2000Released
3:19

Did You Know?

Interesting facts and trivia about Last Resort. By Songfacts®.

This song is about suicide. It takes the perspective of someone who feels frustrated and confused to the point that ending it all seems like a valid option. In our interview with Tobin Esperance of Papa Roach, he told us that "Last Resort" was so popular because the meaning of the track struck a note with fans: "I think the lyrics had a lot to do with it. Because originally the song was about a friend of ours that we grew up with, and he was going through a rough time in his life. And there was that suicide element to it, just like growing up and the struggles of life and questioning whether or not you want to keep going on, and I think a lot of people connected with that. For the kids who had also gone through those kinds of feelings, those kinds of emotions, the lyrics really helped connect with that song."

This was the first major-label release for Papa Roach; they recorded for an independent label for five years before signing with Dreamworks. Esperance says the band did not expect "Last Resort" to be as big as it was: "No one ever thought it was going to be a huge, huge hit, but I guess you never expect anything, really, when you're first starting out."

In a 2015 Songfacts interview with Papa Roach lead singer Jacoby Shaddix, he described this song as a "cry for help." It was written for a good friend of the band, but the song took on new meaning when Shaddix fell into despair in 2012; he began drinking heavily and separated from his wife, Kelly. Said Shaddix, "I found myself in that place, where I was like, 'I can't go on this way. I can't do it anymore.'" Jacoby was able to pull himself together and return to his family (he and Kelly have two sons). "Last Resort," a song that helped many people express their darkest thoughts and find a way to overcome their struggles, helped him as well. "That song is timeless and it connects with who we are today and what we do today in a major way," he said.

Song Analysis

Key, BPM (tempo) and time signature of Last Resort.
EKey
MinorMode
4/4Time Signature
91BPM

Album

The album Last Resort is released on.

Released By

The record label that has released Last Resort.
Universal Music Group
© 2000 SKG Music L.L.C.
℗ 2000 SKG Music L.L.C.

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