Scars by Papa Roach

Album: Getting Away With Murder (2004)

Charted: 15

License This Song

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

Papa Roach lead singer Jacoby Shaddix says that this is one of the most revealing songs he's written. Shaddix has always been prone to alcoholism and self-destruction, and this song finds him addressing his wife, Kelly, who he married in 1997. Throughout their marriage, he has fought his demons, which have wreaked havoc in their relationship. They always get through it, but sometimes he feels that he needs to move on, for her sake as well as his.

Pouring your heart out like this is not easy for a songwriter, but for Shaddix it's an essential part of his healing process, and it's also how he connects with the fans. In our 2015 interview, he explained: "The more we dig deep and the more I reveal about what I'm really going through in my life, the deeper the connection is with our fans. And 'Scars' is one of those songs."
The song deals with getting tired of trying to fix everyone else's problems, but having a hard time because you care so much. You can't stop caring, so you tear yourself open for the people you care about, and then heal to get ready for the next time you have to do it. And then, at one point you still care, but you just can't do it anymore. You have to tell them, "You fix yourself," and that is the hardest part. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Kacie - Rogers, AR
The first version of the video was directed by Steve Murashige and leaned heavily on computer generated effects and compositing. This clip proved a little too "artistic," so another video was made, this time eschewing effects for acting, with performance footage of the band intercut with Shaddix acting out scenes of domestic disturbance with the actress Taylor Cole, who at the time was on the TV series Summerland. She later appeared on the shows CSI: Miami and Heroes.
Lead singer Jacoby Shaddix built this song around Hannibal Lecter's lament that "Our scars remind me that the past is real" in the movie Red Dragon. Anthony Hopkins, who portrayed Hannibal, says that when he prepared for this role he did not study serial killers, but cats. If you watch him closely in Silence Of The Lambs it is evident not just in the way he moves his body but also the way he blinks his eyes. He says if you pay careful attention you will see the feline quality in every scene he is in. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Jessie - Dallas, TX
Shaddix explained the band's name in an interview with Spin magazine: "We came up with the name back in 1993 when we were like sixteen years old - young and dumb. At the time we were listening to lots of bands with funky names - stuff like Mr. Bungle, Primus, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. We were also playing weird spastic funk-punk like they were, so we thought we should have a name that fit in with that vibe. At first we wanted to name the band Papa Gato after [a nickname for] Poncho Sanchez, the Latin percussionist. But then I thought, what if we named it after my grandfather - his last name is Roach. The other guys were like, 'You mean roach like as in weed?' But I also thought Papa Roach had a dirty, grimy sense of longevity that really represented where we were as people at the time. Roaches last, you know? The name still fits."

