Sopranos.

The Girl in That Song

The Girl in That SongFact or Fiction

Billie Jean, Delilah, Sara, Laura and Sharona - do you know who the girls in the songs really are?

Michael Schenker

Michael SchenkerSongwriter Interviews

The Scorpions and UFO guitarist is also a very prolific songwriter - he explains how he writes with his various groups, and why he was so keen to get out of Germany and into England.

Actors With Hit Songs

Actors With Hit SongsMusic Quiz

Many actors have attempted music, but only a few have managed a hit. Do you know which of these thespians charted?

Charles Fox

Charles FoxSongwriter Interviews

After studying in Paris with a famous composition teacher, Charles became the most successful writer of TV theme songs.

Rock Revenge Songs

Rock Revenge SongsMusic Quiz

John Lennon, Paul Simon and Lynyrd Skynyrd are some of the artists who have written revenge songs. Do you know who they wrote them about?