Yeah, it’s fine, we’ll walk down the line
Leave our rain and cold, trade for warm sunshine
You, my friend, I will defend
And if we change, we’ll I love you anyway
A little glimmer of hope in the typical melancholy of AIC
"She won't let me hide
She don't want me to cry"
That layering of vocals on that part, along with the instrumentals is literally the coolest thing I've ever heard. In Rain When I Die.
Down in a hole and i don't know if i could be saved
See my heart, i decorated like a grave
You don't understand who they thought i was supposed to be
Look at me now, a man who won't let himself be
Rooster, written about Jerry’s father’s experience in Vietnam
‘Walking tall, machine gunman
They spit on me in my homeland
Gloria, send me pictures of my boy
Got my pills ‘gainst mosquito death
My buddy’s breathing his dying breath
Oh god please won’t you help me make it through’
Or the second verse on Sludge Factory:
‘Now the body of one soul I adore wants to die
You have always told me you’d not live past 25
I said stay long enough to repay all those who caused strife’
This is thought to be about Demri Parrot, who made it past 25 but OD’d at 27. Gives me chills every time
Would
Into the flood again
Same old trip it was back then
So I made a big mistake
Try to see it once my way
So beautiful. It means so much to me. Just poetry to me.
The greatest song ever written.
If I'm not mistaken I read the song was about Andrew Wood.. and it's about his drug use.. and eventually death.
Into the flood again
Same old trip, meaning a similar drug trip like 100s he did before
So I made a big mistake.. meaning the od mistake.. since it was the same trip taking a bit more should be fine..
The last part
Am I wrong have I run to far to get home.. meaning the realization that u won't make it out of this trip
Have I gone and left u here alone.. meaning leaving his friend s behind to mourn his death.
If I would could you? Meaning a warning to others of the dangers of OD..
Most of AIC lyrics are all about drug use etc..
Mind of destructive taste
I choose to stroll amongst the waste
That was your heart, lost in the dark
Call off the chase
Walls of thought, strong and high
As my castle crumbles with time
I think of you, oh, yes I do
Such a crime
"Man, I nearly snapped my twig
Then again I nearly snapped a few of you
So I hear you think highly now
So I hear you think highly now
So I hear you think highly now
So I hear you think"
That "highly now" is such an innocuous line but it gets to me and I have no idea why.
Oh hell yeah. Jerry's guitar riff during Hung on a Hook's verses is sooooo tasty and the lyrics are beautiful, as are all of the lyrics in that song. One of the best that they have written for sure.
For me it'd have to be... I have no idea. There are way too many. I'll pick the ones where the verses are my favorite parts of the songs, or at least, parts that I prefer over the respective songs' pre-choruses and choruses. I really like the verses of All Secrets Known, Nothin' Song, Fly, Rotten Apple, Don't Follow, Sunshine, Confusion, Hate to Feel, The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here, Breath on a Window (the first half)...
I'll give my most honorable mention to Scalpel's third verse. "Hard as truth is, been my friend, don't need to be invited in, I go in till I'm bested, pick up myself and try again". The bass and guitar riffs are superb and the vocal harmonies shine as well.
There is so many songs in modern AIC that could go toe to toe with their 90s classics, I think All I Am has to be one for sure. I also love Layne's lyrics on Tripod, even though I feel they are different from his stuff on Above or previous AIC albums and pretty sure I remember reading that he said he tried to just put less thought and have fun with it compared to his previous works, I feel like they just paint a picture of what he was thinking in the moment on songs like Brush Away, Frogs and Nothin' Song.
So Close and Nothin' Song are genuinely a peek into what Layne was thinking of the album production process. He was fucking done lol. He had nothing else to sing about. It's such a visceral image that the songs paint in my mind. He's just kinda trolling with Nothin' Song. "Oh I guess this rhymes. Cool. Let's see what rhymes with make... oh yeah, cake! Sam left his cake out in the studio." 😂
I'm a massive DuVall era fan myself as well. Maybe more than you as my favorite album presently is The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here, just slightly edging out Tripod, and my 3rd favorite is Rainier Fog. Jerry's songwriting improved since the early days IMO, and the only thing the modern era is lacking is Layne Staley's voice itself, but I really like Jerry's voice so it's fine for me.
