History Lesson: This song was written in response the earliest school shooting at Santana High School in San Diego. first song to bring light to mental health and bullying in young people. POD were living in the immediate area and were locked down in the music studio. Sonny (lead singer) wrote the song during the lockdown, as members of the band also have kids that were going to nearby schools as well.
@@Bevo619 Yeah....when I was a gigging musician, there were a few award winning studios out in Santee, which made more sense to me. When I found out I was a few miles from Santana HS at one particular studio, i remembered this story, and kinda put that same energy into a few songs my band recorded...not the same studio, but lit a fire that "tomorrow is never promised"...That band broke up after 3 years, but that energy is now towards audio and sound engineering nowadays for me.
While I agree with your message, it wasn't the first song to address this issue especially with school shootings. Off the top of my head Jeremy by Pearl Jam is at least 10 years older than this song and it addressed this very topic.
@@worhed3722 this song and Alive yes, not many appreciated what they did on their next 6 albums like they should. Even Fundamental Elements of Southtown is massively underappreciated.
@@jordanbenson2980 there were plenty of bands from that time that managed to keep their name in the public eye, pod didn't. I always thought they sounded good but were pretty boring overall, obviously I'm not the only one
This song has probably the most haunting main guitar riffs I've ever heard with the delay. Definitely fits the message/story of the song. Glad you guys checked it out, been one of my favorites since I was as young as I can remember.
They are some of the nicest people in the business then and today. Always humble and very kind to their fans. Still touring and still rocking the house. This song still works and hits.
Papa Roach, Limp Bizkit, Pillar, P.O.D. Linkin Park, Evanescence, Crazytown all had a rock and rap thing intertwined in the lyrics. Kids were depressed, confused, and trying to find their way in a corrupt world. Also a little before that time frame was Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains.That 90s /2000s decade were some dark times with some innovative and original music. groove metal with rock and rap.
It's pretty disconcerting to know that as hard and depressed as we had it, the kids these days are even more depressed. Social media and covid lockdown have broken our latest youths
I've always thought P.O.D is one of the most underrated bands ever, at least outside the US they are not very popular and that's a shame cuz I really think their discography is really really good, their album "Payable on Death" is one of my favorite albums of all times, I grew up listening to that record so much, I really love those guys, what an era
Facts Payable on Death came out when I was away at college and always brings me back to those days "I and Identify" and " Revolution" and super underrated
I was at a local festival in STL and the mics cut out for almost their entire set, and the lead singer said screw it, he wasn't gonna stop. It was honestly incredible watching him scream as loud as possible so people who paid to see them wouldn't be let down
The first time I heard "Southtown" on the radio I was hooked. Saw them live at ozzfest like 2004 or something when i was young as well. My wife won a contest in colorado when we lived there and got to see them play in a bar acoustic at a sports bar near where they were playing that night. These dudes are just as real as it gets. Great guys, the singer is a father and it showed. Good music, good guys.
This is POD's best song imo.. Satellite and Alive are a close second. Speaking of overlooked bands form this era, Sevendust is worth a deep dive bruhs, they have such an amazing catalog and one of the best metal singers + strongest bands ever imo. If nothing else, catch these living legends live if you can.
"told the world how he felt with the sound of a gat" has to be one of the deepest lyrics in songwriting imo. so precise and powerful. no fat on that line just absolute perfection.
If you watch the actual music video you can see photographs of children that attend Santana High School, when the shooting happened. The song's inspiration stems from a trip when the band was on their way to record for Satellite on March 5, 2001. They were held up in traffic and discovered that the reason was a mass shooting at Santana High School, where a fifteen-year-old student named Charles Andrew Williams killed two and wounded thirteen. The album was consequently delayed, and the band was inspired to write "Youth of the Nation." In a 2008 interview, guitarist Marcos Curiel described the event: "We were rehearsing and writing Satellite a couple of blocks away from the school. One day on the way to the studio, there were all these helicopters and cars speeding by. We really didn’t know what was going on. When we got to the studio, this guy had the news on, and he was like, ‘This kid just went and started blasting fools.’ So we started jamming, and that rhythm just naturally came out, then Wuv [Bernardo, drummer] put that drumbeat on it, and the song was born." Curiel added, "When you can hear something that's going to uplift you like 'Alive' or something that's going to bring out knowledge like 'Youth of the Nation,' we've done our jobs as an artist."[4] Source wiki
That is amazing. Thank you for writing that. I didn’t get too much into these guys back then, but I always thought this song was lightening in a bottle being a guitar player myself. I know it’s possible to be inspired in the moment and write a song on the spot. It’s happened more than once for me. Sometimes the best songs come the easiest. I will be checking out the album for sure.
This album is so creative! This album, Wonder What’s Next by Chevelle, and Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park are the albums that made me fall in love with music when I was about 10yo
this whole album was amazing, so many good tracks, this, boom, satellite, The Messenjah, Alive and Set It Off and i guarantee if you guys listen to Boom, you'll be like "oh yeah I've heard this"
The back story for this song is that while they were recording the Satellite album there was a horrible school shooting in San Diego not far from where they were recording. It inspired them to write this song. And this song became kind of the voice of a generation of kids who grew up in the shadow of school shootings like that one and Columbine. P.O.D. certainly got lumped in with the Nu-metal crowd for obvious reasons, but they were around a LONG time before that scene ever came about. They started in 1994 and were peers of Rage Against The Machine initially. Fantastic band that has written so many great songs and extremely under-rated because they finally got popular during the Limp Bizkit thing. Warriors for life!
