Yeshuwa Reviews: “Higher” By: Creed

Creed - Higher Album Cover — Creed – “Higher” Album Cover

With September, which brought in the fall equinox, behind us, it’s safe to say it’s officially Autumn in October! When I was adventuring in the woods with my friend we noticed that the leaves have already started to change in color. I’ve also made it to Wegmans to pick up some pumpkin themed sugar cookies. I happened to stumble across this song just before I started writing my review, so I felt like I needed to follow the vibe; I also found some inspirational interviews from this band!

“When dreaming I’m guided to another world
Time and time again
At sunrise I fight to stay asleep
‘Cause I don’t wanna leave the comfort of this place”

This 90s rock ballad is one I know most of you will remember. Sometimes I get into the mood of some good 90s rock. I’ve always been a big fan of going to, and performing at, music festivals. There was yet to be a more monumental music festival than Woodstock in 1969. Well, thirty years later, in 1999, there was a sequel to the famous Woodstock music festival called Woodstock ‘99. When I was doing research on the song I found an interview from Woodstock ‘99 with a budding band named Creed alongside Robby Krieger, the guitarist of another band, The Doors. At the time, Creed was working on their second studio album, called “Human Clay”, that they were hoping would do well. Little did they know that album would go on to sell 11.5 million copies, achieving diamond status, and be the album that would launch their music career. This album would also feature one of their biggest hit songs on it called “Higher”.

“So let’s go there
Let’s make our escape”

Since Creed’s first album, “My Own Prison”, had songs that made spiritual references, they had already started getting called a “Christian Rock Band” by some listeners. The interviewer at the ‘99 Woodstock interview asked them about the validity of the statement. Scott Stapp, the band’s lead singer, said: “I think they just didn’t know what to make of us because of some of the lyrical topics that I spoke about. I touched on issues that I didn’t feel anyone else was writing about [so] this is one of the ways I could be original. Spirituality is something I’m involved with and something I’m mystified by and it’s something that I seek, and I do a lot of that in my lyrics.” Which was a beautifully worded response to the interviewer.

“The only difference is
To let love replace all our hate”

The follow-up question by the interviewer mentioned that the band being at Woodstock ‘99 alongside bands like Metallica and Limp Bizkit seemed like they were the “altar-boys” of the festival since their lyrics aren’t about violence and harmful substances. To which Stapp had another great response: “There are more important things to talk about. Think about what the first Woodstock was about; it was a voice for a generation. A bunch of young people who wanted change, and it was against violence, and it was promoting love, and against war. They wanted change in their government and they used music as their voice. Well, I was really dissatisfied with music at the time that we came out. I wanted to write and be involved in something that had something to say and was very passionate and could maybe stimulate some change… Music with substance is much more important to me than music with no meaning… We don’t want to hold our generation short, like they don’t know how to think anymore or they don’t think that they’re empowered to make change, because they are. They just don’t have a voice. Music is no longer a voice for these people. Hopefully we can help point that in a different direction.”

“Come on, let’s go there
Let’s ask can we stay?”

Becoming the biggest rock bands in North America is one way to make that change happen; inspiring millions of people and bands to this day. The band changed a few of it’s members and separated in 2004 to reunite in 2009 until 2012. Stapp attributes the band’s change of minds and members to differing egos and priorities. Stapp even had his own battles with addiction, mental health disorders, and having his down-spiral publicized. Since his recovery he has built a family with his wife and four children. When reflecting on his past Stapp said: “One thing that’s great is God can take our messes and turn them into a message. He can take our pain and give it purpose.” Which is a way that he has found he is able to connect with people and fans who have experienced traumas like his in a passionate and empathetic way and be able to help them with his first hand experiences.

“Up high I feel like I’m alive for the very first time
Set up high I’m strong enough to take these dreams
And make them mine”

One last quote by Scott Stapp that I found interesting was from a 2013 interview with Songfacts. He was explaining the opening line of “Higher”: “I open it up: ‘When dreaming, I’m guided to another world, time and time again.’ So I was basically commenting on my dream and writing my thoughts about what I was dreaming about. And it was on various levels. It was a literal dream, but it was also in my dreams as a human being at that stage in my life and where I was in my life at that time. I wanted the world, so to speak. I wanted to achieve every dream that I ever had. And also I had that idealistic view of wanting to create heaven on Earth. At the time I penned that song, my view of what heaven on Earth meant was very narrow, very naïve, and very wrapped up in ego and selffulfillment. I didn’t really expound on that, but I can comment on that now. And it’s also, ‘Be careful what you wish for, because your prayers might get answered.'” Which I found ironic to his previous statement in the Woodstock ‘99 interview where he said he wanted to change the direction of music and become a voice for the people. His idea of creating his dream meant he had to experience certain things in order to fully fulfill his dream, and maybe even create his true Heaven on Earth with his family and helping move people through his music. After the separation of the band Stapp even released his own solo album called “The Space Between The Shadows”.

“Can you take me higher?
To a place where blind men see
Can you take me higher?
To a place with golden streets”

Word has it that Creed has just announced in July of 2023 that we should expect a 2024 reunion as they’ll be the headlining band for the Summer of ‘99 cruise. The performance had an immediate sell out of Week 1 so they made a Week 2 cruise too. Hey, just maybe you and I can score some tickets so we can ask each other “Can you take me higher?”

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