Price to Play
2003 single by Staind
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"Price to Play" is a song by American rock band Staind. It was released as the lead single from their fourth album, 14 Shades of Grey, on April 7, 2003. "Price to Play" was released in advance of the album and became a hit on US rock radio, charting at number two on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number six on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. It served as the official theme song of WWE's Vengeance 2003 event.
| "Price to Play" | ||||
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| Single by Staind | ||||
| from the album 14 Shades of Grey | ||||
| B-side |
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| Released | April 7, 2003 | |||
| Length | 3:35 | |||
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| Songwriters |
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| Producer | Josh Abraham | |||
| Staind singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Price to Play" on YouTube | ||||
Themes and composition
Frontman Aaron Lewis explained that the song was the last song written and recorded for the 14 Shades of Grey album, and the lyrics initially were influenced from his frustrations that the band was so close to done with finishing the album.[1] He explained:
Lyrically, what started the song was my frustrations with having to be back in the studio writing more songs and feeling like we were underneath somebody's thumb, but it turned into a song that just applies to life in general. And it's kind of tongue-in-cheek because life isn't a game, but it's the price we pay to play this game that we call life.[1]
Similarly, Lewis stated the song was about the physical and mental toll of working in the music industry.[2] While 14 Shades of Grey was less heavy than previous Staind albums at that time, "Price to Play" retained Staind's heavier and more aggressive sound, with heavy guitars in the verses, soaring vocal harmonies, and melody/harmony guitars to complement the vocals.[citation needed]
Track listing
- "Price to Play"
- "Let It Out"
- "Can't Believe" (live version from MTV Unplugged)
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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