"Scar" is a pop song written by Australian singer Missy Higgins and Kevin Griffin of American band Better Than Ezra. Released on 2 August 2004 on Eleven: A Music Company, it was released as the first single from Higgins' debut album, The Sound of White (2004). "Scar" entered the Australian ARIA Singles Chart at number one and received a quadruple-platinum sales certification. It also charted in New Zealand, where it peaked at number 20 in January 2005. The song was mixed by 12-time Grammy winner Jay Newland. In 2025 the song was voted fourth on the Triple J Hottest 100 of Australian Songs.
Contents
Background
Following the song's fourth-place finish on the Triple J Hottest 100 of Australian Songs, Higgins shared that the song was written as a response to negative experiences she had had with collaborators in the music industry.
It was the song I wrote when I was 19 about some bad experiences I had with different people I was collaborating with, who were trying to make my music into something else. And trying to make me sound a certain way and appear a certain way, and just people in the industry that I'd come across that were, you know, trying to squeeze a triangle through a circle or whatever it is I say.
So, you know, it's a song about staying true to who you are and not letting anyone else, you know, pretend that they know what's best for you.
Awards and nominations
Awards
2004 ARIA Awards, Best Pop Release
2005 APRA Awards, Song of the Year
2005 APRA Awards, Breakthrough Award
Nominations
2004 ARIA Awards, Single of the Year
2004 ARIA Awards, Best Female Artist
2004 ARIA Awards, Breakthrough Artist — Single
2004 ARIA Awards, Best Video
Track listing
Australian CD single
"Scar" – 3:34
"Casualty" – 4:12
"Dancing Dirt into the Snow" – 3:26
"The Cactus That Found the Beat" – 2:02
Personnel
Personnel are lifted from the Australian CD single liner notes.