The Purge

Album: single release only (2020)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Here, Sharon den Adel is racked with guilt about some bad choices she's made that have had an adverse effect on some other people. At first she denied to herself what she did was wrong, but now the singer hates what she's become and can't find any peace.

    This gravity, it's carving the heart out of me
    I've got to bleed it out, all my thoughts intoxicated
    'Cause the weight on me, it buries me alive


    Den Adel acknowledges she needs to purge whatever is troubling her conscience before the guilt destroys her. By recognizing her mistakes, she has taken the first step towards cleansing herself.
  • Released on November 19, 2019, Den Adel told Germany's Rock Antenne the song came out of her having more time to reflect because of the COVID pandemic. She said: "The whole world has come to a stop, all of a sudden, in this roller coaster we're all living in. So maybe people will be able to relate to that, because I think a lot of people had time for self-reflection. It's more a mental cleansing than it's actually a physical one."
  • Within Temptation's previous single, "Entertain You," has a similar theme of reflecting on bad behavior. Den Adel explained that the song revolves around "the urge for self-gratification at the expense of others."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Edie Brickell

Edie BrickellSongwriter Interviews

Edie Brickell on her collaborations with Paul Simon, Steve Martin and Willie Nelson, and her 2021 album with the New Bohemians.

Hawksley Workman

Hawksley WorkmanSongwriter Interviews

One of Canada's most popular and eclectic performers, Hawksley tells stories about his oldest songs, his plentiful side projects, and the ways that he keeps his songwriting fresh.

Into The Great Wide Open: Made-up Musicians

Into The Great Wide Open: Made-up MusiciansSong Writing

Eddie (played by Johnny Depp in the video) found fame fleeting, but Chuck Berry's made-up musician fared better.

Best Band Logos

Best Band LogosSong Writing

Queen, Phish and The Stones are among our picks for the best band logos. Here are their histories and a design analysis from an expert.

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.

Supertramp founder Roger Hodgson

Supertramp founder Roger HodgsonSongwriter Interviews

Roger tells the stories behind some of his biggest hits, including "Give a Little Bit," "Take the Long Way Home" and "The Logical Song."