A court is in session, a verdict is in
No appeal on the docket today
Just my own sin
The walls are cold and pale
The cage made of steel
Screams fill the room
Alone I drop and kneel
Silence now the sound
My breath the only motion around
Demons cluttering around
My face showing no emotion
Shackled by my sentence
Expecting no return
Here there is no penance
My skin begins to burn

(And I said oh) So I held my head up high
Hiding hate that burns inside
Which only fuels their selfish pride
(And I said oh) We're held captive
Out from the sun
A sun that shines on only some
We the meek are all in one

I hear a thunder in the distance
See a vision of a cross
I feel the pain that was given
On that sad day of loss
A lion roars in the darkness
Only he holds the key
A light to free me from my burden
And grant me life eternally

Should have been dead
On a Sunday morning
Banging my head
No time for mourning
Ain't got no time

Should have been dead
On a Sunday morning
Banging my head
No time for mourning
Ain't got no time

(And I said oh) So I held my head up high
Hiding hate that burns inside
Which only fuels their selfish pride
(And I said oh) We're held captive
Out from the sun
A sun that shines on only some
We the meek are all in one

I cry out to God
Seeking only his decision
Gabriel stands and confirms
I've created my own prison
I cry out to God
Seeking only his decision
Gabriel stands and confirms
I've created my own prison

(And I said oh) So I held my head up high
Hiding hate that burns inside
Which only fuels their selfish pride
(And I said oh) We're held captive
Out from the sun
A sun that shines on only some
We the meek are all in one

(And I said oh) So I held my head up high
Hiding hate that burns inside
Which only fuels their selfish pride
(And I said oh) We're held captive
Out from the sun
A sun that shines on only some
We the meek are all in one

Should've been dead on a Sunday morning
banging my head
No time for mourning
Ain't got no time



Lyrics submitted by kevin

Track duration: 04:58

"My Own Prison" as written by Mark Tremonti, Scott Stapp

Lyrics © Chrysalis One Music

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


My Own Prison song meanings
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71 Comments

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  • 0
    Song Meaning:The song is obviously about Judgment Day. Everyone gets his judgment day when they die, so the song is a flash forward to the death moment of the singer. The singer feels he had lead a sinful life and the coming sentence should be unfavorable to him, hence he expects no return from the nearby hell, which begins to burn his skin and from which demons clutter around.
    Nevertheless there is hope for redemption, obviously by grace and not merit in his case, through the cross and the lion (of Judah or Jesus) who holds the key to free him from his burden and give him life eternally.
    Flag diverpuaon April 19, 2013   Link
  • +1
    Song Meaning:A court is in session, a verdict is in
    No appeal on the docket today
    Just my own sin

    Here he is just telling us that this song is about his sin, not to be confused with an actual court appeal


    The walls are cold and pale
    The cage made of steel
    Screams fill the room
    Alone I drop and kneel
    Silence now the sound
    My breath the only motion around
    Demons cluttering around
    My face showing no emotion
    Shackled by my sentence
    Expecting no return
    Here there is no penance
    My skin begins to burn

    My Own Prison is captured here, his emotional state for the sin he has commited. He feels trapped, isolated, damned, guilt is eating him alive.

    (And I said oh) So I held my head up high
    Hiding hate that burns inside
    Which only fuels their selfish pride
    (And I said oh) We're held captive
    Out from the sun
    A sun that shines on only some
    We the meek are all in one

    He's trying to think positive here, but hides his true feelings he has inside from people he knows that would love to see him in a negative state.
    The captive out from the sun part.....He's saying that we do bad things in life, and some just don't.


    I hear a thunder in the distance
    See a vision of a cross
    I feel the pain that was given
    On that sad day of loss
    A lion roars in the darkness
    Only he holds the key
    A light to free me from my burden
    And grant me life eternally

    Here he is telling us that he found his religion again and it's the answer for him

    Should have been dead
    On a Sunday morning
    Banging my head
    No time for mourning
    Ain't got no time

    He did something here that he really regretted doing, and then after he feels that he is not going to dwell on his mistakes and move on with his life.


