The One That Kills The Least

Album: .5: The Gray Chapter (2014)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This track finds frontman Corey Taylor reflecting on the choices he makes in the light of the loss of the band's bassist Paul Gray. He told Kerrang!: "That song is a moment of melancholy, where you're looking at all the problems in your life, and you try and put everything in perspective, and you realise that the decisions you make can come back to haunt you, because of something like, in our case, losing Paul."

    "The choices that you make a really starting to affect everything around you, and it comes down to the point where the one that kills the least still kills a soul," he added. "Where every action has an equal and opposite reaction, so it's really about dealing with an active side affects of your choices in the grief process."

Comments: 2

  • Brad from Washington StateAgreed with Brenda
    I am not a fan of God myself, and Corey Taylor certainly is not either. I see him as sort of a wolf in sheep's clothing and I think that is basically part of what this song depicts how God is always glorified to be the "Good" guy, yet in the end he is the one responsible for all the chaos and death in the world.
    "Save another number! Don't forget to hate me!"
    Basically Corey telling God to shove it.
  • Brenda from 84405 My interpretation and what it means to me .
    there's only 1 that is held in such regard of killing the least
    And yet still kills us all
    And I wish I could say it was the devil
    But sadly enough it's the one and only God
    Who kills the least yet kills us all


see more comments

Editor's Picks

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")Song Writing

Director Mark Pellington on Pearl Jam's "Jeremy," and music videos he made for U2, Jon Bon Jovi and Imagine Dragons.

Gene Simmons of Kiss

Gene Simmons of KissSongwriter Interviews

The Kiss rocker covers a lot of ground in this interview, including why there are no Kiss collaborations, and why the Rock Hall has "become a sham."

Charlie Daniels

Charlie DanielsSongwriter Interviews

Charlie discusses the songs that made him a Southern Rock icon, and settles the Devil vs. Johnny argument once and for all.

Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum

Dave Pirner of Soul AsylumSongwriter Interviews

Dave explains how the video appropriated the meaning of "Runaway Train," and what he thought of getting parodied by Weird Al.

Carol Kaye

Carol KayeSongwriter Interviews

A top session musician, Carol played on hundreds of hits by The Beach Boys, The Monkees, Frank Sinatra and many others.

Kevin Godley

Kevin GodleySongwriter Interviews

Kevin Godley talks about directing classic videos for The Police, U2 and Duran Duran, and discusses song and videos he made with 10cc and Godley & Creme.