Prayer (song)
Encyclopedia
"Prayer" is a song released on August 14, 2002 by American rock
band Disturbed as the first single
from their second album, Believe
. It was inspired by the death of vocalist David Draiman's
grandfather as well as various circumstances after the September 11 attacks, and is about a conversation between Draiman and God. Upon release, many media outlets refused to air the "Prayer" music video, citing supposed similarities between the imagery of the music video and that of the September 11 attacks. "Prayer" peaked at number-three on two United States airplay charts, Billboard's
Mainstream Rock Tracks and Alternative Songs, as well as peaking at number-fifty-eight on Billboard's Hot 100
and number-fourteen on the Canadian Singles Chart
. "Prayer" is Disturbed's highest charting single on both the Billboard Hot 100 as well as the Alternative Songs chart, and 1 of only 2 of their songs to reach the top 5 on the latter chart (the other being Inside the Fire, which peaked at #4).
's grandfather, the second was the September 11 attacks, chiefly the response the clergy
made to the events. Draiman explained, "Instead of consoling their flock, people [of the clergy] like Jerry Falwell
and Oral Roberts
chastised them and used the situation as a means of empowerment, saying it was our own fault because we're a decadent and promiscuous people. I just thought that whole notion is ridiculous." Therefore, "Prayer" is about a conversation between Draiman and God. In the conversation, Draiman is telling God to "bring it on" if he is trying to use pain to elicit a response from Draiman.
as a music video in late June 2002 and released the next month. Vocalist David Draiman
, who wrote the treatment for the music video, explained that the music video is based on the story of Job
from the Bible
. Throughout the music video, Draiman is walking down a street and passes various scenes of desperation, such as a prostitute, a homeless man, and a preacher predicting the end of the world. As Draiman continues to walk, the other members of Disturbed have various disasters befall them.(Steve Kmak
is buried under falling debris, Dan Donegan
crashes his car, and Mike Wengren
is hit by a nearby construction explosion.) At the climax of the music video, Draiman survives an earthquake. Draiman explains, "It's like Job being put through trials and tribulations and still coming through unscathed and achieving his redemption."
Upon release, various media outlets refused to air the music video for "Prayer", citing its alleged similarities to imagery from the September 11 attacks in the United States. Disturbed originally made plans to edit the video for airplay, but eventually chose not to. Draiman explained this choice when he said, "If we agreed to edit the video...then it's assuming that we're agreeing with the decision that there's something about the video that is offensive enough or provocative enough that it's dangerous for them to play it. We don't agree with that." Draiman further criticizes the decision to take the video off of the air instead of other videos, "We don't have a character in our video who portrays Osama bin Laden
and jumps and dances around, which is a direct recollective factor to 9/11."
The intent of the music video was not to depict similarity to the September 11 attacks, according to Draiman. He explained this by saying, "It was meant to be apocalyptic, but it was never intended to be derivative of the situation that happened on 9/11. Because of the subject matter...we needed something grandiose like an earthquake or a meteor shower or some kind of act of God to show the hand of the supernatural or some greater power." He further explained that the video was actually meant to be uplifting. Draiman said, "[The video is] about getting through life's obstacles and all the tests that fate may throw at you in the process. It's trying to convince you that you have the strength to get through whatever trials and tribulations may come your way. It's supposed to inspire hope." Despite "Prayer" receiving little airplay, Disturbed continued to promote the music video by including it on their album, Believe
, and by posting it on various websites.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Disturbed as the first single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from their second album, Believe
Believe (Disturbed album)
Believe is the second studio album by the American heavy metal band Disturbed. It was released on September 17, 2002. Believe debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart, making it Disturbed's first #1 debut, shipping over 284,000 copies in its first week...
. It was inspired by the death of vocalist David Draiman's
David Draiman
David Michael Draiman is an American songwriter and the lead singer for the metal band Disturbed. Draiman is known for his distorted voice and rhythmic singing style...
grandfather as well as various circumstances after the September 11 attacks, and is about a conversation between Draiman and God. Upon release, many media outlets refused to air the "Prayer" music video, citing supposed similarities between the imagery of the music video and that of the September 11 attacks. "Prayer" peaked at number-three on two United States airplay charts, Billboard's
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Mainstream Rock Tracks and Alternative Songs, as well as peaking at number-fifty-eight on Billboard's Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and number-fourteen on the Canadian Singles Chart
Canadian Singles Chart
The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays....
. "Prayer" is Disturbed's highest charting single on both the Billboard Hot 100 as well as the Alternative Songs chart, and 1 of only 2 of their songs to reach the top 5 on the latter chart (the other being Inside the Fire, which peaked at #4).
Themes
"Prayer" was inspired lyrically by two events. The first event was the death of vocalist David DraimanDavid Draiman
David Michael Draiman is an American songwriter and the lead singer for the metal band Disturbed. Draiman is known for his distorted voice and rhythmic singing style...
's grandfather, the second was the September 11 attacks, chiefly the response the clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
made to the events. Draiman explained, "Instead of consoling their flock, people [of the clergy] like Jerry Falwell
Jerry Falwell
Jerry Lamon Falwell, Sr. was an evangelical fundamentalist Southern Baptist pastor, televangelist, and a conservative commentator from the United States. He was the founding pastor of the Thomas Road Baptist Church, a megachurch in Lynchburg, Virginia...
and Oral Roberts
Oral Roberts
Granville "Oral" Roberts was an American Pentecostal televangelist and a Christian charismatic. He founded the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association and Oral Roberts University....
chastised them and used the situation as a means of empowerment, saying it was our own fault because we're a decadent and promiscuous people. I just thought that whole notion is ridiculous." Therefore, "Prayer" is about a conversation between Draiman and God. In the conversation, Draiman is telling God to "bring it on" if he is trying to use pain to elicit a response from Draiman.
