Guts Over Fear

Album: Shady XV (2014)
Charted: 10 22
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Eminem wrote this uplifting, anthemic song for the closing credits song of The Equalizer, the big screen re-imagining of the late 1980s TV show. It finds Em reflecting on his own career as he hopes how his story of overcoming a difficult childhood will continue to inspire others.

    So this is for every kid who all they ever did was dreamt of one day just getting accepted
    I represent him or her, anyone similar, you are the reason that I made this song.
  • The song features Sia. The Australian singer-songwriter previously worked with Eminem on The Marshall Mathers LP 2 bonus track, "Beautiful Pain."
  • The beat was supplied by Emile Haynie, the producer of Eminem's 2010 Recovery album.
  • The video was filmed in Detroit and directed by Eninem's frequent collaborator Syndrome. The clip is an against-all-odds narrative about a working class man overcoming personal hurdles to become a professional boxer. It stars Alexander Wraith (Sex and the City 2, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps) as the down-on-his-luck guy, and we also see former America's Next Top Model contestant, Winnie Harlow, lip-synching Sia's hook. Godzilla and Sopranos actor Al Sapienza also features in the modern day Rocky story as an overbearing father.
  • This song is featured in a 2014 commercial for the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat. The spot shows a boxer in training underscoring the message of the song: triumph through struggle. How that applies to cars, we're not sure.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Gavin Rossdale On Lyric Inspirations and Bush's Album The Kingdom

Gavin Rossdale On Lyric Inspirations and Bush's Album The KingdomSongwriter Interviews

The Bush frontman on where he finds inspiration for lyrics, if his "machine head" is a guitar tuner, and the stories behind songs from the album The Kingdom.

Chris Fehn of Slipknot

Chris Fehn of SlipknotSongwriter Interviews

A drummer for one of the most successful metal bands of the last decade, Chris talks about what it's like writing and performing with Slipknot. Metal-neck is a factor.

Tom Keifer of Cinderella

Tom Keifer of CinderellaSongwriter Interviews

Tom talks about the evolution of Cinderella's songs through their first three albums, and how he writes as a solo artist.

Ed Roland of Collective Soul

Ed Roland of Collective SoulSongwriter Interviews

The stories behind "Shine," "December," "The World I Know" and other Collective Soul hits.

Judas Priest

Judas PriestSongwriter Interviews

Rob Halford, Richie Faulkner and Glenn Tipton talk twin guitar harmonies and explain how they create songs in Judas Priest.

Max Cavalera of Soulfly (ex-Sepultura)

Max Cavalera of Soulfly (ex-Sepultura)Songwriter Interviews

The Brazilian rocker sees pictures in his riffs. When he came up with one of his gnarliest songs, there was a riot going on.