Who I Am Hates Who I've Been
Encyclopedia
"Who I Am Hates Who I've Been" is the second single
by the Christian rock
band Relient K
, from their 2004 album Mmhmm
. An acoustic version, originally recorded for Apathetic EP
, is included on the B-side, was included on the 2008 "The Bird and the Bee Sides" album. The music video entered TRL
's Top 10 in 2005, reaching as high as 8th on the countdown. The song reached No. 58 on the US Billboard Hot 100
, making it their most successful single to date. This song also appears on the WOW Hits 2007
compilation album.
wrote the song in Australia
in light of a feud with a friend. The lyrics reflect remorse for his behavior, as well as pleas for forgiveness.
for the song shows a woman encountering various events being rewound and replayed, interposed with scenes of Relient K performing on an urban rooftop. The video starts off with a view of a room and a young woman. The camera then pans out to see her step outside. The first series of event that happens is as follows; a grocer tosses her a random green fruit and she catches it, then she stops walking and realizes that everything else around her stopped too. She starts walking back and forth while watching an old woman drop and rewind her library books.
As the woman moves, her actions control everyone around her; an old man moving side to side with a TV, another young man on his cell phone and an Asian man crossing the street while preoccupied with reading a magazine. The young woman makes a mistake and takes too many steps and watches as she causes the Asian man to be hit by a Plymouth Reliant
car. Shocked, she tries retracing her steps and starts back at where the grocer tosses her the fruit and takes a few steps to the side and starts walking again. Since it's not the same path as the first time, the events have changed. Instead of her catching the fruit, the man on the cell phone is instead, hit by it and he drops his phone. As he bends down to pick it up he accidentally kicks it into the path of a bicycle that has to swerve to miss him but instead nearly hits the old man with the TV and causes him to drop it.
This all results in the Asian man avoiding the hit and the video ends with her walking away. There is a short piano-only chorus in the middle of the song that was cut from the video. As with the "Be My Escape
" video, exclusions visually include Dave Douglas
singing background vocals, and Matt Thiessen
playing the piano
. The video was released in October 2005.
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
by the Christian rock
Christian rock
Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
band Relient K
Relient K
Relient K is an American rock band formed in 1998 in Canton, Ohio by Matt Thiessen, Brian Pittman, and Matt Hoopes during the band's junior year in high school and their time at Malone University...
, from their 2004 album Mmhmm
Mmhmm
Mmhmm is the fourth full-length album by Christian rock band Relient K, released in November 2004. This album is especially notable for two reasons: First, it marked their debut on Capitol; and second, it was Brian Pittman's last album with the band...
. An acoustic version, originally recorded for Apathetic EP
Apathetic EP
- Credits :* Matt Thiessen – lead vocals, guitar, piano, organ, bells* Matt Hoopes – guitar, backing vocals* Dave Douglas – drums, backing vocals* John Warne – bass, backing vocals* Jon Schneck – guitar, banjo, mandolin, backing vocals* J.R...
, is included on the B-side, was included on the 2008 "The Bird and the Bee Sides" album. The music video entered TRL
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
's Top 10 in 2005, reaching as high as 8th on the countdown. The song reached No. 58 on the US Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, making it their most successful single to date. This song also appears on the WOW Hits 2007
WOW Hits 2007
WOW Hits 2007 is a two-disc compilation album of songs that have been touted to represent the best of Christian music of 2006. It was released on October 3, 2006. The album features songs by Jeremy Camp, Casting Crowns, MercyMe, Chris Tomlin, and many more highly renowned groups and singers. The...
compilation album.
Background and writing
Matt ThiessenMatt Thiessen
Matthew Arnold Thiessen is a Canadian-American musician, known for being co-founder, lead singer, guitarist, pianist, and primary songwriter for the Christian rock band Relient K. With Relient K, he has released six full-length albums, including three that were certified Gold, and three that...
wrote the song in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in light of a feud with a friend. The lyrics reflect remorse for his behavior, as well as pleas for forgiveness.