Payable On Death has always carried this nu-metal categorization; but if you listen through their catalog, you will hear all sorts of influences ranging from reggae, alternative, punk, funk, jazz, tribal and even salsa (on top of the hard rock/rapcore). I always found their music to be very intricate, yet having meaningful and powerful messaging (as such with this song written after the events of Columbine). They are one of my favorite bands as they have transcended the metal genre. Everyone is saying "Southtown," but/so my top picks include "Set Your Eyes to Zion," "Without Jah Nothin," "Satellite," "Booyaka 619" & "Selah." Their songs "Strength of My Life" and "Roots in Stereo" with Matisyahu and "Ridiculous" with Eek-A-Mouse are also great.
I’m convinced that most metalheads enjoy nu metal but won’t admit to it cause they don’t want to be seen as someone who enjoys something that’s “simple” or “less talented”.
I don't like nu metal generally, but I also don't like hip hop generally. There is something very specific about that way of lyric delivery that I don't care for in the aggregate. Where more traditional metal sub-genres I can just sort of listen to without a strong dislike if it randomly comes up on the radio, most nu metal I'm actively looking to change the station. Nu metal and hip hop have to be almost the very best of the best for me to actually enjoy it. I actually struggle with similar stylizations in country music, too. I like Charlie Daniels well enough, but I struggle with other acts, Big & Rich are a good example, that do similar lyric delivery. Musically I very often find these bands very interesting, but the singing/rapping/what have you just kind of ruins it for me.
@@just_gut That’s a good point and I accept that kind of opinion. Idk but metal that makes me bop my head and has some groove just hits. Metal that makes me headbang is also amazing but two different styles. Both heavy in different ways.
Metalheads listen to metal through a sense of low self-esteem, meaning they feel like outcasts. Therefore when their genre is combined with the popular, they get all pissy because it's hypocritical. However, who are the main bands of nu metal? Slipknot, Korn, Deftones. All bands where you want to show people you are mentally insane because it's popular to have a mental illness. That's why metalheads don't enjoy nu-metal, because metal thrives off of a secluded community, hence why metalheads cringe over metallica and glam metal, because it shows their progress in developing a unique personality.
I remember coming to age and just starting to experience how my friends from school all lived different lives. Realizing some kids had alcoholic parents, some kids had family members in jail, some kids had brothers or sisters that were abused. Basically at this song peak is when I was simultaneously came out of the cluelessness of being a child
Amazing how you put that. I grew up with no father, my mom had an abusive bf who would beat her almost everyday right infront of me, even choke her until she passed out.. Blah blah blah. Then we got robbed and had to move a thousand times. Def affects your future. When I was young I used to think nobody around me went through as much as I have, which made me a leader. It's crazy but I reliaze everyone goes through shit and life is precious. Very grateful
I don't normally comment, but I love your videos and your excellent analysis/opinions. I think you really nailed it around 11:30. I remember when I was a teen taking guitar lessons, I showed P.O.D.'s song "Set it Off" to my guitar teacher who only listened to metal, and he had an existential crisis because he was surprised how much he liked and appreciated this band and their instrumentation when he had previously wrote them off as just nu metal.
One of the best live bands Ever. The dude Literally crowd surfs. He throws a surfboard on the crowd, jumps on it and literally surfs while singing. F****** Awesome.
Guys, Marcos's guitar playing, and tone, is very reminiscent of what Dave Evans does in U2. It's kind of atmospheric, kind of hovers over the music, but never overtakes the song. It's the definition of how a guitarist should approach a piece of music. It's beautiful.
Excellent analysis and excellent song. This song was one of the first songs I can remember when I was a tiny kid and I still enjoy it to this day. Almost cried hearing you guys break down the lyrics. I know them all to well and the meaning behind them but I think someone else saying it just really makes you think how horrible things can be. Appreciate ya.
Set It Off is the opening track on this album and I think it's one of the more badass tracks. Southtown is an obvious choice, though. Can't react to P.O.D. without having that suggested. It's just too good.
This is probably the only band where I somewhat knew the guys and saw them perform many times before they ever got big. They were pretty well known in sort of the "underground" Christian music scene and played alot of the festivals back then before they exploded on MTV. There was always something super heavy, spiritual, and special about them and some of the most caring guys in any band I ever met. I almost forgot that this Album was released on 9/11...Knowing them, they probably spent most of that day praying than celebrating their album release...
I wouldn’t have the musical knowledge I have without P.O.D. Those guys introduced me to everything from Eek-A-Mouse, Suicidal Tendencies, Bad Brains, Helmet, etc back in the day, and countless others. Thankful for that and glad they’re still going strong
Fun fact. This album came out 9/11/01 and was a huge help to what happened with that day’s events so this song was huge in the aftermath & went #1 song on billboard for the rest of that year
You should give South Town by these guys a listen. It is one of my favorites. They also have one called Goodbye for now, Katie Perry sings backup in it and helps finish off the song but this was years before she ever released I kissed a girl.
POD has Banger hard tracks like "Eyez", "Murdered Love", "Mark My Words" and "Messenjah" and "Wildfire" very underrated as a hard rock band due to their mainstream success.
