Cry for Help

Album: The Sound of Madness (2008)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song is about drug abuse. The person in the song is living off his friends while trying to raise money to pay off the "monkeys in the rabbit hole" (drug dealers).

    "The white witch" is heroin. "Mama Kin" is a character in the song "Mama Kin" by Aerosmith (One interpretation of the song is the hallucinations you get when high). The wolf implies that the hallucinations from the drug abuse are getting stronger and out of hand.

    The drug addict in the song better pray that he can find a way out because he's in too deep and nobody is going to help him. The drug addict may have thought it funny to say he was fine and have everyone fooled, but they only had one friend and now not even the friend is agreeing to help, because that friend was done being fooled.
  • The song was released on Shinedown's 2008 album The Sound Of Madness. Their frontman, Brent Smith, later admitted that he was in the throes of addiction during this time, so the song could have really been his cry for help. He was able to cut out drugs soon after but it took him longer to ditch alcohol.

Comments: 2

  • Zero from The Abyss, NjBy they way, this song perfectly describes my cousin.
  • Zero from Nowhere, NjI always thought the lyrics were "smokin' tea with Mama Kin" like the Aerosmith song goes, "Sleepin' late and smokin' tea". Tea, of course, being another word for marijuana.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Zakk Wylde

Zakk WyldeSongwriter Interviews

When he was playing Ozzfest with Black Label Society, a kid told Zakk he was the best Ozzy guitarist - Zakk had to correct him.

Terry Jacks ("Seasons in the Sun")

Terry Jacks ("Seasons in the Sun")Songwriter Interviews

Inspired by his dear friend, "Seasons in the Sun" paid for Terry's boat, which led him away from music and into a battle with Canadian paper mills.

Jethro Tull

Jethro TullFact or Fiction

Stage urinals, flute devices, and the real Aqualung in this Fact or Fiction.

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in Songs

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in SongsSong Writing

Elvis, Little Richard and Cheryl Cole have all sung about Teddy Bears, but there is also a terrifying Teddy song from 1932 and a touching trucker Teddy tune from 1976.

Dean Pitchford

Dean PitchfordSongwriter Interviews

Dean wrote the screenplay and lyrics to all the songs in Footloose. His other hits include "Fame" and "All The Man That I Need."

Kevin Godley

Kevin GodleySongwriter Interviews

Kevin Godley talks about directing classic videos for The Police, U2 and Duran Duran, and discusses song and videos he made with 10cc and Godley & Creme.