Music video
The music videoMusic 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...
for the song shows a woman encountering various events being rewound and replayed, interposed with scenes of Relient K performing on an urban rooftop. The video starts off with a view of a room and a young woman. The camera then pans out to see her step outside. The first series of event that happens is as follows; a grocer tosses her a random green fruit and she catches it, then she stops walking and realizes that everything else around her stopped too. She starts walking back and forth while watching an old woman drop and rewind her library books.
As the woman moves, her actions control everyone around her; an old man moving side to side with a TV, another young man on his cell phone and an Asian man crossing the street while preoccupied with reading a magazine. The young woman makes a mistake and takes too many steps and watches as she causes the Asian man to be hit by a Plymouth Reliant
Plymouth Reliant
The Plymouth Reliant was one of the first two so-called "K-cars" manufactured by the Chrysler Corporation, introduced for the 1981 model year. The Reliant replaced the Plymouth Volaré/Road Runner, which was the short-lived successor automobile to the highly regarded Plymouth Valiant...
car. Shocked, she tries retracing her steps and starts back at where the grocer tosses her the fruit and takes a few steps to the side and starts walking again. Since it's not the same path as the first time, the events have changed. Instead of her catching the fruit, the man on the cell phone is instead, hit by it and he drops his phone. As he bends down to pick it up he accidentally kicks it into the path of a bicycle that has to swerve to miss him but instead nearly hits the old man with the TV and causes him to drop it.
This all results in the Asian man avoiding the hit and the video ends with her walking away. There is a short piano-only chorus in the middle of the song that was cut from the video. As with the "Be My Escape
Be My Escape
"Be My Escape" is the first single from Christian rock band Relient K's fourth full-length album, Mmhmm. It was certified a platinum single in November of 2005 and is usually referred to as Relient K's most popular mainstream song, other than "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been". The song is Relient K's...
" video, exclusions visually include Dave Douglas
Dave Douglas (drummer)
Dave Douglas is a musician, most widely known for being in the Christian music industry as the former drummer of the Christian rock band Relient K. Douglas joined the band after their former drummer, Stephen Cushman, departed in late 2000. Douglas had been playing the drums and doing background...
singing background vocals, and Matt Thiessen
Matt Thiessen
Matthew Arnold Thiessen is a Canadian-American musician, known for being co-founder, lead singer, guitarist, pianist, and primary songwriter for the Christian rock band Relient K. With Relient K, he has released six full-length albums, including three that were certified Gold, and three that...
playing the piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
. The video was released in October 2005.
Single track listing
- "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been" (radio edit)
- "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been" (acoustic)
Video credits
- Matt ThiessenMatt ThiessenMatthew Arnold Thiessen is a Canadian-American musician, known for being co-founder, lead singer, guitarist, pianist, and primary songwriter for the Christian rock band Relient K. With Relient K, he has released six full-length albums, including three that were certified Gold, and three that...
: Lead Vocals, 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...
, PianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... - Matt HoopesMatt HoopesMatthew Ryan Hoopes is the lead guitarist of Relient K, a Christian rock band that was formed in 1998. Hoopes has played guitar and performed backing vocals for Relient K for twelve years. Hoopes has slowly developed into the band's lead guitarist over the years, despite Matt Thiessen playing lead...
: 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...
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - Dave DouglasDave Douglas (drummer)Dave Douglas is a musician, most widely known for being in the Christian music industry as the former drummer of the Christian rock band Relient K. Douglas joined the band after their former drummer, Stephen Cushman, departed in late 2000. Douglas had been playing the drums and doing background...
: drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - John WarneJohn WarneJohn Warne is an American musician who has been active in the Christian rock scene since 1996. He is best known for being the bassist for the Christian rock band Relient K as well as being a founding member of the Christian punk band Ace Troubleshooter...
: BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - Jon SchneckJonathan SchneckJonathan Schneck is a guitarist, banjo player, and bell player for the band Relient K. He joined the band in January 2005, shortly after the release of their fourth full-length album Mmhmm. Schneck is the band's youngest member...
: 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...
- C.C. Sheffield: Girl on the street who controls time.