Given Up

About this song

"Given Up" is from Linkin Park's third studio album, Minutes to Midnight. Its famous seventeen-second scream before the final chorus was unplanned: Chester Bennington held the note as long as he could because he didn't know how many measures the bridge lasted, and Mike Shinoda rearranged the song around it. Bennington wrote the lyrics himself shortly after returning from rehab, which followed an intervention by his bandmates.

What it's about

The song captures frustration and hopelessness, with the narrator waking up stressed and trapped in negative thoughts with no clear way out. Its chorus questions why the narrator feels this way, reflecting confusion about one's own emotions.

Fun facts

• Sampled in 1 other song, like “Rage by Alex Infinity”.
• Covered 4 times, including “Given Up by Halocene”.
• Written by Dave Farrell, Mr. Hahn, Rob Bourdon, Brad Delson, Mike Shinoda and Chester Bennington.
• Produced by Mike Shinoda and Rick Rubin.
• Recorded at The Mansion (Laurel Canyon.