Alive (P.O.D. song)

Infobox Single
Name = Alive


Artist = P.O.D.
from Album = Satellite
B-side =
Released = August 2001 (rock radio) October 2001 (pop radio)
Format = CD single
Recorded = 2001 at Bay 7 in Valley Village, California and Sparky Dark in Calabasas, California
Genre = Nu metal
Christian metal
Length = 3:23
Label = Atlantic
Writer = P.O.D.
Producer = Howard Benson
P.O.D.
Certification =
Chart position =
Last single = "School of Hard Knocks" (2000)
This single = "Alive" (2001)
Next single = "Youth of the Nation" (2002)

"Alive" is the lead single off P.O.D.'s second major label studio album "Satellite". It is arguably the band's most popular song and serves as an anthem of celebrating life. The "Alive" CD single was first released in 2001 and then again in 2002 with alternative cover art and tracks. A semi-acoustic remix was included as a bonus track on the special edition re-release of "Satellite" available August 27, 2002.

With its high sung, doubletracked chorus, "Alive" is regarded as one of the band's most uplifting songs. The song debuted just prior to the September 11, 2001 attacks and benefited by offering a positive message during hard times. [Weiss, Neal [http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/12049226 "Singles By P.O.D., Dave Matthews, Others Affected By Terrorist Attacks?"] Yahoo! Music (September 17, 2001). Retrieved on April 6, 2008.] As such, "Alive" went on to become one of MTV's and MTV2's most played videos of 2001 and became a huge pop hit. Guitarist Marcos Curiel mentioned the song's relevance in a 2008 interview: "There’s just way too much negativity going on in our everyday lives. When you can hear something that’s going to uplift you like 'Alive' or something that’s going to bring out knowledge like 'Youth of the Nation,' we’ve done our jobs as an artist. We’re trying to be relevant with the people." [Blatt, Mitchell [http://juicedsportsblog.com/2008/03/marcos-curiel-interview.html "P.O.D. Interview: Back Together, New Album in April"] JuicedSportsBlog.com (2008). Retrieved on April 5, 2008.]

Vocalist Sonny Sandoval stated, "We didn't have a name for it, but we were calling it 'Beautiful' because it made us feel beautiful. And that drove the direction of the lyrical content, because we wanted people to go, 'Hey, this makes me feel good.' We recorded the chorus I don't know how many times, because it was like, 'Let's take it up a notch. Let's take it higher.'" [ [http://hk.breathecast.com/Christian.Music.Artist/profile.htm?id=244 P.O.D. Profile] BreatheCast.com. Retrieved on April 6, 2008.]

Appearances

"Alive" has appeared in films such as "Wasted" and "How to Make a Monster". It also served as the theme song to the WWE Desire video for The Rock. [ [http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/wwf/wwfother.htm Wrestling Information Archive - Other WWF Information ] ]

The song as well as "Boom" have both been used by ESPN and other sporting events.

"Alive" has been included on compilation albums such as "100% Hits: The Very Best of 2002", "Wired-up", and "Triple M's New Stuff Vol. 3".

Music video

Directed by Francis Lawrence with special effects by Pixel Envy, the "Alive" video made its television debut on August 20, 2001. It boasts a massive car wreck filmed under a freeway intersection in the San Fernando Valley in the summer of 2001. Lawrence had conceived the idea years prior but was unsuccessful in pitching it to bands. Upon filming "Alive," Lawrence stated "I'm so glad I didn't get those jobs, because this was so perfect." His idea developed further upon shooting the video by focusing on a wild day in the life of a teenager. Lawrence elaborate::"I've done emotional videos before, but having kid stuff like — surfing, skating, making out — plus the visual punch of the car accident. It packs it all."Lawrence also modified scenes from his original concept; the boy is shown emerging from the demolished car unscathed rather than not appearing at all, and he makes out with his girlfriend in a train tunnel rather than implying sex in a bedroom as Lawrence previously envisioned. All of the effects and work behind "Alive" were detailed in a retrospective MTV article in August 2002. [Moss, Corey and Wiederhorn, Jon [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1457092/20020819/pod.jhtml "VMA Lens Rec
] MTV.com (August 20, 2002). Retrieved on June 19, 2008.] [Rosen, Craig [http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/12045131 "P.O.D. Warriors Are 'Alive' In Force For Video Clip"] Yahoo! Music (August 30, 2001). Retrieved on April 5, 2008.]

While it did not win any, "Alive" was one of the most nominated videos at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards ceremony. However, it did win two other awards in addition to the five VMA nominations. The video was also #2 on [http://tvulive.com/50bestvideos.htm TVU's 50 Best Videos of All Time] list.

Performances

When the song became the #1 most requested video on "TRL" in September 2001, rather than simply having the video aired, P.O.D. performed a live, hour long set at Battery Park. This was despite Sandoval's battling a severe cold. [Wiederhorn, Jon [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1448691/20010906/pod.jhtml "P.O.D. Set New York Alive With Free VMA Show"] MTV.com (September 6, 2001). Retrieved on April 6, 2008.]

The song was performed on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" on October 5, 2001. It was originally planned for the prior month but rescheduled due to the September 11 attacks. [ [http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/news/September01.asp Music News Archive - Thursday, September 27th, 2001] JesusFreakHideout.com (September 27, 2001). Retrieved on April 6, 2008.]

Not including encores, "Alive" typically ends P.O.D.'s concert setlist. [ [http://www.epinions.com/content_4205748356 "P.O.D. / Blindside / Lacuna Coil / Hazen ST. May 4th, 2004"] Epinions.com (January 3, 2005). Retrieved on April 6, 2008.]

Track listing

1st edition

# Alive
# Lie Down (Demo)
# Sabbath*

* - Bonus track

2nd edition

# Alive (Album version)
# School of Hard Knocks (Non-LP)
# Lie Down (Demo-non-LP)
# Alive (Video)

Charts

Awards

2001 San Diego Music Awards

* Song of the Year

2002 MTV Video Music Awards

* Video of the Year (nomination)
* Best Group Video (nomination)
* Best Direction in a Video - Francis Lawrence (nomination)
* Best Special Effects in a Video - Pixel Envy (nomination)
* Viewer's Choice (nomination)

2002 MVPA Awards

* Rock Video of the Year

References