First time I ever heard this song i was hooked from the opening riff.... then the lyrics got me. Such a deep song. I had no idea they were a Christian rock band until after I bought this cd and was looking through the CD booklet. But it didn't change my opinion on their music. They still jam
@@psychedelicfright85 Christian is the way of Christ, the shows now are preachy of lgbt and satanism if anything idk what ur talking about. Mockery of Christian’s is disgusting and they will be sorry for it
@V preachiness exists everywhere. Don't think that Christianity is exempt. Very few even follow it accurately, or any beliefs for that matter. Many people just love labels now though.
Wooowwwww I haven’t thought of POD in like 17 years, haha… was kinda into them when I was going to church and wanted to listen to angry music that was still “Christian”. Their cover of Bullet the Blues Skies is pretty decent.
Love this song so much! took me over a year before I found out they were a Christian band! I am 48 years old next month and I will always stand with the youth. I will be there to block the people trying to force kids into shit and protect them as best I can!
Bro, I just caught P.O.D. this past weekend at the Sick New World festival out where y’all are from 🖤 and let me say this. Out of ALL the bands that played that night--System of a Down, KoRn, Deftones, Incubus, etc--I literally was shocked by P.O.D. As soon as they came on stage there was an IMMEDIATE shift in energy. It truly was a magical spectacle and Sonny on stage just reminded me like a general leading his massive army, I legitimately got goosebumps by how connected the crowd was with each other and the music. I thought they were in the top performers that night for me, hands down. This song in particular had the crowd in what I would call a trance, such an underrated band, they really should have much more attention. Definitely going to catch them again live, them Deftones, KoRn, Red Hot Chili Peppers and System will always be on my top bands to watch live. I highly recommend Southtown, Rock the Party, Set it Off, Boom, Lost in Forever.
I still remember them testing this song out on the crowd with the call/response portion "we are we are". It was.. not all that long after 9/11/2001, there was a music festival in Worcester MA. I forget the park, it was up the hill from the hospital. I think it might have been hosted by WAAF? The Red Cross was there and they got a lot of donations that day. Hard to believe that was 21 years ago already. Edit: You know what.. I think I'm conflating two shows together. I looked it up and It would have had to be Locobazooka in Green Hill Park, but POD wasn't there in 2001, they were there in 2000. So it wasn't a post 9/11 show after all, but it does make more sense that they'd be trying out a new song that would be released on an album the very next year.
Such a powerful song. Musically and lyrically it’s still incredibly spot on relevant to this day. Man you guys are my favourite music reactors. Do more MESHUGGAH!!!!!
Fantastic take, you explained that time period of music perfectly. That was a very wide reaching time in music history. There were so many great new “sounds” to hear.
I loved this song when it came out, actually the whole album is great, but when I became a teacher this song took in so much more meaning! Glad you guys checked it out, POD is a legit band and they started out touring churches in little towns all over the country!
I personaly love this era of metal, it's my childhood, so experimental, and all over my play list. P.O.D. was so ahead of their time. It's crazy how rellivent this song still is to America in 2022. I suggest Satellites or any song off their greatest hits album because it's one of those few albums where every song slaps in my personal opinion.
Saw POD at a day long festival in Dallas right after Covid, at the amphitheater at Fair Park. They got to the chorus, and it was great. People in their 40s - 60s singing “we are the youth of a nation”. I was 62, and that’s only my body’s age, not mine. ☮️❤️
Just wanna say after years of watching your content, I love what you guys had to say about the eras of metal and how you now have the ear to be able to distinguish the different sub-genres and variants of metal that have spawned throughout the decades. It really shows how much you have musically grown through starting this channel, not just in metal but other genres too. I think one of the reasons for the decline of metal in mainstream music has been a lack of identity since the early 2010s (I can't really recognize the sound either other than the modern production levels) and an inability to evolve the sound of metal to something new, be it a lack of creativity in the genre or the majority of metal fans stuck in their old ways and are unwilling to take interest in artists that stray from the tried and tested sounds in metal, unlike in hip-hop where the past 10 years has seen more evolution in sound, creativity, and mainstream success than its entire history. Thanks for bringing us on this journey of music discovery and all the great content you continue to put out.
Grew up listening to this band love them heaps, definitely recommend more by them, this entire album is so good has some very unique moments. Anything Right, Ridiculous and Masterpiece Conspiracy are some of my favourites from that album
This is one of the only songs that I have the memory of my first listen seared into my mind. I was in highschool and sitting in the car, listening to the radio as my parents were shopping in a store. Within seconds, I turned it up and was drawn in. Unfortunately, the car didn't have a stereo worthy of the song (little Saturn SL2). P.O.D. was the supporting act in my 2nd ever concert too (Linkin Park were the headliners).
P.O.D. was always great. This song 🎶 was so crushingly prophetic and sharing what was happening in schools and with school shootings in early 2000’s. They took a subject that was difficult to talk about, and that still causes political arguments today, and started a conversation about these kids and paying more attention to them, listening to and supporting them and the importance of their mental health. ❤
straight back to my childhood, songs like this ps2 old nascar races on tv, neighborhood football, staying oput at night w like 10 other kids , Nostalgia
I didn't mind the way that sounded- I agree with George, I like the chorus. The song made me sad though. Sad that not everyone is safe at school and sad that, at school, I feel like I'm always looking over my shoulder. Beautiful reaction- TY.
POD IS LEGIT A.F.... DO SOUTHTOWN.. THATS MY FAVORITE FROM THEM, ITS A, CHICANO FROM THE GHETTO, ANTHEM... ORALE VATOS!!! Ps.. this song came out around 01, was written in response to the Columbine shooting. Its a great album over all. SATELITE is another great song from the album as well.
