Scars - Acoustic Version

Papa Roach lead singer Jacoby Shaddix says that this is one of the most revealing songs he's written. Shaddix has always been prone to alcoholism and self-destruction, and this song finds him addressing his wife, Kelly, who he married in 1997. Throughout their marriage, he has fought his demons, which have wreaked havoc in their relationship. They always get through it, but sometimes he feels that he needs to move on, for her sake as well as his. Pouring your heart out like this is not easy for a songwriter, but for Shaddix it's an essential part of his healing process, and it's also how he connects with the fans. In our 2015 interview, he explained: "The more we dig deep and the more I reveal about what I'm really going through in my life, the deeper the connection is with our fans. And 'Scars' is one of those songs."

The song deals with getting tired of trying to fix everyone else's problems, but having a hard time because you care so much. You can't stop caring, so you tear yourself open for the people you care about, and then heal to get ready for the next time you have to do it. And then, at one point you still care, but you just can't do it anymore. You have to tell them, "You fix yourself," and that is the hardest part.

The first version of the video was directed by Steve Murashige and leaned heavily on computer generated effects and compositing. This clip proved a little too "artistic," so another video was made, this time eschewing effects for acting, with performance footage of the band intercut with Shaddix acting out scenes of domestic disturbance with the actress Taylor Cole, who at the time was on the TV series Summerland. She later appeared on the shows CSI: Miami and Heroes.