View From Heaven

Album: Ocean Avenue (2003)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • On Yellowcard's official site, they explained that "View From Heaven" is dedicated to Scott Shad, the co-founding drummer for the band Inspection 12. Scott, who was good friends with several members of Yellowcard, was killed in a car accident in 2001 at age 18.

    "He was just such a light," Yellowcard lead singer Ryan Key said. "He was such an amazing drummer and everybody loved him. That was my first attempt to write a song dealing with that loss. One of the really nice things about being a songwriter, something that I feel really grateful to have, is the ability to deal with some of the trauma in my life through song. It's always helped me."
  • Yellowcard initially wanted Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks to provide backing vocals, but she ended up on the 2005 song "How I Go" instead.
  • The song is part of Yellowcard's major-label debut album, Ocean Avenue, which was released in 2003 and became their breakthrough. It's one the band played from time to time throughout their career, including after they reunited in 2022 following their 2017 breakup.

Comments: 1

  • Giovani Guizzo from London, UkThe official credits to the song say that Alieke Wijnveldt does the backing vocals for that song. She's pretty good.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Corey Hart

Corey HartSongwriter Interviews

The Canadian superstar talks about his sudden rise to fame, and tells the stories behind his hits "Sunglasses At Night," "Boy In The Box" and "Never Surrender."

Creedence Clearwater Revival

Creedence Clearwater RevivalFact or Fiction

Is "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" about Vietnam? Was John Fogerty really born on a Bayou? It's the CCR edition of Fact or Fiction.

Susanna Hoffs - "Eternal Flame"

Susanna Hoffs - "Eternal Flame"They're Playing My Song

The Prince-penned "Manic Monday" was the first song The Bangles heard coming from a car radio, but "Eternal Flame" is closest to Susanna's heart, perhaps because she sang it in "various states of undress."

Gene Simmons of Kiss

Gene Simmons of KissSongwriter Interviews

The Kiss rocker covers a lot of ground in this interview, including why there are no Kiss collaborations, and why the Rock Hall has "become a sham."

Joe Jackson

Joe JacksonSongwriter Interviews

Joe talks about the challenges of of making a Duke Ellington tribute album, and tells the stories behind some of his hits.

George Clinton

George ClintonSongwriter Interviews

When you free your mind, your ass may follow, but you have to make sure someone else doesn't program it while it's wide open.