I remember seeing the lead singer in an interview when this song came out, that they were hoping it would become a generational anthem like "Another Brick in the Wall". It is a powerful song.
One of the most haunting guitar sounds ever. Fitting given the subject matter. This song always reminds me of the emotions I felt listening to Suicidal Tendencies "How Will I laugh Tomorrow" back in the day.
POD is awesome, guys. Such good musicians and such good lyrics. The guys are so lovable. I took a pic with them when they come to Brazil. After a gig in São Paulo, actually, they took pics with most of the fans.
My parents were strict and thankfully pod was “Christian” so I was automatically allowed to listen to it and buy their cds. Their message in this song are part of why I chose to study sociology
Bruh these are hometown boys… They’re still going strong We are all 6degrees from the band in SD They still have great songs Rock the party was the song on the bus
Saw them open for Jinjer 3 weeks back and they were AMAZING!!!!! Pleasently surprised. Nailed every song. Opened with Here comes the BOOM. Was really impressed, I would see then on there own now. Did this then closed with Alive. Which was impresive. Do more!
They are on tour right now in the states with JINJER saw them a few weeks ago in NYC and they still sound great even teased new music that should be coming out in 2023 that sounds sick!
I first saw these guys in 1997 at the Cornerstone Festival - a huge Christian "Woodstock" type music fest, in Bushnell, Illinois. That was before they really got big on the mainstream music scene. They were really cool guys and they put on a great live show. Thanks for your reactions! Keep crushing!
i saw P.O.D. open for Jinjer a few weeks ago, dude still has a ton of energy, and rocked that show. Brought up 3 or 4 kids from the crowd for this song.
I play it everyday at work. Everyone sings along. Even young people who in their early 20s. I'm like how u know this song? Lol 🤣🤣 they say my mom and dad. That's cool.
History Lesson: This song was written in response the earliest school shooting at Santana High School in San Diego. first song to bring light to mental health and bullying in young people. POD were living in the immediate area and were locked down in the music studio. Sonny (lead singer) wrote the song during the lockdown, as members of the band also have kids that were going to nearby schools as well.
Wow. I lived down the street from Santana at the time of the shooting. I had no idea of this story. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for that info... I love this song, but did not know the background to it and it's so relevant to our society today.
@@Bevo619 Yeah....when I was a gigging musician, there were a few award winning studios out in Santee, which made more sense to me. When I found out I was a few miles from Santana HS at one particular studio, i remembered this story, and kinda put that same energy into a few songs my band recorded...not the same studio, but lit a fire that "tomorrow is never promised"...That band broke up after 3 years, but that energy is now towards audio and sound engineering nowadays for me.
@@bericagulbranson1630 Seriously ...sucks that it's 2022, and it seems like the time hasn't changed anything since then...
While I agree with your message, it wasn't the first song to address this issue especially with school shootings. Off the top of my head Jeremy by Pearl Jam is at least 10 years older than this song and it addressed this very topic.
P.O.D are shockingly underrated. Always love this band. Such great vibes.
lmao underrated my ass, this song was on constantly when it came out, everyone knew them.
@@worhed3722 this song and Alive yes, not many appreciated what they did on their next 6 albums like they should. Even Fundamental Elements of Southtown is massively underappreciated.
@@jordanbenson2980 theres no such thing as underrated. Either they did enough or they didnt. Either they were relevant or they weren't.
@@jordanbenson2980 they got exactly what they put into it
@@jordanbenson2980 there were plenty of bands from that time that managed to keep their name in the public eye, pod didn't. I always thought they sounded good but were pretty boring overall, obviously I'm not the only one
"told the world how he felt with the sound of a gat" is such a hard hitting line
man I've said this same sentence years ago. crazy
What is gat?
@@dolguldur4706 a gun. He killed himself basically
@@dolguldur4706 gunshot
@@shacozzi4888 thank you...finally i know what its mean 😅
“Never really one of the guys no matter how hard he tried”
Amazing the amount to childhood/adolescent pain that can be relived through one line
Everyone either new someone like that or was that guy
This song has probably the most haunting main guitar riffs I've ever heard with the delay. Definitely fits the message/story of the song. Glad you guys checked it out, been one of my favorites since I was as young as I can remember.
They are some of the nicest people in the business then and today. Always humble and very kind to their fans. Still touring and still rocking the house. This song still works and hits.
Papa Roach, Limp Bizkit, Pillar, P.O.D. Linkin Park, Evanescence, Crazytown all had a rock and rap thing intertwined in the lyrics. Kids were depressed, confused, and trying to find their way in a corrupt world. Also a little before that time frame was Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains.That 90s /2000s decade were some dark times with some innovative and original music. groove metal with rock and rap.
Idk “happy” music nowadays to me just sounds fake and manipulative.
@@roadrash2005agree 💯
It's pretty disconcerting to know that as hard and depressed as we had it, the kids these days are even more depressed. Social media and covid lockdown have broken our latest youths
I've always thought P.O.D is one of the most underrated bands ever, at least outside the US they are not very popular and that's a shame cuz I really think their discography is really really good, their album "Payable on Death" is one of my favorite albums of all times, I grew up listening to that record so much, I really love those guys, what an era
Facts Payable on Death came out when I was away at college and always brings me back to those days "I and Identify" and " Revolution" and super underrated
They're not very good
I used to play Southtown until the whole neighborhood was sick of it 😅
I was at a local festival in STL and the mics cut out for almost their entire set, and the lead singer said screw it, he wasn't gonna stop. It was honestly incredible watching him scream as loud as possible so people who paid to see them wouldn't be let down
Did great stuff w modest yahoo too.
