Pressure by Staind

Album: Break The Cycle (2001)

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Songfacts®:

When Staind released their first album in 1996, they were very happy when it sold a few hundred copies the first day. Back then, they were struggling just to make ends meet.

Their fortunes improved dramatically when they signed to Elektra Records, which released their second album, Dysfunction, in 1999, which eventually sold over 2 million copies. Now they had another problem: the pressure to follow up that album with another hit, which is what this song is about. They did: Break The Cycle sold an amazing 5 million and went to #1 in America. Through it all, lead singer Aaron Lewis stayed grounded in his demeanor and anguished in his lyrics.
This song is a good example of Aaron Lewis amplifying his own demons. Listening to his lyrics, you worry about the guy:

I can't take this I come unglued
I might breakdown in front of you
Necessary to medicate
I'm not sleeping, can't stay awake

We can tell you that he's much more functional than what he sings about; one of his talents is for embracing the torment, which really connected with Staind's fans.

Comments: 6

Kayla from D-ville, GaTHIS IS WHAT THE SONG IS REALLY ABOUT PEOPLE!!

"Pressure"
Aaron Lewis:"Pressure" is my response to the pressure I was under to get this record done. It's like a culmination of the pressure that I was under at the time because I was like half way through the record and I was now out of stuff that was readily and easily flowing through me. It was a combination of the pressure of that and a panic attack, which I get.
Kevin from Independence, MoErin And Zac. Both your thoughts are good, and are good interpitations of the song. But chris and Sarah hit it on the nose. it is about the pressures of finishing the album and it being better than Dysfunction.
Chris from Gallatin, Tnthe song is about the PRESSURE he feels to finish the album but it is also about the methods he used to cope with the PRESSURE "i just need THIS to be alright" "necessary to MEDICATE"
Sarah from Niagara Falls, CanadaAaron Lewis wrote this song because of the pressure he felt about the album such as getting it done on time and making sure it was a good follow up to dysfunction, as well as the pressures in his own life such as his chosen profession and dealing with things of the past
Zac from Drexel, MoThis song is about the pressures of life. And he is talking about drugs to medicate all the s--t that you have to go through in this world.
Erin from Joplin, Mo This song is about nothing ever being the way it should. I think he is saying nothing is ever good or bad, "I'm not sleeping can't stay awake"
He is mainly talikng about all the pressure we have on us and how we have to "medicate" ourselves(another way of saying nothing is ever constant good or bad).

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