Divide and Conquer

Album: Fire From The Sky (2012)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This was the last song written for Fire From The Sky. "We were working on the song 'Divide and Conquer' for a while but we just couldn't get it right, so we put it on the backburner," recalled guitarist Matt Bachand. "At the end of the recording session, we were like, 'Ah s--t, don't have enough stuff.' We needed one more song and we needed it fast. I was working on it with a laptop in a side room at Zing, trying to pull this thing out of my head while Jason [Bittner] was already tracking the drums. I work best under pressure, so it was coming along and I had most of it down. Then Jason finished the drums, so we said, 'Okay, let's go in and try it.' We jammed on it for about 20 minutes and couldn't figure out what to do for the chorus. Then Jon [Donais, lead guitar] comes into the door, listens for a second, grabs his guitar and goes, 'I got your fu--in' chorus,' and plays this riff out of nowhere. And, boom, it's done. In one hour, this song literally went from a couple riffs and barely an idea to being a complete track."
  • Vocalist Brian Fair penned the song's lyrics in 2011 in reaction to the polarization that's going on between opposing factions all over the world. "It's kind of my posi-youth unity song," he explained. "The more people get divided, whether it's bipartisan politics or social standings, the harder it's going to be to regain control. This song is about getting together to fight for a better future instead of sitting around and complaining and watching everything pass you by."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Boz Scaggs

Boz ScaggsSongwriter Interviews

The "Lowdown" and "Lido Shuffle" singer makes a habit of playing with the best in the business.

Weird Al Yankovic

Weird Al YankovicFact or Fiction

Did Al play on a Beach Boys record? Did he have beef with George Lucas and Coolio? See if you can spot weird but true stories.

Richie McDonald of Lonestar

Richie McDonald of LonestarSongwriter Interviews

Richie talks about the impact of "Amazed," and how his 4-year-old son inspired another Lonestar hit.

Protest Songs

Protest SongsMusic Quiz

How well do you know your protest songs (including the one that went to #1)?

History Of Rock

History Of RockSong Writing

An interview with Dr. John Covach, music professor at the University of Rochester whose free online courses have become wildly popular.

Top American Idol Moments: Songs And Scandals

Top American Idol Moments: Songs And ScandalsSong Writing

Surprise exits, a catfight and some very memorable performances make our list of the most memorable Idol moments.