Creed’s third studio album, “Weathered,” released on November 20, 2001, marked a pivotal and challenging period for the band. Coming off the massive success of “Human Clay,” “Weathered” debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and achieved significant commercial success, selling 887,000 copies in its first week and eventually reaching 6x platinum certification in the US. However, it was also the last Creed album before their initial disbandment in 2004 and the only one recorded as a three-member band, with guitarist Mark Tremonti handling bass duties due to Brian Marshall’s departure. The album is characterized by a blend of heavy, aggressive tracks and introspective ballads, reflecting the internal struggles and external pressures the band faced.
Scott Stapp and Mark Tremonti wrote most of the material for the album over a three-week period in late 2000, with Stapp focusing on lyrics and Tremonti on musical composition.
Quoting Scott Stapp:
In a 2024 interview, Stapp stated that Creed named the album Weathered: (source)
because that was their mindset as a band, experiencing personal struggles that fueled the album’s honesty and authenticity
He further elaborated that the title reflected where the band was at the time, saying:
The band was splitting apart. My struggles, and Brian [Marshall]’s struggles with other issues outside the band really defined where we were as a group
Stapp noted that the title was:
not something that we planned or thought of ahead of time; it just came out
and was:
about as honest as you can get
Track-by-Track Review:
I encourage the reader to play the CD while reading along. Here is my track preference list for “Weathered”. I enjoy what I call the “sing-along factor” as I believe it is important when selecting the track preferences.
|
Rank |
Track # |
Title |
| 1. | 6 | My Sacrifice |
|
2. |
8 |
Weathered |
|
3. |
10 | Don’t Stop Dancing |
|
4. |
9 | Hide |
|
5. |
3 | Who’s Got My Back? |
|
6. |
5 | One Last Breath |
| 7. | 11 | Lullaby |
|
8. |
7 | Stand Here with Me |
|
9. |
2 | Freedom Fighter |
|
10. |
4 | Signs |
|
11. |
1 |
Bullets |
TRACK 1
| Bullets | Scott Stapp | 03:51 |
The inaugural track of the CD, “Bullets” happens to be at the bottom of my track preference list. That’s not to say the song is bad, but it feels to me more like a filler. Scott Stapp wrote the lyrics to address “unjust” criticisms the band received from critics and the press. He challenges those who speak negatively to:
At least look at me when you shoot a bullet through my head!
advocating for direct confrontation rather than hidden attacks. The song also asks:
why do we live this life with all this hate inside?
There was an official video released for this song back in 2002, which was purported to cost over $400,000 to produce. It’s a shame that it cost that much. The entire video was CGI and with todays AI, it could have been done way more economically. It is not a song I would consider singing along with, especially considering most of the time it is a skip for me.
TRACK 2
| Freedom Fighter | Scott Stapp | 02:36 |
This is one of the album’s heavier (metal) tracks, it is also, thankfully, the band’s shortest recorded song on the album. The lyrics contain vague references to biblical versus, such as “pride comes before a fall”, and speak of a “holy war”. It’s not a great song, but it’s also not terrible and I would not sing along to it.
Track 3
| Who’s Got My Back? | Scott Stapp | 08:25 |
so moving to me. It literally brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it (Wikipedia)
The decision to include the Cherokee Indian prayer, are part of what makes an artist an artist. Scott probably just knew that it “had” to be included in this song and made it happen.
Track 4
| Signs | Scott Stapp | 04:29 |
Track four is nothing earth shattering. It has a nice chorus and discusses themes of sex and money while constantly asking “cant you see the signs”. It seems to be asking the question as to what is this life all about. It was nearly a coin-flip as to the bottom two tracks on my preference list.
Track 5
| One Last Breath | Scott Stapp, Mark Tremonti | 03:59 |
This track was a commercially successful single having peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. Guitarist Mark Tremonti considers it one of his favorite guitar lines and musical compositions. The song experienced a resurgence in popularity in 2024 on hard rock streaming charts. Personally I love how it starts out, showcasing Scotts beautiful/tender vocals. In sections of the song seem like a ballad.
This song is characterized by its searing emotional intensity. Scott Stapp revealed he wrote it while suicidal and intoxicated, later deciding to record it after hearing the demo sober. Lyrically, it reflects Stapp’s personal struggles describing how he was: “down to one last breath” emotionally. It’s about crying out for help, acknowledging past mistakes, and finding comfort in friends. Mark Tremonti noted it genuinely conveyed the band’s emotions during their “darkest time” as they were beginning to separate.
Scott described the band’s “goosebump test,” saying:
If it didn’t give us goosebumps, we didn’t want to put it on our records. And with ‘One Last Breath,’ we felt it. We knew it was special to us. We knew that we had written something that inspired and resonated with us. And when that happened, we knew it was going to resonate with our fans
Stapp also reflected that his definition of being:
down to one last breath at 28 is a lot different than at 50
It’s a nice track to sing along with.
Track 6
| My Sacrifice | Scott Stapp | 04:54 |
This was the album’s lead single and achieved significant commercial success, reaching number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart for nine consecutive weeks. The song’s musical style is positive and uplifting. Scott Stapp explained that the song explores his personal struggles with substance abuse, addiction, and alcoholism, and his difficulty in maintaining sobriety. The lyrics also touch upon coming out of a dark period in life and reconnecting with oneself, as well as the importance of loved ones. It is my favorite track on the album and it’s a great song to sing along with.