The first time I heard "Southtown" on the radio I was hooked. Saw them live at ozzfest like 2004 or something when i was young as well. My wife won a contest in colorado when we lived there and got to see them play in a bar acoustic at a sports bar near where they were playing that night. These dudes are just as real as it gets. Great guys, the singer is a father and it showed. Good music, good guys.
Yes! I’d love to hear them react to Southtown!
Southtown goes so hard, wish more people reacted to that one
You have poor taste in music. Was it the "that kid don't play" line that hooked you in? Lol.
@@jeremyjames1659 i like alot of music guy. Whats good then? Pls dont say Lorna Shore.
One of my favorite bands. Their ability mix rock, metal, rap, reggae, Latin music is incredible. Do more!
The epitome of the melting pot while everyone else was realizing that the salad bowl is incompatible.
This song is an old favorite of mine, and I love seeing people enjoying it. Thanks for the reaction 😊
This is POD's best song imo.. Satellite and Alive are a close second. Speaking of overlooked bands form this era, Sevendust is worth a deep dive bruhs, they have such an amazing catalog and one of the best metal singers + strongest bands ever imo. If nothing else, catch these living legends live if you can.
Southtown hits hard
This whole comment feed 🙌🏻
You can’t leave fundamental elements of Southtown out of there
I was never a big P.O.D. guy, but this song I always like a lot. It's well written, flows well, good groove, hard hitting lyrics.
Same here. This is probably the one song i really enjoy by them.
Growing up with this era of music, I got a huge appreciation for it.....and the fact the words still ring true TODAY, is truly sad
"told the world how he felt with the sound of a gat"
has to be one of the deepest lyrics in songwriting imo. so precise and powerful. no fat on that line just absolute perfection.
If you watch the actual music video you can see photographs of children that attend Santana High School, when the shooting happened. The song's inspiration stems from a trip when the band was on their way to record for Satellite on March 5, 2001. They were held up in traffic and discovered that the reason was a mass shooting at Santana High School, where a fifteen-year-old student named Charles Andrew Williams killed two and wounded thirteen. The album was consequently delayed, and the band was inspired to write "Youth of the Nation."
In a 2008 interview, guitarist Marcos Curiel described the event:
"We were rehearsing and writing Satellite a couple of blocks away from the school. One day on the way to the studio, there were all these helicopters and cars speeding by. We really didn’t know what was going on. When we got to the studio, this guy had the news on, and he was like, ‘This kid just went and started blasting fools.’ So we started jamming, and that rhythm just naturally came out, then Wuv [Bernardo, drummer] put that drumbeat on it, and the song was born."
Curiel added, "When you can hear something that's going to uplift you like 'Alive' or something that's going to bring out knowledge like 'Youth of the Nation,' we've done our jobs as an artist."[4]
Source wiki
That is amazing. Thank you for writing that. I didn’t get too much into these guys back then, but I always thought this song was lightening in a bottle being a guitar player myself. I know it’s possible to be inspired in the moment and write a song on the spot. It’s happened more than once for me. Sometimes the best songs come the easiest. I will be checking out the album for sure.
This album is so creative! This album, Wonder What’s Next by Chevelle, and Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park are the albums that made me fall in love with music when I was about 10yo
I definitely agree with Wonder What's Next, Chevelle is on another level
this whole album was amazing, so many good tracks, this, boom, satellite, The Messenjah, Alive and Set It Off
and i guarantee if you guys listen to Boom, you'll be like "oh yeah I've heard this"
This album came out 9/11/2001
@@jamesdraven5340 damn, I’m gettin old
Growing up in the 90’s listening to R&B and Hip hop, nu-metal was something I naturally gravitated towards. Southtown is another good one.
They can write really great lyrics...they can rap better and rock harder than most bands of that era, their older stuff is incredible
Did we listen to the same thing? Corny lyrics 101
The back story for this song is that while they were recording the Satellite album there was a horrible school shooting in San Diego not far from where they were recording. It inspired them to write this song. And this song became kind of the voice of a generation of kids who grew up in the shadow of school shootings like that one and Columbine. P.O.D. certainly got lumped in with the Nu-metal crowd for obvious reasons, but they were around a LONG time before that scene ever came about. They started in 1994 and were peers of Rage Against The Machine initially. Fantastic band that has written so many great songs and extremely under-rated because they finally got popular during the Limp Bizkit thing. Warriors for life!
P.O.D will always be a hit for me. This song Alive and Boom I feel like is what most people know from them.
Payable On Death has always carried this nu-metal categorization; but if you listen through their catalog, you will hear all sorts of influences ranging from reggae, alternative, punk, funk, jazz, tribal and even salsa (on top of the hard rock/rapcore). I always found their music to be very intricate, yet having meaningful and powerful messaging (as such with this song written after the events of Columbine). They are one of my favorite bands as they have transcended the metal genre. Everyone is saying "Southtown," but/so my top picks include "Set Your Eyes to Zion," "Without Jah Nothin," "Satellite," "Booyaka 619" & "Selah." Their songs "Strength of My Life" and "Roots in Stereo" with Matisyahu and "Ridiculous" with Eek-A-Mouse are also great.
Such an underrated band. One of my favorites in high school.
Said the same thing on Patreon but it bears repeating here: this song hits SUPER HARD live
I’m convinced that most metalheads enjoy nu metal but won’t admit to it cause they don’t want to be seen as someone who enjoys something that’s “simple” or “less talented”.
