Surfacing

Slipknot drummer Chris Fehn (#3) told Songfacts about "Surfacing": "It basically encompasses everything. Kind of encompasses the attitude of the band and the attitude of how we feel about life: Don't judge me. Everything that you think that you know about the world, and about Slipknot, and about your own life, might not be the case. So I think it's just openmindedness and just be cool."

This song was partly inspired by the first trip the band took to Los Angeles, where they started work on their self-titled album in 1998. They're from Des Moines, Iowa, which was a novelty to the West Coasters, and some of them seemed really stuck up. Slipknot was happy to let them know how crazy the Midwest is.

Slipknot bassist Paul Gray, a founding member who died unexpectedly in 2010, explained the meaning behind the chorus: "Basically, we dedicate it to the kids as their new national anthem. It's our way of saying don't worry about everybody else. Just worry about yourself. Don't worry about the people judging and the people coming down on you and all the fake crap. Stick to what you believe in."