Blind (Korn song)

"Blind"
Song

"Blind" is a song written and recorded by American rock band Korn for their self-titled debut album. It was released as the album's first single in 1995.

Concept

"It's just this monster riff, and lyrically it's about me feeling that I'm blind to people taking advantage of me, blind to my depression, just blind to everything." – Jonathan Davis

Music and structure

It is one of the songs Jonathan Davis has written with his former bandmate from Sexart, guitarist Ryan Shuck. The fact that Korn has used this song on the album without crediting Shuck almost led to a case in court, but Shuck was later credited on the Greatest Hits Vol.1 compilation album when the song was used on that record.

The coda bears a strong resemblance to Cypress Hill's "I Ain't Goin' Out Like That", released a year earlier in 1993.

Chart performance

"Blind" charted on the Canadian alternative rock chart, RPM Alternative 30, in November 1995.

Chart (1995)	Peak position
Canadian RPM Alternative 30	22

Live performance

The song was used as the opening for all of Korn's shows, up until the release of Issues, where the single "Falling Away from Me" was used to open. However, "Blind" was used for the encore.

Music video

The music video is very similar to that of its succeeding single, "Shoots and Ladders". Korn is seen performing in front of an energetic crowd in a small stage room. A large "Korn" flag can be seen on the back of the stage. There are also clips of the band hanging out. The video saw a release in January 1995.

Demo version

The first version of this song had been recorded on the band's demo tape entitled Neidermeyer's Mind, released in 1993. There is a slight difference between these versions, as the primal version had a more heavy-metal atmosphere, and the version that appeared on band's debut album featured a hip-hop stylized bridge. The introduction is much like Primus' song "Too Many Puppies", and the following main (heavy) riff is more or less similar to Fear Factory's "Scapegoat".

Accolades

The song has gained major acclaim in the press.

Q magazine

100 Songs That Changed The World (January 2003): 88. - Korn - Blind

100 Greatest Guitar Tracks Ever! (March 2005): 94. - Korn - Blind

Kerrang!

666 Songs You Must Own (contemporary metal): 2. - Korn - Blind

100 Greatest Singles Of All Time (December 14, 2002): 10. - Korn - Blind

Appearances in media

The music video was featured in an episode of Beavis and Butt-head. The song itself was used as the ending theme for the U.S. release of Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie, as well as in the 2000 film Charlie's Angels, directed by Joseph McGinty Nichol, who has directed several Korn videos. It is also briefly used in Bill Nye the Science Guy episode on Volcanoes. This song was also featured in the 2k Sports video game NHL 2k8.