Purpose for Pain

Album: Space Between the Shadows (2019)
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Songfacts®:

  • Scott Stapp suffered a meltdown in 2014 as a result of bipolar disorder and drug dependence. He has since been sober and on this bombastic track he looks at his search for his higher meaning during his struggles with addiction and depression.

    There's gotta be more
    'Cause this life is insane
    Gotta turn this around
    And find the purpose for pain


    Stapp explained: "There are unexplainable, dark times that everyone goes through, and that pain is real. If we can dig deep and hold on to hope during the most difficult situations, believing there is a purpose waiting for us on the other side, we can find meaning and clarity that gives us the strength to keep fighting."
  • For Scott Stapp the purpose in his pain was the realization that when he manages to overcome his struggles he can use the experience to help somebody else. The singer explained to iHeartRadio heritage rock station WJRR that what really helped him was changing his mindset to, "You know what? I'm gonna get through this and I'm gonna learn something so I can help somebody else when I get to the other side". That gave the singer enough hope to get him through some of his darkest days, and it ended up becoming this song.
  • Longtime Creed/Stapp collaborator, director Daniel E Catullo III, filmed Stapp's performance at the Centro de Bellas Artes Luis A Ferre Theater in Puerto Rico for the video. The narrative of "young Scott" escaping from the pain of an abusive home was shot on location in Joshua Tree, California. The singer was portrayed by actor Omar Mughannam.

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