Snuff by Slipknot - Songfacts

Album: All Hope Is Gone (2008)

Charted: 110

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Lead singer Corey Taylor (from Kerrang! July 19, 2008): "This is the slow one. It's another personal one. Again, not naming names, it's about someone who helped me through a lot and I thought she felt the same way that I did and then she really let me down. At the same time, it was good that she did, because it was that final push to me figuring out myself. The lyrics are pretty self-explanatory."
This song is about how the protagonist's soul is too dark to let love in, telling somebody to get away from them. It's dark and brooding, representing the pits of depression or at least the bottom of the cycle in a manic-depressive. Slipknot being a particularly dark Nu-Metal band, it's pretty typical.
In the short-film video, the white-haired desk clerk with the dapper bow-tie behind that sheet of glass is none other than actor Malcolm McDowell - best known as the lead droog in Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange. O my brothers, this has been a most exquisitely horrorshow moment of fannish squee.
Despite Slipknot having a somewhat stumbling chart record - doing far better on the UK singles' charts than in their home country - their albums continued to sell gold and platinum worldwide. "Snuff" comes from their 2008 album All Hope Is Gone, which ranked a couple of fewer platinums than their previous albums but sold gold and platinum in more countries worldwide than ever before, also hitting #1 on album charts in 5 countries. This indicates that maybe Slipknot is headed for "cult" status, dodging mainstream success but being in for a very loyal niche popularity. Even in their home town of Des Moines, Iowa, they seldom make news.

It also says something that one of those #1 album sales happened in Sweden, home to some of the most distinguished metal bands in history and arguably one of the birthplaces of death metal. They take their metal very, very seriously in Scandinavia.
The word "snuff" originally meant a tin of crushed tobacco leaves, meant to be nasally inhaled, which practice swept the world (especially Europe and Asia) by the 17th century. As the general rabble smoked tobacco, snuff became the upper-crust way to enjoy nicotine.
Veteran singer Frank Watkinson uploaded a stripped back version to YouTube in August 2020. His rendition, which transforms Slipknot's emotional song into an acoustic-folk tearjerker, went viral late in the year.

Comments: 27

AnonymousThey’re not talking about “snuff” the tobacco. More like a “snuff” film where the person dies at the end. The music video itself should point that out.
Bullybricks from UsaThe only person that knows the true meaning of a song is the individual who actually writes the song. You people that leave comments stating that you know the true meaning of this particular song are assumers,if you didn't write the song then you have no clue what the true meaning is . Da
Slipperysnot from MdOmg , no hidden meanings , it is about his wife who died of an overdose plain and simple , is all the feelings with that happening then of course paul does the same it is his hardest song to get through on stages
Monalisaprison from Iowa Corey has hid his real identity from everyone that could and or should be able to easily recognize him through his heart wrenching vocals. Taking off his Slipknot mask did not expose his true identity for he merely donned a different one. Corey wants those who truly know him to understand that all that was firmer is gone once he became Corey He didn’t even tell you ya namec
Adam from EnglandThis is a reply to Murat from Texas.

I dunno how long ago you posted but in response to your question; it isn't something that is always readily apparent that you will learn about yourself when you first break up with someone you care about. It may come many months or years later but everything we do in life is a learning curve. I've been through several big breakups and I look back on them now that i'm with someone else who I love deeply and who loves me back and I try not to regret anything that happened in the past or any weak decision I made because it got me to where I am right now. It's quite surprising how much different of a person I was back then and how I did things or said thing's that I didn't realise at the time were hurtful and wrong.

As for the song meaning, it's already been said but Corey said it was about someone who he cared about and felt he relied on a great deal and then they let him down but he ended up being better off for it in the end.
Murat from TexasI'm going through a tough breakup and keep on listening repeatedly to "Snuff." Almost all the lyrics pertain to my situation except mainly the last two lines, "If you still care don't ever let me know." It would be hard for me to not want to know because I miss that person. Anyway, in one of Corey’s interviews he mentioned, "it was good that she did, because it was that final push to me figuring out myself."

This is not my first breakup and the same feelings arise of desperation, sadness, loneliness, and emptiness. I have never felt it has helped me grow or bettered me in anyway. I don't seem to ever learn more about myself except how sad life is without someone to love. Does anyone know what he learned about himself that I am missing? Thanks for taking the time to read.
AnonymousI always this song was about a person in love with a drug addict. Like hes so in love with her but "she could not hate enough to love" to me is like you couldnt hate the drug enough to love me. And he has to let her go because hes gonna lose himself if he doesnt. Maybe thats just my personal experience coming through but this song helped me so much
Earl from UsaWhat does he mean when he says “angels lie to keep control “?
Kade Whitt from HoustonThis is my name I do like Slipknot i started listening to it when I was 6
C. Manson from California To Mr. rmth,
You're hilarious! You probably ended up on this site looking for the meaning of the video yourself. Don't feel stupid. Meaning is most often subjective and may mean something different to someone else viewing the same video. Try to use better judgement went you try and post a comment attempting to belittle anyone wanting some clarification to make yourself feel better. It's wrong. Don't do it. Take the higher road.
Axl from Mansfield OhThe video is simple, dude kept his promise, he didn't let go to the point that he was trying to be her! As far as the girl in the hall with the dog, that was a possibly interested replacement, until she realized that he was she?
Mr.rmth from Karachi, PakistanThe video is pretty simple: he promised her that he will never let go,
so he finds his own way to never let go. Even now if you don't understand the meaning of the video then only God can help you out.
Cinder81 from Baltimore, MdThis song does not have to be translated!!! Corey said himself that this song was about: "This is the slow one. It's another personal one. Again, not naming names, it's about someone who helped me through a lot and I thought she felt the same way that I did and then she really let me down. At the same time, it was good that she did, because it was that final push to me figuring out myself. The lyrics are pretty self-explanatory." If you couldn't figure out what the song meant by the lyrics, you should be listening to nursery rhymes!
Shane from Melbourne, Australiafinally understand the song meaning, deffo dont understand the f--king video though??
Graham from Mobile, AlI believe this song is about a guy who wants to break up with a girl, but at the same time does'nt. What i'm comfused about is why is at the end of the video, the blonde girl is a guy. And also who is the second woman with the dog? Does anyone know??
Justin from Greenwood, Ini take this song as a guy that is in a relationship with a girl and loves her very much but the relationship is tearing him apart and he has to get out of it.
bury all your secrets in my skin--- she is keeping secrets from him
if you love me let me go--- he has to get out of the relationship
my heart is just to tired to care--- he has pain and doesnt care anymore
i still press your letters to my lips--- still in love with her

i only wish you werent my friend so i could hurt you in the end--- whats to tell her how he feels but doesnt want to hurt her
angels lie to keep control--- she has been lieing to him
if you still care never let me know --- cuz he cant and wont go threw the pain again.
great song
Hengul from Simla, IndiaCorey is the man!Immensely talented songwriter, contrasting lyrics in songs from both Slipknot and Stonesour validate my belief. How lyrically and precisely has he described what many of us have experienced atleast once this lifetime...hats off to you #8!
Ang from Columbus, OhI absolutely love this song. I had to play it a half a dozen times before I could hear it without breaking down into tears. Just the poetry of the lyrics, and the raw emotion in the singers voice. Truely beautiful.
Chase from Bridgewater, NjZulu same here man, drugs got picked over me. f--k being a decent guy.
Ivy from Springfield, NeThat was an ok song. NOt very punk for slipknot. 7/10
Kadie from Easton, PaIt's hard to explain... But I guess he;s saying I needed you but you didn't need me...
Zulu from Victor, NyThis song is very meaningful for me. It sums up about 2 years of my life. whenever i hear this song I think about my past, how I've changed, and how I miss that girl who has drifted away from me. Mainly cause she does drugs now... and I don't. Its a sad song. The video on Fuse is even depressing.
Daniel from Auckland, New ZealandThis song sums up what i went thru recently. I love that its sad but has that element of getting thru it. I got burned badly by a girl and this really did help when it came on. Thanks heaps Corey
Aaron from Edinboro, Pathis song means a lot to me because the samething happened to me. and after we broke up i learnd a lot about my self so i guess it wasn't so bad that this happened but it still hurt a lot because we talk a lot of marrying each other.
Mike from Denver, Cogod this song makes u wanna cry....seriously
Dean from Lakeland, FlI think this song goes along with sulfur and dead memories its a sad song
Jennifer from Brisbane, Australiai was told by a person i was very very close with that this was his song for me.. everytime i hear it it makes me sad. it's one of those songs that fills you with so much emotion you don't know whether to smile or cry. i still don't know whether to smile or cry when i think of him.

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