Songfacts®:

• Vocalist Brandon Boyd came up with the original suggestion for this song before the rest of the band took over. Guitarist Mike Einziger explained in an interview with Rock Sound magazine: "'Thieves' is actually based on an idea that Brandon came up with on his own. He had written lyrics, a melody and a bass line, and this song emerged from the nugget of an idea that he had. It was actually one of the first times we had written a song like that; it was really exciting, particularly for Brandon to see his musical idea be made into something bigger. At first the song didn't really have a direction, but then, all of a sudden, we were jamming together as a whole band, and the chorus came together. Most of our songs have been born that way - through jam sessions as a band. The essence of the lyrics stayed the same throughout the process; the notion of a quintessential God-fearing white American, and I think anyone with a sense of creativity can relate to that."