Routes

Album: Lamb Of God (2020)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song tackles Randy Blythe's experience at the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota. The Lamb Of God frontman joined the native peoples there to protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline being built near to their water supply on unceded treaty land.

    Said Blythe: "I went to Standing Rock because I had heard reports of violence committed on the peaceful protesters there by both state law enforcement and private security contractors, and this violence was not reported in mainstream media for the most part. I went to bring supplies and support these people, who were trying to protect their water, and thereby protect everyone, as everything in the natural world is protected. I was there a week, made some great friends, and learned a lot. It was a very profound experience in my life, and I knew one day I would write a song about it."
  • The song features guest vocals from Testament vocalist Chuck Billy. Randy Blythe explained to UK's TotalRock Radio that because it was a Native American-led protest it was important for him to have a Native voice. "And Chuck Billy happens to be a gigantic Pomo Indian from California, so he was really down to do that."
  • The quarantine video features the band members and Chuck Billy teaming up to perform the song together from their own homes.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Frankie Valli

Frankie ValliSong Writing

An interview with Frankie Valli, who talks about why his songs - both solo and with The Four Seasons - have endured, and reflects on his time as Rusty Millio on The Sopranos.

Alice Cooper

Alice CooperFact or Fiction

How well do you know this shock-rock harbinger who's been publicly executed hundreds of times?

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.

Modern A Cappella with Peder Karlsson of The Real Group

Modern A Cappella with Peder Karlsson of The Real GroupSong Writing

The leader of the Modern A Cappella movement talks about the genre.

Lace the Music: How LSD Changed Popular Music

Lace the Music: How LSD Changed Popular MusicSong Writing

Starting in Virginia City, Nevada and rippling out to the Haight-Ashbury, LSD reshaped popular music.

In The Cards

In The CardsSong Writing

Songwriters have used cards and card games to make sense of heartache, togetherness, and even Gonorrhea.