Straight Out Of Line

Album: Faceless (2003)
Charted: 73
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Written by Godsmack frontman Sully Erna, this is a message to the band's old friends who resented the time-consuming responsibilities that came along with the group's rise to fame. "They're basically the people that don't understand that you have to tour, and there's a lot of work involved. So we're not able to call them every weekend and hang out anymore," Erna told MTV.com. "They don't realize how much work is actually involved in a 12-hour day. It takes a lot of time because you want it to be right for the fans."
  • This song was used in the 2004 video game Prince of Persia: Warrior Within, along with "I Stand Alone." It was used (without the helicopter intro) for the game's credits. The song helped to set the more dark and desperate feeling of the second game in the series, but many fans of the games did not care for the inclusion of Godsmack's music. The third and final game of the series, Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones, used the original Indian-like musical score. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Neil - Conroe, TX
  • This earned a Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2004, but lost to "Bring Me To Life" by Evanescence.
  • The single, which went to #1 on the Mainstream Rock chart, proved to be a promising start to Shannon Larkin's tenure with Godsmack. The drummer told Wikimetal: "One of my favorite drum beats that I ever wrote for Smack was 'Straight Out Of Line.' And that ended up being the number one single, the number one record, and the first song I ever wrote with the band Godsmack, so that one I'm really, really proud of, and again, that's one of the most kick ass drum beats that I've ever written."
  • The performance-based music video was shot in Los Angeles by Dean Karr (who also helmed the band's "Voodoo" clip). Erna explained why the band chose performing over creating a story for the visual. "The song has got good aggression, and the visuals, when the band plays it, look really good," he told MTV.com. "Sometimes it's really hard to shove a story within a four-minute video, unless you're a solo artist like Eminem or wherever, because all you have to do is cut back to him once in a while. When there are four guys in a band and you have to try to cover all of them and get a story in, sometimes you don't quite get the story in and it becomes irrelevant."
  • Peaking at #73, this is Godsmack's highest-charting single on the Billboard Hot 100.
  • Faceless was the band's first album to reach #1 in the US.
  • This was used in the 2003 action movie A Man Apart, starring Vin Diesel.

Comments: 11

  • Zero from Nowhere, NjAnother song that Sully plays rhythm guitar on live.
  • Zero from Nowhere, NjI agree, one of the best live bands I've ever seen! Just a thought...could people be accusing them of selling out because they lent their music to the Navy?
  • Mike from Glendale Heights, IlJeff, Godsmack's first album was released in 1998. They've had 3 full albums and one acoustic EP, The Other Side (Which Rocks!), so they have a decent sized catalogue of music. By the way, they're live show is sick!
  • Justin from Birch Run, MiI agree with Stephen from Bellport, NY...I heard nothing as well but kick arse guitar riffs :)
  • Christopher from Taylorsville, NcShanon is one of my fav drummers. Godsmck always has great drummers another good song is speak,Whatever,
  • Jeff from Helena, MtNathan its Erna *gasp* Not Verna!!*
    By the way does anyone know how many songs godsmack has? exactly
  • Stephen from Bellport, Nyi heard no Gunshots in the begining..
  • Nathan from Solomon, KsThe song and the whole album faceless is just that, an album to represent the fact that the music business is faceless to them , they know not the limits of their talents. They do enjoy music making and such. They really dont care about who likes them or not, they enjoy what they are doing and in most of their albums are telling people who dont to "go where the sun dont shine" for lack of better words.. oh yes and for the religious fanatic out there..Sully Verna is Wiccan, *gasp* "Not Wiccan!!"
  • Brianna from Calgary, CanadaThat's a very good thing. A lot of bands you see will change their style just to fit in with all the music that's out there and sell albums to make some money, which is rediculous. Sully and the boys are way too didcated to their music to do anything like that.
  • Nick from Paramus, NjHow can they sell out? Their style and theme has always been the same (Which could be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how you look at it)
  • Chris from Dallas, Txthis song is a response to fans who acuuse them of selling out.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Muhammad Ali: His Musical Legacy and the Songs he Inspired

Muhammad Ali: His Musical Legacy and the Songs he InspiredSong Writing

Before he was the champ, Ali released an album called I Am The Greatest!, but his musical influence is best heard in the songs he inspired.

Michael Sweet of Stryper

Michael Sweet of StryperSongwriter Interviews

Find out how God and glam metal go together from the Stryper frontman.

Devo

DevoSongwriter Interviews

Devo founders Mark Mothersbaugh and Jerry Casale take us into their world of subversive performance art. They may be right about the De-Evoloution thing.

Dennis DeYoung

Dennis DeYoungSongwriter Interviews

Dennis DeYoung explains why "Mr. Roboto" is the defining Styx song, and what the "gathering of angels" represents in "Come Sail Away."

Tom Bailey of Thompson Twins

Tom Bailey of Thompson TwinsSongwriter Interviews

Tom stopped performing Thompson Twins songs in 1987, in part because of their personal nature: "Hold Me Now" came after an argument with his bandmate/girlfriend Alannah Currie.

Evolution Of The Prince Symbol

Evolution Of The Prince SymbolSong Writing

The evolution of the symbol that was Prince's name from 1993-2000.