I prefer nu metal over regular metal honestly
I don't like nu metal generally, but I also don't like hip hop generally. There is something very specific about that way of lyric delivery that I don't care for in the aggregate. Where more traditional metal sub-genres I can just sort of listen to without a strong dislike if it randomly comes up on the radio, most nu metal I'm actively looking to change the station. Nu metal and hip hop have to be almost the very best of the best for me to actually enjoy it. I actually struggle with similar stylizations in country music, too. I like Charlie Daniels well enough, but I struggle with other acts, Big & Rich are a good example, that do similar lyric delivery. Musically I very often find these bands very interesting, but the singing/rapping/what have you just kind of ruins it for me.
@@just_gut That’s a good point and I accept that kind of opinion. Idk but metal that makes me bop my head and has some groove just hits. Metal that makes me headbang is also amazing but two different styles. Both heavy in different ways.
Metalheads listen to metal through a sense of low self-esteem, meaning they feel like outcasts. Therefore when their genre is combined with the popular, they get all pissy because it's hypocritical. However, who are the main bands of nu metal? Slipknot, Korn, Deftones. All bands where you want to show people you are mentally insane because it's popular to have a mental illness. That's why metalheads don't enjoy nu-metal, because metal thrives off of a secluded community, hence why metalheads cringe over metallica and glam metal, because it shows their progress in developing a unique personality.
@@PeterGriffinsWaiter This is one of the dumbest things I've read about metal music and metalheads.
I remember coming to age and just starting to experience how my friends from school all lived different lives. Realizing some kids had alcoholic parents, some kids had family members in jail, some kids had brothers or sisters that were abused.
Basically at this song peak is when I was simultaneously came out of the cluelessness of being a child
Amazing how you put that. I grew up with no father, my mom had an abusive bf who would beat her almost everyday right infront of me, even choke her until she passed out.. Blah blah blah. Then we got robbed and had to move a thousand times. Def affects your future. When I was young I used to think nobody around me went through as much as I have, which made me a leader. It's crazy but I reliaze everyone goes through shit and life is precious. Very grateful
Nu-Metal will rise again. Its coming back
I don't normally comment, but I love your videos and your excellent analysis/opinions. I think you really nailed it around 11:30. I remember when I was a teen taking guitar lessons, I showed P.O.D.'s song "Set it Off" to my guitar teacher who only listened to metal, and he had an existential crisis because he was surprised how much he liked and appreciated this band and their instrumentation when he had previously wrote them off as just nu metal.
One of the best live bands Ever. The dude Literally crowd surfs. He throws a surfboard on the crowd, jumps on it and literally surfs while singing. F****** Awesome.
The nostalgia from this song is crazy; this song reminds me of my tour in Iraq. Great song!
I LOVE this era of rock and metal. I don't care what anyone says. Some of the best bands came out at this time.
@Matatrocity 😂😂😂😂
a P.O.D reaction i did not expect this grew up on this band lets go
Guys, Marcos's guitar playing, and tone, is very reminiscent of what Dave Evans does in U2. It's kind of atmospheric, kind of hovers over the music, but never overtakes the song. It's the definition of how a guitarist should approach a piece of music. It's beautiful.
Excellent analysis and excellent song. This song was one of the first songs I can remember when I was a tiny kid and I still enjoy it to this day. Almost cried hearing you guys break down the lyrics. I know them all to well and the meaning behind them but I think someone else saying it just really makes you think how horrible things can be. Appreciate ya.
Set It Off is the opening track on this album and I think it's one of the more badass tracks. Southtown is an obvious choice, though. Can't react to P.O.D. without having that suggested. It's just too good.
The drum intro and opening riff in Set It Off is freakin' awesome.
This is probably the only band where I somewhat knew the guys and saw them perform many times before they ever got big. They were pretty well known in sort of the "underground" Christian music scene and played alot of the festivals back then before they exploded on MTV. There was always something super heavy, spiritual, and special about them and some of the most caring guys in any band I ever met. I almost forgot that this Album was released on 9/11...Knowing them, they probably spent most of that day praying than celebrating their album release...
That is awesome. God bless them
Same for me with Killswitch Engage, Shadows Fall and All That Remains
I wouldn’t have the musical knowledge I have without P.O.D. Those guys introduced me to everything from Eek-A-Mouse, Suicidal Tendencies, Bad Brains, Helmet, etc back in the day, and countless others. Thankful for that and glad they’re still going strong
Holy crap I follow you on insta lmao
Fun fact. This album came out 9/11/01 and was a huge help to what happened with that day’s events so this song was huge in the aftermath & went #1 song on billboard for the rest of that year
So did God Hates Us All by Slayer.
@@SinclairMoon same thing came to my mind as well
You should give South Town by these guys a listen. It is one of my favorites. They also have one called Goodbye for now, Katie Perry sings backup in it and helps finish off the song but this was years before she ever released I kissed a girl.
South Town was the first thing I ever heard by them. Cool video. They should def. listen to that one.
@@brandonhensley14 that was my first from them too.
POD has Banger hard tracks like "Eyez", "Murdered Love", "Mark My Words" and "Messenjah" and "Wildfire" very underrated as a hard rock band due to their mainstream success.
I will have to check out those songs too. Thx for the recommendation. Peace
I just listened to Eyez for the 1st time & I love it. Onto the next one.....