Comments: 40

Tom Lindsay from FlThe lyric that says scars reminds me that the past is real was said on the movie Silence Of The Lambs that was made in the eighties. It was stolen!
Lisa from Georgia I can relate to this song on so many levels.
Halston from Springfield, MoThe part that goes "the scars remind us that the past is real" was pulled from the Hannibal Lector movie, Red Dragon.
Daniel from Los Angeles, Caok this is a bout a horrible night in vegas for jacoby shaddix(lead singer). he doesnt say much about what happened but ny medical records he went to a las vegas hospital for stitches in his head due to self harm. he claims "i helped someone who doesnt want to be helped" which is why he made scars
Jonathan from Milwuakie, OrIn Jacoby Shaddix's exact words "it's about trying to help someone who really doesn't want you to help them" and it was influence by the time he had to go to the hospital in Vegas and get 11 stitches in his head from self-inflicted wounds. Hens the line "Our scars remind me that the past is real".
Bitsis from La Vernia, Txthis describes my gurl who betrayed me
Lynyrd from Jacksonville, FlThis reminds me of helps other people with their work. They still end up screwing up, and then they blame you. Then they eventually take you down with them. You can go **** yourself, I could care less at this point.
Sarah from Lahoma, OkI dedicate this song to John H. Buddy I hepled you stay outta trouble for 5 months and all you did was go and do what you did so i'm done you help yourself..
Helene from Staten Island,ny, United Statesi dedicate this song to mike f.i loved him for 9 months and all i have left is the scars in my heart of how i usesd to feel about him,even though he could care less about me =/
Helene from Staten Island,ny, United Statesyea this song is aw-sum! even though if you never had a boyfriend
(like me)or a girlfriend you can still relate to this song.its a wonderful song and its common for almost everybody to relate to.
Whitney from Little Rock, ArI LOVE THIS SONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Stacey from Someplace, Australiafirstly just cos this song isn't like their normal songs doesn't make them sell outs also i'm still working on this but i reckon its about that sometimes sh*t happens and it breaks your heart or ruins your life whatever but thats what makes you who you are and all you can do is say you tried
Shelby from Lakeland, Tni used to listen to this song over and over again it was awsome until i got bored of it
Alex from Gaithersburg, MdThis song is grat it wakes us feel like he is drowning and the girlfriend is trying to help. It tells us you care to much to prevent scars, It says we want scars to remind us that the past is real
Ashley from North Lima, OhI love this song!!! It explains my life a lot. Scars never go away, sometimes you don't want them to. The lyrics are awesome. Gotta love it.
Jessica from Topeka, KsI can relate to this song so much. Scars are cuts that never heal, and they will always be there. Love this song!
Roselyn from La, Cathis song rocks!
Melissa from Toledo, OhI love this song so much it rocks! Papa Roach is awesome and I love their lyrics and music! I LOVE PAPA ROACH!!
Rhea from Ravenna, Ohthis song proved that papa roaches scars are from his broken heart and feelings
Duane from Gilbertsville, NcI was never into the rap-rock style of papa roach, but after hearing the song, "scars", im hooked. The song deals with addiction. The video shows his girlfriend having a problem with alcohol, and no matter what he does , it only hurts him , which is exactly how addiction works. Im not sure who actually wrote the song, but i think without seeing the video it takes somebody who had dealt with an addict or alcoholic, or substance abuser that is in recovery to be able to relate to the song...Thank you papa roach we needed a song like this, i needed a song like this anyways...Duane
Thom from Johnson City, TnA lot of this song is a bout him tearing himself up, because he's so torn between trying to fix himself AND the people he loves. Eventually, he realizes, they don't want help, &, eventually, he can't help them anyway until he gets straightened out. The song never comes out & says that, but, that's what I pick up, especially through the video. Love this song.
Morgan from New York, NytHIS song is OKAY!i'VE JUST HEARD IT TO MUCH!
Paige from Babylon, NyEveryone says this song is about a girlfriend a family member or something emotional like that.But it's not atleast i don't beleive so, in a interveiw between PaPa Roach and Stick on the radio (106.7) the singer said he had wrote these lyrics the day after he had heart surgery. He didn't say if that was the reasoning but he didn't say it wasn't so i am forming my own conxlusion; He is singing these lyrics about eatting bad and now careing to much for that and sewing himself shut any way thats my conclusion you can form your own...
Brandi from Stafford, VaThis song is totally awesome.
Amy from Searcy, ArDo you ever think people overanalyze song lyrics? I would love to see the artists' responses to the conclusions and assumptions some people make about their music. :P
Qwertz from GÃ¶ttingen, Germany>>>You will not become that thin from healthy
>>>weight loss

He doesn't look that skinny to me. Also, he started losing weight at the end of the touring for LoveHateTragedy which was in mid 2003. I saw him whith his slim appearence the fisr time in mid 2004. I guess you can lose a lot of weight in one year.

>>>Who is the girl in the video(for scars) PLEASE
>>>its driving me CRAZY
The actress in the Scars music video is Taylor Cole.

The "songfacts" are true as long as you're talking about the music video. The actual song was

inspired by a night in Las Vegas when Coby met an old friend who was in trouble. Check out the

"Behind The Scenes" footage on the album:

"I was out on the road and I ran into a friend, that I know from long time ago. I was in Vegas,

and he was just having a really hard time and I'm the kind of person that carries the weight of

the world on my shoulders. If somebody around me is having a bad day I'm always like 'I'm

having a bad day' instantly. (...)
It drove me to the point that night... later that night I just flipped out and got in a fight

with a trash can. I ended up in a hospital with eleven staples in my head."

I doubt this "old friend" even had problems with alcohol. I think the band put that in the

video 'cause Coby had a drinking problem and got sober, which is a main topic on the record.

Maybe there was also alcohol involved when Coby harmed himself with that trash can...

So I think this song - like basically every Papa Roach song - is about one of Coby personal

experiences: Realizing he can't fix other people's lives when his own life is a mess. The line

"Our scars remind us that the past is real" is btw taken from a movie (one of those Hannibal

Lector movies).
Dustin from Sedalia, Moand i think its awesome that he lost a TON of weight, hes hott now.

Might not be so bad, if it wasn't an unhealthy amount of weight. You will not become that thin from healthy weight loss. Most likely from drug abuse, or an eating disorder, or probably both. Either way, I can tell you he's suffering because of it, if he hasn't caused himself permanent damage.

