Rescued

Album: But Here We Are (2023)
Charted: 48
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Songfacts®:

  • The world of rock and roll was shaken on March 25, 2022, when news broke that Taylor Hawkins, the drummer of the Foo Fighters, had passed away. Hawkins, who had traveled to Bogotá, Colombia, for a scheduled performance with the band later that evening, was found unresponsive in his room at the Four Seasons Casa Medina hotel after complaining of chest pains. Despite the valiant efforts of emergency health personnel who performed CPR, the 50-year-old musician was pronounced dead at the scene.

    This song is Foo Fighters' response to the death of Taylor Hawkins.
  • The song starts with an allusion to the tragic passing of the band's esteemed drummer.

    It came in a flash
    It came out of nowhere
    It happened so fast
    And then it was over


    With Taylor Hawkins' death, the rest of the band felt like they'd also died, at least on the inside.
  • On the second verse, the listener is transported into the depths of frontman Dave Grohl's soul. He sings of a loss of love, hope, and faith as his world comes crashing down.

    I fell in a trap
    My heart's getting colder
    It's coming on fast
    It's over my shoulder


    Grohl is waiting for someone to make him feel alive again.

    I'm just waiting to be rescued
    Bring me back to life


    The Foo Fighters singer knows that wishing for change is not enough - true healing requires meaningful and effective intervention. For Grohl, that intervention may come in the form of loved ones or music, two powerful forces that have always held a special place in his heart.
  • Foo Fighters released "Rescued" as the lead single from But Here We Are on April 19, 2023. The album is described in press materials as "a brutally honest and emotionally raw response to the challenges faced by the Foo Fighters" over the previous year. A testament to the healing power of music, friendship, and family, "it is characterized by its courage, authenticity, and vulnerability."

    Furthermore, the album's tracklist takes listeners on an emotional journey, ranging from rage and sorrow to serenity and acceptance, while also paying homage to the naiveté of the band's early days. The album is informed by the band's nearly three decades of experience, maturity, and depth.
  • Dave Grohl wrote the song and co-produced it with the rest of the Foo Fighters alongside frequent collaborator Greg Kurstin. Grohl also filled in on drums for the track.
  • Foo Fighters kicked off their gig at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in Gilford, New Hampshire on May 24, 2023, with the live debut of "Rescued." The show marked the band's first public performance with drummer Josh Freese (Paramore, Weezer, Nine Inch Nails). Freese took over the role of touring drummer following the death of Taylor Hawkins in 2022.
  • Foo Fighters performed this song on the October 28, 2023, episode of Saturday Night Live. It marked their ninth time as musical guest on the sketch show.

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