Music video
"Prayer" was directed by the Brothers StrauseBrothers Strause
Brothers Greg and Colin Strause are a directing duo, most famous for directing Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem and Skyline, and special effects artists who make movies and grew up in Waukegan, Illinois...
as a music video in late June 2002 and released the next month. Vocalist David Draiman
David Draiman
David Michael Draiman is an American songwriter and the lead singer for the metal band Disturbed. Draiman is known for his distorted voice and rhythmic singing style...
, who wrote the treatment for the music video, explained that the music video is based on the story of Job
Book of Job
The Book of Job , commonly referred to simply as Job, is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible. It relates the story of Job, his trials at the hands of Satan, his discussions with friends on the origins and nature of his suffering, his challenge to God, and finally a response from God. The book is a...
from the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
. Throughout the music video, Draiman is walking down a street and passes various scenes of desperation, such as a prostitute, a homeless man, and a preacher predicting the end of the world. As Draiman continues to walk, the other members of Disturbed have various disasters befall them.(Steve Kmak
Steve Kmak
Steve "Fuzz" Kmak is an American bass guitar player, best known for his work with the heavy metal band Disturbed. Kmak founded the band Brawl in 1994 with guitarist Dan Donegan and drummer Mike Wengren. They played small clubs in Chicago before singer David Draiman answered their ad, after which...
is buried under falling debris, Dan Donegan
Dan Donegan
Dan Donegan is an American musician and guitarist for heavy metal band Disturbed. Donegan began playing guitar as a teenager and eventually formed a band called Vandal, which was an '80s-style hair band...
crashes his car, and Mike Wengren
Mike Wengren
Mike Wengren is a drummer from Chicago, Illinois, best known for his work with the heavy metal band Disturbed, he is one of the founding members of the band, which was formed in 1996.-History:...
is hit by a nearby construction explosion.) At the climax of the music video, Draiman survives an earthquake. Draiman explains, "It's like Job being put through trials and tribulations and still coming through unscathed and achieving his redemption."
Upon release, various media outlets refused to air the music video for "Prayer", citing its alleged similarities to imagery from the September 11 attacks in the United States. Disturbed originally made plans to edit the video for airplay, but eventually chose not to. Draiman explained this choice when he said, "If we agreed to edit the video...then it's assuming that we're agreeing with the decision that there's something about the video that is offensive enough or provocative enough that it's dangerous for them to play it. We don't agree with that." Draiman further criticizes the decision to take the video off of the air instead of other videos, "We don't have a character in our video who portrays Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
and jumps and dances around, which is a direct recollective factor to 9/11."
The intent of the music video was not to depict similarity to the September 11 attacks, according to Draiman. He explained this by saying, "It was meant to be apocalyptic, but it was never intended to be derivative of the situation that happened on 9/11. Because of the subject matter...we needed something grandiose like an earthquake or a meteor shower or some kind of act of God to show the hand of the supernatural or some greater power." He further explained that the video was actually meant to be uplifting. Draiman said, "[The video is] about getting through life's obstacles and all the tests that fate may throw at you in the process. It's trying to convince you that you have the strength to get through whatever trials and tribulations may come your way. It's supposed to inspire hope." Despite "Prayer" receiving little airplay, Disturbed continued to promote the music video by including it on their album, Believe
Believe (Disturbed album)
Believe is the second studio album by the American heavy metal band Disturbed. It was released on September 17, 2002. Believe debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart, making it Disturbed's first #1 debut, shipping over 284,000 copies in its first week...
, and by posting it on various websites.
CD 1
CD 2
Personnel
- David DraimanDavid DraimanDavid Michael Draiman is an American songwriter and the lead singer for the metal band Disturbed. Draiman is known for his distorted voice and rhythmic singing style...
- lead vocals, backing vocals - Dan DoneganDan DoneganDan Donegan is an American musician and guitarist for heavy metal band Disturbed. Donegan began playing guitar as a teenager and eventually formed a band called Vandal, which was an '80s-style hair band...
- guitar, electronics, backing vocals - Steve KmakSteve KmakSteve "Fuzz" Kmak is an American bass guitar player, best known for his work with the heavy metal band Disturbed. Kmak founded the band Brawl in 1994 with guitarist Dan Donegan and drummer Mike Wengren. They played small clubs in Chicago before singer David Draiman answered their ad, after which...
- bass guitar - Mike WengrenMike WengrenMike Wengren is a drummer from Chicago, Illinois, best known for his work with the heavy metal band Disturbed, he is one of the founding members of the band, which was formed in 1996.-History:...
- drums - Johnny KJohnny KJohn Karkazis, better known as Johnny K, is a Grammy Award nominated producer/engineer/mixer/musician and songwriter. He owns Groovemaster Recording Studios in Chicago...
- producer - Andy WallaceAndy Wallace (producer)Andy Wallace is a Grammy Award-winning music studio engineer with a long track record of successful productions, beginning with the 1986 production of the Run-DMC/Aerosmith collaboration on "Walk This Way" with Rick Rubin...
- mixer - Howie WeinbergHowie WeinbergHowie Weinberg is a music mastering engineer who has worked with numerous bands.- Career :He has worked at Masterdisk, New York City, since 1977...
- mastering - Tony Adams - technician
- Chris Glatfelter - technician
- Mick Haggerty - art direction, design
Chart positions
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | US Mainstream Rock Tracks | 3 |
| US Alternative Songs | 3 | |
| US Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
58 | |
| Canadian Singles Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
14 |