    I cry out to God
    Seeking only his decision
    Gabriel stands and confirms
    I've created my own prison
    I cry out to God
    Seeking only his decision
    Gabriel stands and confirms
    I've created my own prison

    He is looking for direction here, and turns to his religious beliefs
    Flagged Sero9999on January 18, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:my favorite lyric to this song the lion roars in the darkness only he holds the key the light to free me from my burdon and grant me life eternity meaning as you all know god is the lion and he holds the key to his realease and the light which is jesus christ is there to free him from his wrong doings
    Flag kiraryon June 21, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:Creed is mostly a christian band. so the song is religious.
    its what is referred to as judgement day.
    Flag ChesleaCatastrophe1994on July 30, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:the "should have been dead on a Sunday morning" definitely holds half of the songs meaning in my opinion.
    Flag jmacks434on May 21, 2010   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:not that this hasn't been said before, but created my own prison means chose a wrong path which now i suffer the consequences of my choice. whether the choice was drugs, marriage etc.
    Flag MetalBlood666on February 28, 2010   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:Doesn't matter what state of mind he wrote the song in, the song clearly has too many spiritual undertones to ignore. It is about man suffering through the pain of the worldly existence and putting himself open to judgement all the time - be it by others or by himself. The reference to a court where verdicts are passed without appeal clearly talk of such judgemental patterns which subdue a person and put him through suffering.

    "so i held my head up high. hiding hate that burns inside that only fuels their selfish pride" talks about how one has to swallow the pain just so the ones who brought this upon him do not feel vindicated.

    In the second verse he talks about hope to emerge from all of this - vision of a cross, thunder in the distance, lion roar in the darkness - they are all metaphors of hope in dark times. Eventually, in the last verse, he submits himself to "god seeking only his decision" and admits that he has created this prison for himself and cannot blame others for it.

    It is a truly wonderful song.
    Flag satwikon February 03, 2010   Link
  • +3
    My Interpretation:Anyone who thinks this song has nothing to do with religion and only his 'shroom OD, doesn't understand the lyrics, or the Holy Bible as it uses symbolisim over and over, let me break it down for you.

    A court is in session today, a verdict is in, no appeal on the docket today, just my own sin. Judgment day - On Judgment Day you cannot atone for you sins, it's over, it's done. You can't say I'll do etter, the day of judgment is upon you and you're done.

    The walls cold and pale, the cage made of steel, screams fill the room, alone I drop and kneel. When you realize your sins, you repent. Many times you do this alone, your feelings overwhelm you and you may feel trapped, you cry and shout to the Lord and on your knees you cry, asking for forgiveness.

    Silence now the sound, my breath the only motion around, demons cluttering around, my face showing no emotion. He's done crying, shouting, asking for remission of his sins, and his demons still haunt him, all he can do is sit still showing no emotion.

    Shackeled by my sentence, expecting no return, here there is no penance, my skin begins to burn. A euphemism of Hell, not that hard to figure out.

    So I hold my head up high, hiding hate that burns inside, which only fuels selfish pride, we're all held captive out from the sun, a sun that shines on only some, we the meek are all in one. Speaking of Jesus, who is the Light of the World, who only some accept. Only some receive the light, have you not heard the meek shall inherit the earth? They are all in one, because they are all one body of Christ.

    I hear a thunder in the distance, see a vision of the cross, I feel the pain that was given, on that sad day of loss. The crucifixion, plain and simple. The day Christ died, the skies were darkened with clouds and thunder was all about them. The pain the LORD Jesus felt when He died is unimaginable, as doctors say crucifixion is the worst form of torture and death the world has ever known. This was a sad day of loss.

    A lion roars in the distace, only he holds the key, a light to free me from my burden and gratn me life eternally - Jesus has been prtorayed as the Lion and the Lamb. Here he is talking about how the lion (the LORD Jesus) is the only one that can give him eternal life, forgive him for all his sins (free him from his burden) and give him life eternal.

    On a Sunday morning banging my head, not time for mourning, ain't got no time. Of course this probably refers to the fact he OD'd, but he didn't die, he should have been dead but wasn't God didn't let this happen, God let him live so, there is no time now for mourning, get over it, and move on.

    I cry out to God seeking only His decison, Gabrile stands and confirms, I've created my own prison. He calls to God, seeking first the Kingdom of Heaven, as Jesus asks, looking only for God's will (seeking his decision) and not that of his own will. Gabriel is used a lot as a messenger of God, and was sent to let him know he did create his own hell. Not to say you can't get out of that personal hell here on earth.
    Flag Skydawgon November 07, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:goin to hell...for sure
    Flag peachavanon May 13, 2009   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:As far as I can tell, this song is about going to hell

    "a court is in session, a verdict is in
    no appeal on the docket today
    just my own sin"
    Narrator being judged by God

    "the walls are cold and pale
    the cage made of steel
    screams fill the room
    alone i drop and kneel
    silence now the sound
    my breath the only motion around
    demons cluttering around
    my face showing no emotion
    shackled by my sentence
    expecting no return
    here there is no penance
    my skin begins to burn"
    Describing Hell

    "i cry out to god seeking only his decision
    gabriel stands and confirms
    ive created my own prison"
    Gabriel(The messenger of God) tells him that what happened was his own fault.

    Yes, I missed some spots, but it's hard to interpret songs like this.
    Flag Fauschon March 09, 2009   Link

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