The Riddle (song)

Infobox Single
Name = The Riddle


Artist = Five for Fighting
from Album = Two Lights (album)
Released = 2006
Format = Standard
Recorded = 2006
Genre = Pop/Rock
Length = 3:48
Label = Aware / Columbia Records
Writer = John Ondrasik
Producer = Curt Schneider
Chart position =
Reviews =
Last single = "If God Made You"
This single = The Riddle
Next single = "World"
(2006)

"The Riddle" was the first single from American singer/songwriter Five for Fighting's album "Two Lights". John Ondrasik has stated that it was the hardest to write of any of his songs, taking 18 months to write. By the end, he had over 100 drafts before he came up with the final version. Although it began as a song on the meaning of life, it later evolved into a song about the love between a father and his son, inspired by his relationship with his own five-year-old son.

Chart Performance

"The Riddle" peaked at #40 on the Billboard Hot 100 during an 18-week chart stay. On the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart, the song reached #4.

Music Video

In July 2006, a music video was released to accompany the single, directed by Vem (also credited for directing the videos for O.A.R.'s "Love and Memories" and The Click Five's "Just the Girl").

The video features Five for Fighting's frontman John Ondrasik allowing his imagination to run wild, when he finds a crayon in the sand while waiting for a tow truck to collect his overheated '65 Mustang. Hastily he scribbles a piano to perform the ballad, and then draws and colors out all sorts of various distractons, including buzzards, rainclouds and jet fighters.