Flashback Friday: Linkin Park ‘Numb’

We take it back to the turn of the century for this B101.7 Flashback Friday! The spotlight is on Linkin Park and their hit, "Numb."

A contributor to Song Facts has a solid interpretation on the song's meaning:

This is about children who is sick of living up to the high expectations their parents set for them.
The lyric "Every step that I take is another mistake to you" is about how they feel like they can't do anything to make their parents proud.

 

"Can't you see that you're smothering me holding too tightly afraid to lose control cause everything that you thought I would be has fallen apart right in front of you" refers to a kid needing a release from his parents' disappointment that he isn't a perfect child.

 

"All I want to do is be more like me and be less like you" says that the kid wants to be his own person and not have his parents mold him anymore.

 

"But i know I may end up failing too but I know you were just like me with someone disappointed in you" expresses the thoughts that parents need to realize what it was like to be a kid.  (thanks, Kim - Rio Rancho, NM)

Released in the fall of 2003, "Numb" would knock on the door of the Billboard Hot 100 in February of 2004, when it peaked at #11. It would find itself on the atop of the Modern Rock chart for three weeks.

See the music video below.

Linkin Park "Numb"

Listen for the B101.7 Flashback Friday Spotlight every Friday after 5pm with Greg Thomas. Every weekend, join Louie Linguini for the Saturday Night Party loaded with your favorite flashback party songs!