Torches

Album: It's Not Over…The Hits So Far (2016)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is one of two new songs included on Daughtry's first greatest hits collection, It's Not Over…The Hits So Far.
  • The song, written by Chris Daughtry with Dave Bassett (Elle King's "Ex's & Oh's," Rachel Platten's "Fight Song") addresses negativity in the world. "We started with this piano progression and I just started spitting out melodies and lyrics and it became very clear what this song should be about," Daughtry told Billboard magazine. "There is all this hate and the violence and the riots and overall negativity, not just in our country but in our world. People go on the Internet just bashing people with no repercussions. All this vitriol - where did that come from? And how awesome would it be to take a little bit of that energy and just spread positivity and love and how that could catch fire and spread across the multitudes."
  • Chris Daughtry asserts on the chorus, "love is like a torch that is burning bright, carry it on." He explained: "With all of the blatant negativity in the world, I wanted to hopefully be a part of starting that fire and let it spread, and hopefully in some way contribute to making this world a better place."
  • Dave Bassett has always enjoyed collaborating with Chris Daughtry. He worked with him on his 2011 Break The Spell album and was disappointed he didn't get to collaborate with the singer on Baptized a couple of years later.

    Bassett recalled to Artist Direct: "I hadn't seen him in a couple years at least and I was able to set up a session with him a couple of months ago. I knew he was coming out with his Greatest Hits and they were looking for a couple of new songs and he stormed through the door like we hadn't skipped a beat, like it was just yesterday we were writing, and we just cranked that song out. I had some piano chords going, and that song pretty much wrote itself in like an hour."

    "It was awesome that someone you hadn't seen in a couple years, you skipped a whole album cycle with them, and they walk through the door and it's like you're old pals, you just pick up right where you left off," Bassett added. "That's just a great relationship."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes

Chris Robinson of The Black CrowesSongwriter Interviews

"Great songwriters don't necessarily have hit songs," says Chris. He's written a bunch, but his fans are more interested in the intricate jams.

Marc Campbell - "88 Lines About 44 Women"

Marc Campbell - "88 Lines About 44 Women"They're Playing My Song

The Nails lead singer Marc Campbell talks about those 44 women he sings about over a stock Casio keyboard track. He's married to one of them now - you might be surprised which.

Eric Clapton

Eric ClaptonFact or Fiction

Did Eric Clapton really write "Cocaine" while on cocaine? This question and more in the Clapton edition of Fact or Fiction.

Sam Phillips

Sam PhillipsSongwriter Interviews

Collaborating with T Bone Burnett, Leslie Phillips changed her name and left her Christian label behind - Robert Plant, who recorded one of her songs on Raising Sand, is a fan.

Rock Revenge Songs

Rock Revenge SongsMusic Quiz

John Lennon, Paul Simon and Lynyrd Skynyrd are some of the artists who have written revenge songs. Do you know who they wrote them about?

Dick Wagner (Alice Cooper/Lou Reed)

Dick Wagner (Alice Cooper/Lou Reed)Songwriter Interviews

The co-writer/guitarist on many Alice Cooper hits, Dick was also Lou Reed's axeman on the Rock n' Roll Animal album.