“My Sacrifice” by Creed

According to Scott Stapp’s explanation of this song, “My Sacrifice” would be along the lines of a soliloquy, i.e. the vocalist and addressee being one in the same. And the main message behind this piece can be found in the second verse, where the singer puts forth that “it feels so good to reunite within yourself and within your mind”. 

You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for Creed's My Sacrifice at Lyrics.org.

other words, going back to Scott’s own personal explanation, this is a song about “reconnecting with yourself”.

Of course that’s a pretty ambiguous statement, but in context, what Stapp is getting at is overcoming depression, drug abuse or similar maladies which can cause a person to become alienated from his or herself, in a poetic manner of speaking. 

This is something he was apparently dealing with at the time of this song’s composition and did not overcome until around the late 2010s.

So going back to the ambiguity of this piece, so to speak, that would perhaps be attributable to the fact that it wasn’t written by someone who had actually bested drug addiction or what have you.  But obviously he did have his moments of success, whereas he was able to reconnect with his previous, sober self, if you will.

Or let’s speculate that judging by the nature of the chorus, the vocalist realizes that ultimately, he’s the only one who can truly bring about his own healing. And being able to identify with a part of himself that existed before he became a troubled soul is part of that process. And with all of that in mind, one possible theory concerning the song’s title is that the titular “sacrifice”, as presented in the chorus, is a reference to the vocalist’s persistent self-destructive habits.

Lyrics to Creed's "My Sacrifice"

Creed

Creed was a rock band, hailing from Tallahassee. The band’s most notable years of existence were around the turn of the century. It was during that era for instance that they dropped the album “Weathered”. This album is one of their three studio albums that went multi-platinum which, in this case, also topped the Billboard 200. 

The lead single from that outing is “My Sacrifice”.

Facts about “My Sacrifice”

Wind-up Records released “My Sacrifice” on 15 October 2001 to global success.

The song appeared on six different Billboard charts and along the way peaked at number 4 on the Hot 100. In addition to this, it topped the Mainstream Rock list. 

It also reached second place on the UK Rock & Metal Chart. Furthermore, it charted in a few other countries and has been certified gold in Australia. 

Those accomplishments therefore makes this one of the biggest hit singles in Creed’s discography. On top of this, “My Sacrifice” also got nominated for a Grammy in 2003. The said Grammy eventually went to Coldplay’s “In My Place” in the Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal category.

“My Sacrifice” was composed by Creed’s frontman, Scott Stapp, alongside the band’s lead guitarist, Mark Tremonti. According to Stapp, the songwriting session that led to this song’s birth was just like any other, albeit the pair knowing that they penned a highly-relatable tune. However, they did not recognize at the time how successful this piece would become.

The music video to this track was filmed in Creed’s home state of Florida. It was directed by Californian Dave Meyers.

This track was produced by the entire Creed crew, in conjunction with the following music producers:

  • Kirk Kelsey
  • John Kurzweg
My Sacrifice

3 Responses

  1. Eric says:

    I think it could also be a good song for two really close friends who reunite after a long time apart.

  2. Brad says:

    These lyrics were obviously penned under the inspiration of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Whether they were stolen, purchased, or just misrepresented by the author, God knows the truth, repentance is in order.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Why doesn’t the article mention the fact that “Creed” is a Christian rock band.

    These lyrics are directed straight to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Hence the cross on his arm. And the reuniting of friends and family, animals, and hobbies in the music video. Everyone knows that. Is this a Mandela effect?

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