Poem (song)
Encyclopedia
"Poem" is a song by nu metal
band Taproot
and the lead single
from their second major label album, Welcome. It was released in 2002 and met with the highest success of any Taproot single, reaching #5 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks
. The track, as well as its music video
, were heavily played throughout the several months following its release.
roughly 40 complete songs to which he said were not up to their potential and forced them to start from scratch. However, "Poem" was actually written long before the band started working with Wright. Guitarist
Mike DeWolf elaborated:
"Poem" was performed on the December 13, 2002 edition of Last Call with Carson Daly
. The band was late due to weather troubles in Chicago
but treated the audience to a half-hour set. A live version of the song was included on the Music as a Weapon II album in 2004. "Poem" was also featured on the soundtrack
s for both MVP Baseball 2003 and True Crime: Streets of L.A.
The popular single begins with a few solo guitar chord
s before breaking into a heavy introduction. The singing style continuously shifts back and forth between harsh
and clean vocals, and its chorus lyrics reference the instructions seen on fire alarm
s ("In case of fire, break the glass and move on into your own"). The majority of lyrics describe an endurance of suffering and acquiring hope through a song or "poem."
, whose other work includes Linkin Park
and Godsmack
, on the music video for "Poem." Shooting took place on August 8 and 9 in Los Angeles
with broadcasts beginning in early September
. The "Poem" video has Taproot performing inside a crumbling old house. A young man and woman are seen intensely kissing and groping one another amidst the chaotic destruction of the building. Vocalist Stephen Richards unpleasantly bares witness to the couple as he sings, giving the impression of a bitter history between them.
Nu metal
Nu metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It is a fusion genre which combines elements of heavy metal with other genres, including grunge and hip hop...
band Taproot
Taproot (band)
Taproot is a four-piece rock group from Ann Arbor, Michigan. They are most known for their hit single "Poem" , as well as a number of other singles from 2000 to the present.-Pre-formation:...
and the lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
from their second major label album, Welcome. It was released in 2002 and met with the highest success of any Taproot single, reaching #5 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks
Mainstream Rock Tracks
Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue...
. The track, as well as its music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
, were heavily played throughout the several months following its release.
Overview
During the production of Welcome, Taproot had given producer Toby WrightToby Wright
Toby Wright is a record producer and mixing engineer who has worked with artists such as Alice in Chains, Metallica, Sevendust and Korn. He is currently in Nashville, Tennessee working on Kara Clark's latest Ep.-Producer:...
roughly 40 complete songs to which he said were not up to their potential and forced them to start from scratch. However, "Poem" was actually written long before the band started working with Wright. Guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Mike DeWolf elaborated:
- "That's actually the first song we wrote for the album. . . We played it at the 2001 Ozzfest and there was a big reaction. The kids went nuts for it even more than to our other songs that they'd heard a million times before. In production we changed little things here and there to make it stronger, but it's basically the same song."
"Poem" was performed on the December 13, 2002 edition of Last Call with Carson Daly
Last Call with Carson Daly
Last Call with Carson Daly is an American late night talk show that is broadcast on NBC. The show is hosted by Carson Daly, the half-hour show featuring celebrity interviews, documentary-style coverage of a topic, and musical performances. Last Call airs weeknights at 1:35 a.m. Eastern / 12:35 a.m....
. The band was late due to weather troubles in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
but treated the audience to a half-hour set. A live version of the song was included on the Music as a Weapon II album in 2004. "Poem" was also featured on the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
s for both MVP Baseball 2003 and True Crime: Streets of L.A.
The popular single begins with a few solo guitar chord
Guitar chord
In music, a guitar chord is a chord, or collection of tones usually sounded together at once, played on a guitar. It can be composed of notes played on adjacent or separate strings or all the strings together...
s before breaking into a heavy introduction. The singing style continuously shifts back and forth between harsh
Death growl
A death growl, also known as death metal vocals, guttural vocals, death grunts, and harsh vocals among other names, is a vocalisation style usually employed by vocalists of the death metal and black metal music genre, but also used in a variety of heavy metal and hardcore punk subgenres.Death...
and clean vocals, and its chorus lyrics reference the instructions seen on fire alarm
Fire alarm system
An automatic fire alarm system is designed to detect the unwanted presence of fire by monitoring environmental changes associated with combustion. In general, a fire alarm system is classified as either automatically actuated, manually actuated, or both...
s ("In case of fire, break the glass and move on into your own"). The majority of lyrics describe an endurance of suffering and acquiring hope through a song or "poem."
Music video
Taproot worked with directing team Brothers StrauseBrothers Strause
Brothers Greg and Colin Strause are a directing duo, most famous for directing Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem and Skyline, and special effects artists who make movies and grew up in Waukegan, Illinois...
, whose other work includes Linkin Park
Linkin Park
Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Formed in 1996, the band rose to international fame with their debut album, Hybrid Theory, which was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005 and multi-platinum in several other countries...
and Godsmack
Godsmack
Godsmack is an American heavy metal band from Lawrence, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. The band is composed of founder, frontman and songwriter Sully Erna, guitarist Tony Rombola, bassist Robbie Merrill, and drummer Shannon Larkin...
, on the music video for "Poem." Shooting took place on August 8 and 9 in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
with broadcasts beginning in early September
September 2002
September 2002: January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – December- September 1, 2002 :...
. The "Poem" video has Taproot performing inside a crumbling old house. A young man and woman are seen intensely kissing and groping one another amidst the chaotic destruction of the building. Vocalist Stephen Richards unpleasantly bares witness to the couple as he sings, giving the impression of a bitter history between them.
Track listing
The songs "Transparent" and "Free (Succeed)" were recorded during the Welcome sessions but ultimately cut from the album. They were instead included as B-sides to the "Poem" single. "Free (Succeed)"'s lyrics however, still remain on the US pressing of "Welcome."- Poem (2 Self) – 3:09
- Transparent – 4:23
- Free (Succeed) – 3:23
Charts
| Chart (2002) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks Mainstream Rock Tracks Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue... |
5 |
| Billboard Modern Rock Tracks Modern Rock Tracks Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs... |
10 |
Personnel
- Stephen Richards – vocals
- Mike DeWolf – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Phil Lipscomb – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Jarrod Montague – drums
- Toby WrightToby WrightToby Wright is a record producer and mixing engineer who has worked with artists such as Alice in Chains, Metallica, Sevendust and Korn. He is currently in Nashville, Tennessee working on Kara Clark's latest Ep.-Producer:...
– producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...