Roots in stereo with Matysiahu... such a great tune too
Haven't heard this song in awhile, glad it got upvoted for a reaction!
First time I ever heard this song i was hooked from the opening riff.... then the lyrics got me. Such a deep song. I had no idea they were a Christian rock band until after I bought this cd and was looking through the CD booklet. But it didn't change my opinion on their music. They still jam
Why would them bein Christian even change ur opinion
@V much like most shows and movies now, they can be very preachy and full of propaganda
@@psychedelicfright85 Christian is the way of Christ, the shows now are preachy of lgbt and satanism if anything idk what ur talking about. Mockery of Christian’s is disgusting and they will be sorry for it
@V preachiness exists everywhere. Don't think that Christianity is exempt. Very few even follow it accurately, or any beliefs for that matter. Many people just love labels now though.
React to Southtown!!!! Thats a straight classic!
Grew up In Riverside County, CA… these dudes were from San Diego aka The Big SD!
I saw them at The old Elsinore Storm ballpark
Wooowwwww I haven’t thought of POD in like 17 years, haha… was kinda into them when I was going to church and wanted to listen to angry music that was still “Christian”.
Their cover of Bullet the Blues Skies is pretty decent.
We played alive in the youth church band for a worship song haha
@@jiujitsufighter91 that’s awesome
I went to a Christian high school in the late 90’s, and I liked this style of music… it was great to bring PODs music to my Christian friends
Love this song so much! took me over a year before I found out they were a Christian band! I am 48 years old next month and I will always stand with the youth. I will be there to block the people trying to force kids into shit and protect them as best I can!
Same age and same mentality.
I have never noticed the piano lick in the solo. Beautiful
Bro, I just caught P.O.D. this past weekend at the Sick New World festival out where y’all are from 🖤 and let me say this. Out of ALL the bands that played that night--System of a Down, KoRn, Deftones, Incubus, etc--I literally was shocked by P.O.D. As soon as they came on stage there was an IMMEDIATE shift in energy. It truly was a magical spectacle and Sonny on stage just reminded me like a general leading his massive army, I legitimately got goosebumps by how connected the crowd was with each other and the music. I thought they were in the top performers that night for me, hands down. This song in particular had the crowd in what I would call a trance, such an underrated band, they really should have much more attention. Definitely going to catch them again live, them Deftones, KoRn, Red Hot Chili Peppers and System will always be on my top bands to watch live.
I highly recommend Southtown, Rock the Party, Set it Off, Boom, Lost in Forever.
I still remember them testing this song out on the crowd with the call/response portion "we are we are". It was.. not all that long after 9/11/2001, there was a music festival in Worcester MA. I forget the park, it was up the hill from the hospital. I think it might have been hosted by WAAF? The Red Cross was there and they got a lot of donations that day. Hard to believe that was 21 years ago already.
Edit: You know what.. I think I'm conflating two shows together. I looked it up and It would have had to be Locobazooka in Green Hill Park, but POD wasn't there in 2001, they were there in 2000. So it wasn't a post 9/11 show after all, but it does make more sense that they'd be trying out a new song that would be released on an album the very next year.
This album was actually released on 9/11/01.
try Higher, Lost in forever, Life is Beautiful, This Goes out to You, Sleeping Awake, or Going in Blind. can't go wrong with any of them
Such a powerful song. Musically and lyrically it’s still incredibly spot on relevant to this day.
Man you guys are my favourite music reactors. Do more MESHUGGAH!!!!!
Payable On Death...... their song writing is about real street life of every day struggles and coping with life....extraordinary band ✌️🤘😎🤘
POD was a huge part of that scene at that time and they were great!
Fun fact: Katy perry sang backup vocals for them before she blew up!
Fantastic take, you explained that time period of music perfectly. That was a very wide reaching time in music history. There were so many great new “sounds” to hear.
Bro this is crazy, I remember listening to them when I was like 11 or 12. This kicked back a lot of old memories, good shit.
I loved this song when it came out, actually the whole album is great, but when I became a teacher this song took in so much more meaning! Glad you guys checked it out, POD is a legit band and they started out touring churches in little towns all over the country!
I personaly love this era of metal, it's my childhood, so experimental, and all over my play list. P.O.D. was so ahead of their time. It's crazy how rellivent this song still is to America in 2022. I suggest Satellites or any song off their greatest hits album because it's one of those few albums where every song slaps in my personal opinion.
Saw POD at a day long festival in Dallas right after Covid, at the amphitheater at Fair Park. They got to the chorus, and it was great. People in their 40s - 60s singing “we are the youth of a nation”. I was 62, and that’s only my body’s age, not mine. ☮️❤️
I recommended this a while back on one of your guys vids, glad people voted for it on the polls!!
Just wanna say after years of watching your content, I love what you guys had to say about the eras of metal and how you now have the ear to be able to distinguish the different sub-genres and variants of metal that have spawned throughout the decades. It really shows how much you have musically grown through starting this channel, not just in metal but other genres too. I think one of the reasons for the decline of metal in mainstream music has been a lack of identity since the early 2010s (I can't really recognize the sound either other than the modern production levels) and an inability to evolve the sound of metal to something new, be it a lack of creativity in the genre or the majority of metal fans stuck in their old ways and are unwilling to take interest in artists that stray from the tried and tested sounds in metal, unlike in hip-hop where the past 10 years has seen more evolution in sound, creativity, and mainstream success than its entire history.
Thanks for bringing us on this journey of music discovery and all the great content you continue to put out.
