Disturbed’s “Stricken” taps into the raw emotions of someone deeply affected by another person’s actions and presence. The song revolves around the anguish and despair of someone who feels trapped and powerless, haunted by the memory of a toxic relationship or encounter. The lyricist paints a picture of a person who’s been wounded, both mentally and emotionally, struggling to move forward. The continuous mentions of being “stricken” and unable to “let go” emphasize the past’s tormenting hold on the protagonist. The song isn’t just about pain; it’s a shout into the void, grappling with memories that won’t fade away.
Through this song, Disturbed offers listeners a mirror to their own struggles, reminding them they’re not alone. Let’s see how.
“Stricken” Lyrics Meaning
The opening lines, “You walk on like a woman in suffering,” suggest the other party’s indifference or unawareness of the pain they inflict. They walk ahead, never looking back, leaving trails of damage.
“Leaving me broken another time” indicates repeated emotional hurt, a cycle of pain that keeps occurring. It’s like a storm that never seems to pass.
The verse, “You come on like a bloodstained hurricane” offers a vivid image. The person is not just disruptive; they’re destructive. And like a hurricane, their impact is vast and leaves nothing untouched.
“You carry on like a holy man pushing redemption” hints at a person who might be portraying themselves as the ‘good guy’, maybe even trying to offer solutions, but in reality, they are the problem.
The chorus, “That I am stricken and can’t let you go” emphasizes the depth of emotional turmoil. It’s a paradox: the protagonist is deeply hurt but also unable to detach from the source of their pain.
“You don’t know what your power has done to me” and “My very soul has to bleed this time” reflect profound emotional scars. It’s not just surface-level hurt; it’s a wound that has reached the soul.
“Into the abyss will I run” captures the idea of feeling lost or succumbing to overwhelming emotions. It’s a dark place, and the protagonist acknowledges that they might get consumed by it.
Towards the end, the repetition of “I can’t let you go” solidifies the central conflict: the struggle to move past the pain. Even as the song comes to a close, the protagonist remains ‘stricken,’ indicating that the resolution might still be far off.
The Story Behind “Stricken”
Like many bands, Disturbed has a knack for channeling personal experiences and raw emotions into their songs, creating music that resonates with audiences worldwide.
David Draiman, the lead vocalist of Disturbed, has been known for his candidness about personal struggles, relationships, and the battles within. While he has never pinpointed a specific event that led to the creation of “Stricken,” one can infer that the song might have sprung from the depths of a particularly challenging phase in his life.
Music often serves as therapy for artists. Writing about trauma, heartbreak, and the labyrinth of emotions humans grapple with helps them process these feelings and heal. “Stricken” can be seen in this light: as a cathartic outpouring of the soul, a therapeutic medium through which Draiman could channel the emotional turbulence he felt.
The continuous emphasis on feeling trapped, unable to move forward, and the sheer power another person can hold over our emotions, suggests deep introspection. It’s likely that, during the song’s inception, the writer was grappling with a powerful inner conflict, trying to make sense of the pain and, perhaps, seeking closure.
Furthermore, the intense imagery and metaphors used in the song hint at a state of heightened emotional distress. It’s a reflection of the internal storm, the chaotic jumble of feelings one goes through after a deep emotional blow.