Album: Futures (2004)
Charted: 38 93
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Songfacts®:

  • In this song, a guy experiences a lot of pain in his life, yet no matter how injured he is, be the pain physical or emotional, shallow or deep, there's someone who can take it all away. This song is about her. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Angela - Sacramento, CA
  • This song was a featured track in the video game Midnight Club 3 DUB Edition Remix. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    john - Houston, TX
  • "'Pain' was one of the last songs to get completed," lead singer Jim Adkins recalled to Phoenix New Times on the album's 10th anniversary. "Actually, I believe it was the last one - as in, we could do nothing else until I finished lyrics. I took the afternoon off and just walked around [University of Arizona] campus and just finally did it - didn't stress out, wrote whatever felt like worked with the mood of the song. At the time, I thought it was maybe the throwaway song for the album. Sometimes because it happens easy and fast, it can mess with your head. You trick yourself into thinking because it wasn't this super-labored process, it isn't as worthy as other ones that were. Guess I was wrong because, it ended up being a single."

Comments: 11

  • Dan from ChicagoCame here wondering if anyone else sees a correlation between these lyrics and the OxyContin epidemic? With lyrics like “Anyone can find the same white pills - It takes my pain away” it seems pretty clear that Oxy could very well be the subject of this song…

    maybe I’ve been watching WAY too much Dopesick?
  • Kiki G from Marylandi think it’s about a guy who tries self harming as various ways of suicide. maybe he’s said because of a girl he knew who died, but this is just guessing on the music video. though it is a fitting name for the song
  • Emma from Pottstown, PaIn the song, it's about a girl he loved who died, and he tried to resuscitate her but failed ("It's a lie, a kiss with opened eyes / and she's not breathing back"). He takes up drugs to take the pain away.
  • Steve from New York, Nyi remember hearing an interview where the lead singer came right out and said that this song was about a random assortment of prescription pills. if i can find a copy of that interview i'll submit it here.
  • Jess from Cobram, Australiayep this is definetely about pain killers.
    i doubt there is some special girl or some one that can take his pain away ay..
  • Marc from Bruno, MnI think that this songs about pain killers. He tries to get off of them but he cant. But i dont know if its true thats just what is says to me.
  • Amanda from New York, NyI really love this song. But I wouldnt exactly say that his escape from all his suffering in life was the girl "who can take it all away" its probly something more bigger that i cant think of at the moment...
  • Amanda from Evergreen, CoThis is BY FAR my favorite song from them! they are the most awesome band ever!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Terrence from Decatur, GaAlso the second verse says I never thought I'd walk away from you. I did. But it's a false sense of accomplishment. Every time I quit, assuming that he is quitting his addiction
  • Terrence from Decatur, GaI think this song is about a guy that is having problems kicking an addiction to pain killers. In the song it says anyone can make what I have built, I'm better now, anyone can find the same white pills. Then they go into the hook where it says it takes my pain away.
  • Matt from Oyhdfy, Azi am sorry my brother made me
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