Can’t believe y’all reacted to this! Loved this
Love this song so much! Thanks for reacting to it 💛
Grew up listening to this band love them heaps, definitely recommend more by them, this entire album is so good has some very unique moments. Anything Right, Ridiculous and Masterpiece Conspiracy are some of my favourites from that album
I went to see them opening for Jinjer a couple weeks ago, was an amazing concert!
Thanks for the review! I like this song from P.O.D. too. Hope you have a good holiday Lost In Vegas and a successful 2023!
This is one of the only songs that I have the memory of my first listen seared into my mind. I was in highschool and sitting in the car, listening to the radio as my parents were shopping in a store. Within seconds, I turned it up and was drawn in. Unfortunately, the car didn't have a stereo worthy of the song (little Saturn SL2).
P.O.D. was the supporting act in my 2nd ever concert too (Linkin Park were the headliners).
P.O.D. was always great. This song 🎶 was so crushingly prophetic and sharing what was happening in schools and with school shootings in early 2000’s. They took a subject that was difficult to talk about, and that still causes political arguments today, and started a conversation about these kids and paying more attention to them, listening to and supporting them and the importance of their mental health. ❤
straight back to my childhood, songs like this ps2 old nascar races on tv, neighborhood football, staying oput at night w like 10 other kids , Nostalgia
Ahh I remember…
I didn't mind the way that sounded- I agree with George, I like the chorus. The song made me sad though. Sad that not everyone is safe at school and sad that, at school, I feel like I'm always looking over my shoulder. Beautiful reaction- TY.
Really good breakdown of the song. Thanks for a well-informed reaction. 🙂❤
POD IS LEGIT A.F.... DO SOUTHTOWN.. THATS MY FAVORITE FROM THEM, ITS A, CHICANO FROM THE GHETTO, ANTHEM... ORALE VATOS!!!
Ps.. this song came out around 01, was written in response to the Columbine shooting. Its a great album over all. SATELITE is another great song from the album as well.
The album actually came out on 9/11.
"the rap is whatever"
The lyrics are literally what makes this song beautiful. Lol
Incredible song, still holds up today.
Saw P.O.D. live with Korn back in September. Did VIP for them and got a picture with them. Great band.
I remember seeing the lead singer in an interview when this song came out, that they were hoping it would become a generational anthem like "Another Brick in the Wall".
It is a powerful song.
One of the most haunting guitar sounds ever. Fitting given the subject matter. This song always reminds me of the emotions I felt listening to Suicidal Tendencies "How Will I laugh Tomorrow" back in the day.
i wanted to see u guys reaction for at least 2 years and its finally here yay!
"Find My Way" by P.O.D. is a great song that largely goes unnoticed. A great song with a great message that got me through some hard times.
Classic song!
Nice one, guys! Also check out "Southtown" and "Goodbye For Now"! My personal favorites together with this one.
Alive too
POD is awesome, guys. Such good musicians and such good lyrics. The guys are so lovable. I took a pic with them when they come to Brazil. After a gig in São Paulo, actually, they took pics with most of the fans.
My parents were strict and thankfully pod was “Christian” so I was automatically allowed to listen to it and buy their cds. Their message in this song are part of why I chose to study sociology
POD never fails nor disappoints 🙏🏽
That guitar intro was awesome back in the day and still is, you should listen to the complete album guys.
Bruh these are hometown boys…
They’re still going strong
We are all 6degrees from the band in SD
They still have great songs
Rock the party was the song on the bus
Saw them open for Jinjer 3 weeks back and they were AMAZING!!!!! Pleasently surprised. Nailed every song. Opened with Here comes the BOOM. Was really impressed, I would see then on there own now. Did this then closed with Alive. Which was impresive. Do more!
@Nicegram-me-Lost_in_vegas Cool Thank You Merry Christmas
Saw them in Cleveland on Nov 13th with jinjer. They were really good live. This song was awesome to hear live
Should check out boom
They performed this song on late night tv with a young choir. Powerful performance
I didnt listen to pod much but the songs i did like i liked a lot. Southtown and alive were two of my Favorites.
They are on tour right now in the states with JINJER saw them a few weeks ago in NYC and they still sound great even teased new music that should be coming out in 2023 that sounds sick!
That's an odd line up.
@@wvusmc and to make the lineup even more strange VENDED opened for both of them lol I'm not really complaining though lol it was a sick show
Southtown!
ahh, this song brings back good memories of my youth...in the nation. Gaming, skateboarding, going to local shows. Looking forward to this review :)
I first saw these guys in 1997 at the Cornerstone Festival - a huge Christian "Woodstock" type music fest, in Bushnell, Illinois. That was before they really got big on the mainstream music scene. They were really cool guys and they put on a great live show.
Thanks for your reactions!
Keep crushing!
Love POD. Born and raised in San Diego, this brings back so many memories.
One of the best bands of all time. And that's not an overstatement.
God I love lost in Vegas. You guys are amazing and I will always remember you❤️❤️❤️
Still remember you
i saw P.O.D. open for Jinjer a few weeks ago, dude still has a ton of energy, and rocked that show. Brought up 3 or 4 kids from the crowd for this song.
the bus song was "Rock the Party"
Long time no see I forgot this channel Exist good to see you guys sill making videos
I play it everyday at work. Everyone sings along. Even young people who in their early 20s. I'm like how u know this song? Lol 🤣🤣 they say my mom and dad. That's cool.
I saw them when I was 12 and they did 2 encores and we're simply wonderful!