Music Review: Staind "Price To Play"
Staind
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Price To Play
Album: 14 Shades of Grey
Year: 2003
Aaron Lewis scolds selfish people in the simple "Price To Play."
Blustering guitars and pounding drums start the single, setting a turbulent tone. In the first verse, he says those who are self-centered stomp on others. In turn, people stop caring and it trickles down to the children.
In the pre-chorus, he demands that everyone take notice.
In the chorus, he says people don't take responsibility and put it on someone who had nothing to do with it. It's just normal thing to do, like breathing. People become accustomed to being cruel to others. It's how people make it to the top. The world is now their oyster. They had to crunch on a lot of other people's hopes and dreams to get there. However, it's the quid pro quo.
In the second verse, he says that people prefer to be self-involved and not take in an interest in foreign policy or anything else not directly affecting them. If they see someone in trouble, they ignore it. But they aren't any different from the person they rejected.
The pre-chorus and chorus are sung again.
In the bridge, Lewis shouts that people sell their souls to be the most successful, popular, etc.
The chorus is sung again.
The bridge is yelled again to close the single.
The moral lessons of "Price To Play": People are evil. Ambition is wrong. Be kind to people. First, hearing lectures about the evils of society are dull and cliched. It's not something people don't already know. Wrapping it into a noisy, metal package isn't going to make the message edgy.
The single won't admit it's a social message song. It wants to be caustic and punishing. However, it's as sugary as any single aiming to change the world. Except it's really loud.
"Price To Play" is too preachy to be taken seriously.
Album: 14 Shades of Grey
Year: 2003
Aaron Lewis scolds selfish people in the simple "Price To Play."
Blustering guitars and pounding drums start the single, setting a turbulent tone. In the first verse, he says those who are self-centered stomp on others. In turn, people stop caring and it trickles down to the children.
"Failed to see/How destructive we can be/Taking without giving back/'Til the damage can be seen."
In the pre-chorus, he demands that everyone take notice.
"Can you see?/Can you see?"
In the chorus, he says people don't take responsibility and put it on someone who had nothing to do with it. It's just normal thing to do, like breathing. People become accustomed to being cruel to others. It's how people make it to the top. The world is now their oyster. They had to crunch on a lot of other people's hopes and dreams to get there. However, it's the quid pro quo.
"The more you take/
The more you blame/But everything still feels the same/The more you hurt/The more you strain/The price you pay to play the game/Then all you see/And all you gain/And all you step on with no shame/There are no rules/No one to blame/The price you pay to play the game."
In the second verse, he says that people prefer to be self-involved and not take in an interest in foreign policy or anything else not directly affecting them. If they see someone in trouble, they ignore it. But they aren't any different from the person they rejected.
"Apathy, the chosen way to be/
Blindly look the other way/While you waste away with me."
The pre-chorus and chorus are sung again.
In the bridge, Lewis shouts that people sell their souls to be the most successful, popular, etc.
"What you pay to play the game/What you pay to play the game/What you pay to play the game/What you pay to play the game."
The chorus is sung again.
The bridge is yelled again to close the single.
The moral lessons of "Price To Play": People are evil. Ambition is wrong. Be kind to people. First, hearing lectures about the evils of society are dull and cliched. It's not something people don't already know. Wrapping it into a noisy, metal package isn't going to make the message edgy.
The single won't admit it's a social message song. It wants to be caustic and punishing. However, it's as sugary as any single aiming to change the world. Except it's really loud.
"Price To Play" is too preachy to be taken seriously.
