Dear Agony

Album: Dear Agony (2009)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is the title track of alternative metal band Breaking Benjamin's fourth studio album.
  • In an interview with Weekender magazine, the comment was made that on Dear Agony, a lot of the lyrics have a common theme of slipping away or being left behind but with a twist of persevering. The interviewer asked frontman Ben Burnley if this ties in with what he's been going through. The singer replied: "Absolutely, it's personal to a certain degree because I write it and it has to come from somewhere. I want it to be known I've been suffering with some debilitating things for years, and it's become such an impedance on my life now that I can't help but have it come through in the music that I write. It does affect me in some ways on a performance level and on an availability level and things like that, so I'm kind of glad that it's finally coming to be known and that I can use the album as kind of a platform to let it be known, basically just trying myself to take a bad thing and make something useful out of it."
  • The album cover is an image of a scan of Burnley's brain. He explained to Weekender magazine: "It's just going along with these issues that I have to deal with. They're mainly, besides like chronic fatigue syndrome, there's a couple of neurological disorders that I have that stem from alcoholism. So that's kind of the whole on Dear Agony theme."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many Songs

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many SongsSong Writing

For songwriters, Johnny represents the American man. He has been angry, cool, magic, a rebel and, of course, marching home.

Zakk Wylde

Zakk WyldeSongwriter Interviews

When he was playing Ozzfest with Black Label Society, a kid told Zakk he was the best Ozzy guitarist - Zakk had to correct him.

Art Alexakis of Everclear

Art Alexakis of EverclearSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer of Everclear, Art is also their primary songwriter.

John Lee Hooker

John Lee HookerSongwriter Interviews

Into the vaults for Bruce Pollock's 1984 conversation with the esteemed bluesman. Hooker talks about transforming a Tony Bennett classic and why you don't have to be sad and lonely to write the blues.

Tim McIlrath of Rise Against

Tim McIlrath of Rise AgainstSongwriter Interviews

Rise Against frontman Tim McIlrath explains the meanings behind some of their biggest songs and names the sci-fi books that have influenced him.

80s Video Director Jay Dubin

80s Video Director Jay DubinSong Writing

Billy Joel and Hall & Oates hated making videos, so they chose a director with similar contempt for the medium. That was Jay Dubin, and he has a lot to say on the subject.