Song Review: "Torn" from Creed's First Album My Own Prison

The first song on Creed's first album My Own Prison, "Torn," begins with a single mesmerizing guitar riff. The notes are played by a clean electric guitar, and the riff has a quality of repetition, and meditation. Everything is crystal clear, including the cymbals and the bass guitar line, which can easily be distinguished by ear. Scott Stapp's smooth baritone voice enters, singing:

Peace is what they tell me

Love am I unholy?

"Peace is what they tell me," surely refers to the preaching that Scott has heard both in church and at home from his Pentecostal parents. This is the spiritual peace of knowing Christ. In Philippians 4:7 the apostle Paul writes "Be anxious for nothing, ... and the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Paul also writes in Romans 5:1, "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

But there is some doubt in Scott's mind about peace, because he says this is "what they tell me," not something he himself believes or tells himself. Also, he sees himself as unholy. This is different from the Bible's teaching that a person is forgiven through confession and grace. Scott's voice is screaming the words now, and quite a lot of distortion is added to the electric guitar.

Lies are what they tell me

Despise you that control me

Scott basically says now that religion as an institution is attempting to control his life. He suggests that religion is a tool of mind control (lies) and behavior control (you that control me).

The peace is dead in my soul I have blamed

The reasons for my intentions poor.

Yes I'm the one who, the only one who would carry on this far.