Defy

Album: Defy (2017)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is the title track of Defy, Of Mice and Men's fifth album. The record finds the band defiant in the wake of the departure of frontman and principle songwriter Austin Carlile in 2016.

    "To defy means to challenge the power of; resist boldly or openly," commented the band's new vocalist Aaron Pauley. "Our song 'Defy' is all about digging your heels in and being defiant towards feelings of hopelessness and defining yourself in the process."
  • Here's what Aaron Pauley told Kerrang about the track:

    "A song has to have something about it to open an album, and this was just a ripper! It's fast-tempo and energetic, and it has a super heavy element to it. For us It also reflects the overall theme of the record. Naming the album define was important, because we feel in a lot of ways like we are defying people's expectations. No matter what you do or where you are, I think human beings experience that a lot. They feel like they have to defy the odds, which aren't always in their favor."
  • Aaron Pauley told HMV.com this was "one of the easiest" tracks on Defy "to write musically, but lyrically was more difficult."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Van Dyke Parks

Van Dyke ParksSongwriter Interviews

U2, Carly Simon, Joanna Newsom, Brian Wilson and Fiona Apple have all gone to Van Dyke Parks to make their songs exceptional.

The Untold Story Of Fiona Apple's Extraordinary Machine

The Untold Story Of Fiona Apple's Extraordinary MachineSong Writing

Fiona's highly-anticipated third album almost didn't make it. Here's how it finally came together after two years and a leak.

Al Jourgensen of Ministry

Al Jourgensen of MinistrySongwriter Interviews

In the name of song explanation, Al talks about scoring heroin for William Burroughs, and that's not even the most shocking story in this one.

Harold Brown of War

Harold Brown of WarSongwriter Interviews

A founding member of the band War, Harold gives a first-person account of one of the most important periods in music history.

Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues

Justin Hayward of The Moody BluesSongwriter Interviews

Justin wrote the classic "Nights In White Satin," but his fondest musical memories are from a different decade.

N.W.A vs. the World

N.W.A vs. the WorldSong Writing

How the American gangsta rappers made history by getting banned in the UK.