In Pieces

"In Pieces"
Song by Linkin Park
from the album Minutes To Midnight
Working title:	Pictures
Recorded:	2006 - 2007
Format:	Digital, Cassette, CD, Vinyl, DVD
Length:	03:38
Stems:	Neko Keyboard Sounds and Samples
Time signature:	4/4
Tempo:	160
Key:	F Minor
Live debut:	July 27, 2007
Last performed:	August 24, 2008
Writer:	Linkin Park
Producer:	Mike Shinoda, Rick Rubin
Label:	Warner Bros.
Minutes To Midnight tracklist
Wake Given Up Leave Out All The Rest Bleed It Out Shadow Of The Day What I've Done Hands Held High No More Sorrow Valentine's Day In Between In Pieces The Little Things Give You Away

"In Pieces" is the eleventh track off of Linkin Park's third studio album, Minutes To Midnight.

Background

The April 2007 issue of a French magazine published a track by track of Minutes To Midnight on which Chester said, "This is one of the first songs that was completely recorded by us for the new album. This is one of my favorite songs. It is incorrect to think that it was written by the same people who recorded Hybrid Theory. This is what we want to do and where the band will move in the future."

The limited edition booklet for Minutes To Midnight provided some insight regard the creation of "In Pieces". "This song began as a keyboard and beat loop, along with the staccato guitar in the second verse. In that early form, Chester put down a rough vocal, with words that came relatively effortlessly. The vocals that appeared in those early stages remained virtually unchanged throughout the growth of the song. As the song grew, it became obvious to the band that a special point of interest was needed in the bridge. On past albums, Brad had never been interested in doing guitar solos. With their encouragement, he dove head first into the bridge, creating a part that instantly energized the song." In the DVD released with the album, a shot of Brad is seen at NRG Studios when the band went back in to finalize a few parts of the album, recording the final guitar solo for the song (called "Pictures" at the time).

In an interview with Kerrang!, Chester Bennington talked a bit about the inspiration behind the lyrics of the song, saying "I got divorced recently and that was very difficult. I also got remarried so there was a big contrast in my life. For a while I couldn’t be completely happy with the new life I was starting and I couldn’t end the last one. This is a song about all of that. The music has a kind of reggae vibe to it, almost. It’s really cool watching how the song goes from that, through pop and emerges as a full-on rock song at the end."

At the San Bernardino, California show on July 28, 2007, Chester said after the song, "That's for every ex-asshole... lover... in the world. Fuck you."

On September 9, Mike talked about the track answering a fan question on Twitch, saying, "Chester did most of the vocals. I did more melody and he did more lyrics. That one was more of a Chester-vocal song and I did more of the music. Brad did something on that one too. I know what Chester was talking about, where he was at. I did the chorus, he did the verses. The music was mostly me and Brad. The steel drums were keyboards."

Versions

Note: Only the date of the very first release of each version is listed.

Studio

Title	Album	Length	Recorded	Released	Notes
In Pieces	Minutes To Midnight	3:38	2006-2007	May 14, 2007
In Pieces	Minutes To Midnight Instrumentals	3:47	2006-2007		The CD dates from May 24, 2007. Official instrumental version.

Live

Title	Album	Length	Recorded	Released	Notes
In Pieces (Live)	Live From SoHo (iTunes Exclusive EP)	3:59	February 21, 2008	March 4, 2008
In Pieces (Live From Projekt Revolution, Washington DC, Aug. 19 '07)	Leave Out All The Rest Champs Sports USB Wristband	3:47	August 19, 2007	July 14, 2008	MP3 128kbps file titled "In Pieces (Live-Washington DC)" in the USB Wristband.
In Pieces (Live From Koln, 2008)	Minutes To Midnight - Live Around The World	3:42	January 21, 2008	June 12, 2012

Live

"In Pieces" was first performed on Projekt Revolution 2007, where it was featured mid-set in Set A for the entire year. It was performed live for the first time on July 27, 2007 in Wheatland, California when Set A ("Wake" and "Given Up" opening) debuted.

Chester would often preface the song, in some way referencing heartbreak or love. When playing it live, it was almost always sung by Chester with extra lyrics at the end of the song: "don't lie.... to me" were added after the last line.

In 2008, "In Pieces" was performed in Set S for the winter tours. The summer was more generous to the song, being featured mid-set in both Set Y and Set Z. After Projekt Revolution 2008 concluded, the song has not been performed live since.

Perhaps most notably, "In Pieces" was included in the setlist for Linkin Park's Apple Store show on February 21, 2008 in New York. The show was recorded and released as the Live From SoHo (iTunes Exclusive EP).

Personnel

• Chester Bennington
• Mike Shinoda
• Brad Delson
• Dave "Phoenix" Farrell
• Joseph Hahn
• Rob Bourdon

Production

• Produced by Rick Rubin and Mike Shinoda
• Engineers: Dana Neilsen, Andrew Schelps, and Ethan Mates
• Engineer Assisting: Phillip Broussard, Jr.
• Mixing: Neal Avron
• Mixing Assisting: Nicolas Fournier and George Gumbs
• Mastering: Dave Collins

Lyrics

Album Version

Telling me to go
But hands beg me to stay
Your lips say that you love
Your eyes say that you hate

There's truth in your lies
Doubt in your faith
What you build you lay to waste
There's truth in your lies
Doubt in your faith
All I've got's what you didn't take

So I / I won't be the one
Be the one to leave this
In pieces
And you / You will be alone
Alone with all your secrets
And regrets
Don't lie

You promise me the sky
Then toss me like a stone
You wrap me in your arms
And chill me to the bone

There's truth in your lies
Doubt in your faith
All I've got's what you didn't take

So I / I won't be the one
Be the one to leave this
In pieces
And you / You will be alone
Alone with all your secrets
And regrets
Don't lie

So I / I won't be the one
Be the one to leave this
In pieces
And you / You will be alone
Alone with all your secrets
And regrets
Don't lie

Gallery

• 

  DVD artwork