Cry for Help

Album: The Sound of Madness (2008)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song is about drug abuse. The person in the song is living off his friends while trying to raise money to pay off the "monkeys in the rabbit hole" (drug dealers).

    "The white witch" is heroin. "Mama Kin" is a character in the song "Mama Kin" by Aerosmith (One interpretation of the song is the hallucinations you get when high). The wolf implies that the hallucinations from the drug abuse are getting stronger and out of hand.

    The drug addict in the song better pray that he can find a way out because he's in too deep and nobody is going to help him. The drug addict may have thought it funny to say he was fine and have everyone fooled, but they only had one friend and now not even the friend is agreeing to help, because that friend was done being fooled.
  • The song was released on Shinedown's 2008 album The Sound Of Madness. Their frontman, Brent Smith, later admitted that he was in the throes of addiction during this time, so the song could have really been his cry for help. He was able to cut out drugs soon after but it took him longer to ditch alcohol.

Comments: 2

  • Zero from The Abyss, NjBy they way, this song perfectly describes my cousin.
  • Zero from Nowhere, NjI always thought the lyrics were "smokin' tea with Mama Kin" like the Aerosmith song goes, "Sleepin' late and smokin' tea". Tea, of course, being another word for marijuana.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Philip Cody

Philip CodySongwriter Interviews

A talented lyricist, Philip helped revive Neil Sedaka's career with the words to "Laughter In The Rain" and "Bad Blood."

Michael Franti

Michael FrantiSongwriter Interviews

Franti tells the story behind his hit "Say Hey (I Love You)" and explains why yoga is an integral part of his lifestyle and his Soulshine tour.

Graham Parker

Graham ParkerSongwriter Interviews

When Judd Apatow needed under-appreciated rockers for his Knocked Up sequel, he immediately thought of Parker, who just happened to be getting his band The Rumour back together.

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."

Chris Frantz of Talking Heads

Chris Frantz of Talking HeadsSongwriter Interviews

Talking Heads drummer Chris Frantz on where the term "new wave" originated, the story of "Naive Melody," and why they never recorded another cover song after "Take Me To The River."

Dar Williams

Dar WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

A popular contemporary folk singer, Williams still remembers the sticky note that changed her life in college.