Stapp stated he is “very proud of that song” and humbled by its consistent fan reaction through the years.
He referenced the music video, released in 2001, where he is depicted “pulling myself out from underneath the water into the boat,” as a visual representation of the song’s meaning. He noted it was the start of the “surrealism vibe” for their videos.
It’s an amazing song, well written, sang, and performed.
Track 7
| Stand Here with Me | Scott Stapp | 4:17 |
I have to say, I really like the music arrangement and how the song starts off with the quiet guitar then exploding with the rest of the band joining in. It has been described as a bland song about love or friendship, a sentiment I do not agree with. I look at it as an anthem to a really close friend or family member (father?) that has passed away.
So now you live on in the words of a song
I’ll give you everything I am
And still fall short of what you’ve done for me
Put in that context, along with the song, title, you “stand here with me” really give the song some depth.
Track 8
| Weathered | Scott Stapp | 05:30 |
This is the album’s title track and final single, peaking at number 7 on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks. Scott’s vocals work well, and the guitar is fluid. He wrote this song about his feelings of sadness, bleakness, and the pressures of the rock star lifestyle, while simultaneously trying to conceal his deteriorating mental state.
He directly quoted the lyrics to illustrate his emotional state:
I’m rusted and weathered, barely holding together, I’m covered with skin that peels and it just won’t heal — that was me sharing my heart and soul. I guess I’d learned how to flip the switch when I had to
I choose to win/I choose to fight
It’s a great song and fun to sing along with. This one came close, but ‘My Sacrifice’ narrowly edges ‘Weathered’ out as my favorite track on the album.
Track 9
| Hide | Scott Stapp | 04:29 |
This track was a favorite for some listeners and was released as a single in Australia. It is described as a “sweet” and “uplifting” song with “solid good emotion”. You can really feel the emotion in this song. It seems to be touching on themes of not hiding from oneself, from others, or from God, suggesting that hiding stems from fear or a desire for revenge. It can also be interpreted as seeking refuge with a loved one.
The song’s lyrics speak of escaping to a place:
where there’s no reason to hide
What you going to do with your gift dear child?Give life? Give love? Give soul?
Let’s leave all this and get awayGet lost in time
It’s an amazing song well written sang and performed.
Track 10
| Don’t Stop Dancing | Scott Stapp | 04:33 |
The penultimate song on the album. With this song, the album is winding down. It features Scott Stapp’s sister Amie Stapp beautiful backing vocals during the bridge and the Tallahassee Boys’ Choir. It was played on pop stations and during the NFL Thanksgiving halftime show November 22, 2001.
Lyrically, Stapp expresses feelings of invisibility and insignificance. It can be interpreted as a message from God to a person feeling forgotten, urging them not to despair, to believe, and to have strong faith, using the metaphor:
It encourages children (all people) to:
spread their wings and fly
and to be strong despite life’s challenges. It’s a great message and a nice way to help bring the album to a close.
Track 11
| Lullaby | Scott Stapp | 03:04 |
This is the album’s closing track and one of Creed’s softest numbers. It is an acoustic duet, featuring only Mark Tremonti on guitar and Scott Stapp on vocals, making it the band’s only song without drums or bass guitar. It is musically soothing, like a lullaby. The song’s central message is to “Just give love to all”, advocating for universal love. It doesn’t get much better than that!
Conclusion:
Despite the bands reported issues during that time period, “Weathered” produced enduring songs and remains a significant part of Creed’s legacy, leading to their recent reunion. Songs like “My Sacrifice” and “One Last Breath” continue to resonate with fans, with “One Last Breath” experiencing a resurgence in popularity in 2024, becoming a top 10 hit on hard rock streaming charts more than 20 years after its release. The band’s classic lineup reunited in 2024 for tours, with Scott Stapp and Brian Marshall celebrating their first Creed shows in sobriety, highlighting a journey of personal growth and forgiveness within the band. Mark Tremonti’s involvement with the National Down Syndrome Society through his “Take a Chance For Charity” project, raising nearly $2 million, demonstrates the band members using their platform for good, a theme Stapp also connects to faith and sobriety.
In conclusion, “Weathered” stands as both a commercially successful and emotionally complex album, deeply rooted in the personal and shared struggles Creed faced during a pivotal moment in their career. Its raw emotional honesty, combined with a powerful mix of aggression and vulnerability, struck a chord with a wide audience and solidified its place in the band’s lasting legacy. Beyond the lyrics, it’s easy to miss just how seamlessly the musical compositions tie everything together, reinforcing the album’s cohesive theme and impact. “Weathered” remains my favorite Creed album, and I love experiencing it as a complete work, start to finish.
My Opinion:
These reviews are strictly my opinion, and I understand that many of these songs can and do mean different things to different people. I would be interested to hear your opinion. Perhaps I got it wrong on a few songs? Please don’t be afraid to leave your opinion in the comments.
*****
Highly recommended! See also:
Corinne Bailey Rae – The Heart Speaks in Whispers Review
Corinne Bailey Rae – Corinne Bailey Rae – Gray Defender
Google Notebook LM podcast covering Creed weathered:
