Linkin Park "Fighting Myself" Official Lyrics & Meaning | Verified 

Shinoda's a genius.

Linkin Park. In 2023. On Genius. WHAT?

This is the closest to a live version we are going to get

Linkin Park will always be one of my favorite bands growing up

Please do more Linkin Park. Hearing Mike speak on this stuff is like listening a scientist do research and explain it. So methodical, technical and logically correct. So smart, and he knows everything he’s singing about

to think this was away for 20 years like damn.. they never miss. Lyrically they always deliver 110%

Mike and Chester were the best combination in the music world (for me as a fan). I can't explain what I feel in those last moments of Fighting Myself when they sing together. It's a mix of emotions, I get goosebumps every time I hear it. I miss LP so much ❤

“I can’t see cause I’m focused on the past” this line alone is super powerful, dwelling on past mistakes can get really dark

Mike's ability to give voice to Chester's voice in his verses is brilliant. Not many vocalists have ever been able to collaborate so effectively. I've always struggled with mental health issues and I've been dealing with medical issues the last few months, and I've been listening to this song almost every day. Sometimes music isn't about making you feel better, it's about making you feel heard and understood. This song, like lots of Linkin Park songs, makes me feel heard and understood. Such a brilliant song that holds up so well, even 20 years later.

I immediately knew this was my favorite track from the "new" stuff before even the first chorus came on. It hits so hard

best band to ever exist

Mike Shinoda is a gift to music and to humankind

Shinoda is so down to earth man.

This song has been the of the biggest things to save me form self harm. Thank you everyone in Linkin Park! RIP Chester. You saved me! 💙

Now watch closely kids, this is a REAL musician.

The fact they made this 20 years ago and it sounds like it could be released today is amazing

Even though Chester's gone, he lives through the songs like he never left and I miss him. LOST is by far my favorite right now and FIGHTING MYSELF is my go to song when I want to jam I love LINKIN PARK Thank you sooo much❤❤❤❤

Even without base or music at all, Mike just rocks it out of the park, this man is a national treasure

To think a song that was just sitting there for 20 yrs is still much better than many songs that are released today is astounding. Linkin Park never disappoints. RIP Chester truly a legend 🙏🏻

seeing mike on here without chester makes me want to cry 😢

Solidarity is the word I’ve used to describe Linkin Park for the longest time, and this Genius dissection from Mike Shinoda shows why: there’s an emotional intelligence in Linkin Park’s music. Beyond that, they include holding yourself accountable, and personal responsibility in their lyrics. That’s important whether it’s, “Fighting Myself,” off Meteora or, “Heavy,” off One More Light. There’s no finger pointing. Mike explained that he’s not writing about himself or Chester sometimes, and that he was observing other people he knew and their relationships, and then found the through line between those people or relationships. Sometimes that can be really zoomed out like how we, as a society, treat certain types of people (that’s what, ‘Burn It Down,’ is about, in part). Some of, “Burn It Down,” is about how we treat certain public figures or celebrities in a disposable way as they inevitably make mistakes, or over their old, ‘dirty laundry,’ and that we build them up only to tear them down. It’s also about how they saw the face change from President Bush to President Obama, yet President Obama was doing some of the very things they’d criticized Bush for. Hence that’s the line, “The cycle repeated as explosions broke in the sky.” And, the lyrics don’t solely fall on his or Chester’s shoulders. Dave aka ‘Phoenix’ (their bass player) is almost the in group philosopher and counselor. He’s actually got his bachelors degree in something related to giving sermons if I’m not mistaken. They’re quite the melting pot in that respect: Dave is very loosely Christian, Mike is Agnostic, Brad is Jewish. Shoot, 1/3 of the band is Asian. They’ve all got very unique perspectives that also overlap (they’re an excellent Venn Diagram). Brad has always helped with lyrics as well. He’s very analytical, and can get very bird’s eye. Mike asked for Brad’s input for the Fort Minor record for a reason. You can watch Brad doing that on the LPTV episode where they’re working on, ‘Until It’s Gone,’ off of The Hunting Party. Brad noticed Chester had started to get a little too poetic and flowery with his language, and it’d made the song deviate from the topic a little too far. He more or less said, “What you wrote sounds good, but it’s losing the original meaning… so what if instead the lyric was, “A fire needs a space to burn, a breath to build a glow. And I could finally see your light when I let go?” All of the guys are very emotionally intelligent, and they all bring something to the table. Also, as Rick Rubin aptly put it, “Linkin Park is a group of producers who work like a hip hop production team with an in group leader, and that being Mike Shinoda.” That’s to say all of them are capable with production to some extent. That’s important for getting, ‘seeds,’ or effective sketches of ideas, or variations on an existing idea everyone had been enjoying. So what Mike’s doing looking to external relationships, and looking for the through line? Any line of work benefits from that type of thinking whether you’re a mechanic, you write novels, you write lyrics, you’re an identity systems and graphic designer negotiating with clients, whatever you like. Looking for through lines and symmetry to the logic is very important quite honestly. EDIT: Ha! Too funny. I’d paused this dissection to type this, and hadn’t finished watching yet. Here I get to the end of the video, and Mike specifically cites emotional intelligence 🤣🤝

Linkin Park influenced my everyday life to be better because they sound so good and the message behind their songs really tell you that you aren't alone in this world of pain. This band really did it all very well.

The “new” Meteora songs are absolutely amazing. Mike is such a visionary

Rip Chester 🙏 🥺

I love these guys. I cried in the staff bathroom at Mary Brown's after I heard about Chester. His voice and his talent is unparalleled, but also the goodness of his soul was so rare. I felt it when I listened to his singing. Love you forever, LP ❤

Mike Shinoda was the brains behind Linkin Park all along.

The end of the verse leading in to the chorus is so melodically perfect and powerful, vintage Linkin Park. Crazy to think this was produced 20 years ago and didn't even make the album.

I've been struggling with mental issues for ten years now, and Linkin Park songs are cure for me. It's like they are tapping me on the back saying, "You are not alone in this"

I listen to his track almost every day these days. 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Bro I’m so happy about this. I’ve always loved LP but I’ve been gettin into them way more recently. ❤ REST IN PEACE CHESTER WE MISS YOU.

He seems so happy! Love to see it

Mike is one of my heroes, not just creatively but his character - he’s always positive and genuinly a good guy

More of these from Linkin Park, please! LP, thanks your everything

Thank you Mike, thank you Chester 🙏🏽

Mike Shinoda is a Legend

So happy to see them still getting recognition in 2023! I love them

Really wish my cousin could’ve heard this track. He passed two weeks before this track released. Left the world by his own hand. Just heard it today. Now, can’t stop thinking about that day when everything came crashing down. It describes everything I was feeling. For weeks. I still fell like it every day no matter how much older I get. He loved the hell out of this band. I can see why. Miss you cous.

Immidiatly knew that this was my favorite new released demo, instantly felt connected to the lyrics

LP always had powerful lyrics and Chester made it all come to life--which is evident by the collaboration with Mike. Been a fan since jump and it's still devasting losing Chester. Rest in peace sweet soul 💖💖💖

i love mike so much. i hope he makes another solo album sometime soon. post traumatic was so good

Linkin Park were (if you'll pardon the pun) one of the most instrumental bands in my teen angst years. Looking back at the video for in the end, they look like absolute kids compared to the mature grown man I see here. I myself went from a rebellious teen to a settled adult. Good to see he's still doing what he loves! Digging the more mature vibe I get to see from him as I've grown up as well.

Linkin Park has always created the best music!💙🙌🏼

They're songs have the most relatable lyrics of any band I've ever heard. We can all identify with their lyrics.

In my eyes chester revolutionised men speaking out and seeking help if they are going through something.

Man I love how much thought Mike puts into every song. Everything is so relateable, but also insightful in surprising ways. Go LP.

Love Mike and would love to meet him. Such a talented and down to earth dude. This guy can do it all: sing, produce music, draw/paint, just to enumerate a few things.

His descriptions remind me of Invisible from One More Light! Interesting to see what changed, but also what stayed the same!

Майк лучший! Fighting Myself мой любимый трек из Метеоры20 💙 Обожаю слушать истории Майка, о том, как они с Честером писали песни не только о себе, но и об опыте других людей, о жизненном опыте друг друга, и при этом могли передать все эмоции так тонко, как будто они сами это испытали. Особенно, когда Майк писал строчки об историях Честера 💙

man i miss linkin park

Finally, some quality content

Now this was and still is real music

1:53 "You good? Yeah I'm fine But you know he wasn't fine" Just as he said in the genius video for "Heavy" , Mike said the same thing but... Chester was there as well to confirm it

Mike Shinoda is the template for a whole generation of artists rn. Love.

An artist that actually deserves to be on genius. Actual meaning behind the lyrics

So insightful! Love to hear about their thoughts and process behind the songs and the stories that make those songs come to life!! RIP Chester

I listen LP when I was 9 years old for the first time, now I have 33... For me is incredible that all the LPs lyrics have meaning right now, particularly this song, it fits so damn right with what I'm feeling right now.

Linkin Park will live on forever! Chester you will Never ever be forgotten! You don’t understand how much times your music has helped me through my tuff times and on going One of the Most best bands without a single doubt 🤘💯

Mike taught me the basics of rap back then. I fell in love with hip hop's energy thanks to his lyrics. That led me to study many rappers from way back then but it all started with Mike. Plus LP made me love music in a way that it became essential to me.

Linkin Park ❤️💎❤️💎❤️

Linkin park is eternal ❤

The lyrics is so powerful and meaningful

They are highly emotional intelligent, is like they could read our minds. I love them so much for this, I knew I wasn't alone!! ♥️

So cute when he says regrets 🤩😍 The lyrics in this song are some of my favourite especially the rap.

Love his so much.Thank what invite Mike's!!

"now everything that I learned to hate came out for you to see" really hit hard for me

this guy's voice has not changed

What about the intro lyrics played backward??? I really want to know, what the voice is saying. This song hits right into the brain. This agressive back to the roots styled sound makes me feel looking back to the good old days. I'm glad this band has much more then everything we already know ❤

Mike is a great musician. Genius!❤

I'd love to have Mike explain every Linkin Park song on here. Having him explain any LP song on Genius is something that has been long overdue.

wow this guy is too good at rapping that's why you're my favorite🔥🥰 Genius

This song fits me so well, it's amazing. It's like they know me

This Band is everything ❤

Great song, you really feel its typical LP in their first releases. I enjoy it so hard.

Perfect video. Mike is a treasure

In my opinion, mikes lyrics are the best ever and so slept on

The rapping mixed with the rock is the cool thing about Linkin Park because it works so well. I love their song Bleed It Out

mike shinoda a true living legend still but r.i.p. chester benington sad 2 not see him here in the vid with him

I love Mike Shinoda

I love Linkin Park

So, this, kids, is why Shinoda is a genius ❤

Great song, thank you Mike 💖

I love this man, and everything he has created. Truly an inspiration.

We now have official Mike live acapella 2023!

Love Mike! He's so great as an artist, and as a person, too!

Hearing Chester's voice when listening to Linkin Park now just hurts tbh

Thank you for this. Love you always LINKIN PARK❤️

one thing i love about the bridge/outro of this song is that the riff is one of the most linkin park riffs i've ever heard

You can tell he haven’t been the same since Chester.. RIP Chester

Mike is a lyrical wordsmith

Linkin Park Is The Best 😍😍😍

It's awesome to see Mike in these episodes... RIP Chester

I love "Fighting Myself" so much! The way Chester's voice is distorted in the beginning gives me chills and brings me to tears at the same time. And then hearing him in the background as Mike raps, hearing them two blended again, it's so nostalgic and heartbreaking at the same time. Today marks six years since we've lost Chester. Thank you, Mike, for releasing this treasure of a 20th Anniversary album. Meteora was a huge staple in my life and saved me.

I enjoy this song more than Lost.

They're THE BEST.

So gooood. Thanks Mike & Genius!

Great song from the new releases along with Lost and More The Victim.

Mike aging good as hell man 😂😂😂😂

Thank you for this fine video. Love and Respect to One and Only Mike Shinoda - The Legend!

This lyric breakdown just makes me miss Chester Bennington even more, love you Mike love you Linkin Park🤘

You are my light .. and I am Just your shadow... Thank you for being with me whenever i am low.. Thank you LP :)