Oh and yeah, I agree, they sold out, however that started long time ago at their concerts...
Diana from Fountain Valley, CaWho is the girl in the video(for scars) PLEASE its driving me CRAZY
Asheleigh from New York, Nyok people the whole misic video is about the girl she is an alcohalic and he is tring to help her become not so addicted. but she just cant do it and one night at a party at his house she gets out of control with the alcohoal and he say this is enough and dumps all the alcohal down the drain and she gets pissed off big time and goes to take her jacket and from next to the candle and it tips over and there s alcohal on the floor from the party and ths house starts on fire and burns down. she comes back later and he doesnt want nething to do with her because he tried to help her but it just didnt work so she left a huge scar in his heart damn what a b*tch. so thats what i have to say about the song.
Jackie from San Diego, Cayeah the comment about this song bein pop...nuh-uh. sure, its not hard rock or metal. but pop? uhhh...i dont think so. its a great song though.
Tammy from Nashville, TnA slower "balladish" song doesn't mean they sold-out - - lots of great bands have had that one "bic in the sky, while the crowd sways" song. Be grateful that rock bands do this, when that one "sappy" song starts - - that's the best time to take a restroom break during a concert because everyone else is running toward the stage to hear the commercially successful song! LOL :) Metallica (The Unforgive), Queensryche (Silent Lucidity) and Extreme (More than Words) are only a few examples of this.
Tammy from Nashville, TnGreat song - - Does anyone else out there think that one part of the song sounds exactly like Steven Tyler???? Can't find any data to confirm, but that pitch and scream is amazingly familiar. The drummer is Tyler's son-in-law, could it be??
Martin from Belfast, Irelandi think that no matter how much he tries she just doesnt listen to him. she is always saying that she is alright. this is well noticed in the part where he is on the balcony and she is just after arguing with him. and when she burnt the house down she really pissed him off and he wants nothing to do with her. as you see in the end when he gives her the biggest dirty look while trying to find the reciept to the house. lol but no im serious that was just funny lookin.
Derek Jordan Sytsma from Las Vegas, NvSarah, thanks, i meant She, not he, gets drunk...i always mess that up, but thanks for correcting me.
Sarah from Chicago, Il if you watch the video you noticed that they were drinking bloody marys then she goes up to the bedroom with some Jack Daniels and he's pouring out all the bottles of achohol n the house (hence the bottles in sink) and then he goes up to the room and takes away the whiskey and pours it out and she follows him down and sees that he's poured out all of the beer and crap and gets mad and picks her coat off of the table and accidently knocks the candle over which burns down later (you can tell it was an accident because she comes back towards the end sees the band walking around the burnt spot-one kicks a chair- and just has this look on her face like 'what have i done?'
But in the video it was the girl not the singer with the drinking problem in the song though he is drunk so *shrugs* but um thats how it is in the video.
Good job Derek your description was the best.(alot better then mine anyway) mine's not really a description its just how it is in the video
Derek from Las Vegas, NvYeah...They are just a tad wrong on the meaning. If you watch the music video it is about his girlfriend being an alchoholic, one night he gets drunk after she does, he tfied to kick her out and when he does, she knocks a bottle of whisky and a candle over, burning down his house. He tried to help her with her problem before and when she just kept doing it...he finally had to tell her "I can't help you fix yourself, but atleast i can say i tried...sorry, but I gotta move on with my own life." Now, his house is burnt down and it is a huge scar that reminds him of what she did and that it was real
Mia from Wellston, Miit took me forever to get the music vid: if you watch the girl is mad becuase the guy had been drinking, so when she starts to leave pulls out something from under a candle which starts a house fire, notice that the band is playing in a burnt area
Sarah from Quito, South Americai think this song is awesome. yeah, hard music rocks. but you are so closed minded. just because a band that ususally plays harder stuff doesnt do that, its not something to be saying they sold out with. its an accomplishment that they can do something else than talk about suicide. this is an awesome song, and if people would actually listen to the music and the guitar and everything seperate, its awesome. really good lyrics too. i like the video, and i think its awesome that he lost a TON of weight, hes hott now.
Chrissy from My Left ButtcheekI thought this was a pretty good song as far as lyrics. The music could have been better and harder though.
Ian from New York, NyThis song proved that the band sold out. Not that they were all that amazing at first but some poppy junk like this is just plain wrong.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

Invisible TouchGenesis

The Genesis song "Invisible Touch" was inspired by the Prince-written Sheila E. track "The Glamorous Life."

Shake It OffTaylor Swift

Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off" was inspired by how she'd learned to deal with all the false rumors that circulated about her. She realized she could either let it get to her or "just shake it off."

The ReflexDuran Duran

"The Reflex" became a #1 hit for Duran Duran when Nile Rodgers remixed it using a sampler. Simon Le Bon refuses to say what it's about, but says it's "kind of childish song."

Louie LouieThe Kingsmen

"Louie Louie" was first recorded in 1955 by an R&B singer named Richard Berry, and his lyrics are easy to understand. When The Kingsmen recorded the hit version, their lyrics were indecipherable.

Burning Down The HouseTalking Heads

"Burning Down The House" by Talking Heads was inspired by chant band members heard at a P-Funk show where the crowd yelled, "burn down the house... burn down the house."

She Loves YouThe Beatles

"She Loves You" by The Beatles was the song that convinced Ozzy Osbourne to make music his life. The Beatles were a big influence on him because they were also poor kids from a small town in England.