It's Been Awhile

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“It's Been Awhile”
Single by Staind from the album Break the Cycle
Released	June 26, 2001
Format	CD single
Recorded	2001
Genre	Post-grunge, power ballad
Length	4:25
Label	Elektra Records
Producer	Staind
Staind singles chronology
"Home" (1999) "It's Been Awhile" (2001) "Outside" (2001)

"It's Been Awhile" is the lead single off the album Break the Cycle by the alternative metal band Staind.

The song is probably the band's most well-known song, becoming a Top 40 Hit (#5) on the Billboard Hot 100. The song spent a second-best 20 weeks at #1 on the Mainstream Rock Chart (behind only "Loser" by 3 Doors Down) and a then record of 16 weeks on the Modern Rock Chart. The song is about singer Aaron Lewis's life and about how it's been a while since he's done a lot of things. He makes references to his previous drug addiction problem and failed relationships with several women. He mentions his father however he believes he only has himself to be blamed for his problems.

[edit] Music video

The music video begins with Aaron Lewis going through some old photographs, one which happens to be an old girlfriend. The video then switches between him writing a letter to his girlfriend and the band performing casually in a room full of candles. There are brief shots of Aaron alone in the streets and looking at himself in the mirror while having second thoughts. Throughout the video, Aaron is seen continuously smoking cigarettes. At the end of the video, one of those cigarettes falls onto the floor and burns down his apartment.

The video was directed by Limp Bizkit frontman, Fred Durst.

[edit] Track listing

1. "It's Been Awhile" (LP Clean Edit)
2. "It's Been Awhile" (Acoustic Version)
3. "Suffocate" (LP Version)

[edit] Other

The UK release contains the bonus track "Black Rain" which is renamed from "Excess Baggage" the hidden track on Dysfunction.