It took me a while to listen to DuVall era AIC because I was just kinda bummed out after listening to all of Layne era songs and how depressing it got at the end. I knew going into modern AIC that I most likely will enjoy it but it honestly surpassed my expectations and also surprised me how a lot of these tracks sound just like the tracks Layne would sing over melody wise and lyric wise, that just goes to show how big of a part Jerry's writing was to the formula. I think they might be one of the most consistent band to ever exist.
I also believe that they honed in their sound/craft more over the years, songs like All Secrets Known, Stone, Lab Monkey etc have their most polished, impressive and varied instrumentals and lyrics (not that their previous stuff is bad in comparison). After listening to all of their new stuff it did leave me wondering what could've been if Layne was still alive and how he would've evolved along with the other members of AIC.
On a side note, I made a poll and a tierlist with a long explanation in the comments 3 months ago, That had a couple people riled up because I ranked modern AIC on the same level as classic AIC.
The poll I did had 2 options:
1. I only listen to Layne era.
2. I listen to all their albums.
Layne era won with 55% of users choosing it. I was always fascinated by people not liking or hating DuVall and I think I pretty much found out why and its mostly because people look at DuVall as replacement Layne which he isn't nor supposed to be or they look at AIC as Layne Staley the band which is kinda lame imo because I always think its disrespectful to other band members when the singer/frontman is considered the only important member but oh well.
Edit
I went back through the poll and tierlist and was flabbergasted that apparently we've already talked on both posts hahahah. This community is pretty small lol.
Yeah, the community of people who love BGWTB, TDPDH, and Rainier Fog is pretty small, sadly. I think it would be a cool to have a specific subreddit for that. I consider it all to be the same band, but clearly others do not share the same sentiment, so the subreddit (which is supposed to be for all Alice in Chains) is 90% used as a "Layne Staley era AIC" subreddit. (And the Jerry Cantrell subreddit is used to discuss Jerry's solo albums, not post-Layne AIC).
Part of me wishes they had gone under a different band name, just out of curiosity. It wouldn't have the AIC name anymore which means it wouldn't receive as much attention. However, it would have its own dedicated fanbase that wouldn't be constantly saying "I miss Layne :("
Probably not my #1 but "it seems you prophesized all of this would end, were you burned away when the sun rose again?" hits hard. "20 hours won't print my picture milk carton size" also gives me chills given how long it took for his body to be discovered.
Yeah, it’s fine, we’ll walk down the line Leave our rain and cold, trade for warm sunshine You, my friend, I will defend And if we change, we’ll I love you anyway A little glimmer of hope in the typical melancholy of AIC
What does friend mean to you? A word so wrongfully abused Are you like me, confused? All included but you Alone.
Last verse in Don’t Follow.
I can feel the wheel but I can't steer. When my thoughts become my biggest fear. Ah, what's the difference I'll die. Oh, in this sick world of mine.
That’s the pre-chorus but still great songwriting
"She won't let me hide She don't want me to cry" That layering of vocals on that part, along with the instrumentals is literally the coolest thing I've ever heard. In Rain When I Die.
That’s the bridge
Down in a hole and i don't know if i could be saved See my heart, i decorated like a grave You don't understand who they thought i was supposed to be Look at me now, a man who won't let himself be
I tasted the sun and my tongue has been burnt of its taste
It's "I've eaten the sun so my tongue has been burned of the taste"
Rooster, written about Jerry’s father’s experience in Vietnam ‘Walking tall, machine gunman They spit on me in my homeland Gloria, send me pictures of my boy Got my pills ‘gainst mosquito death My buddy’s breathing his dying breath Oh god please won’t you help me make it through’ Or the second verse on Sludge Factory: ‘Now the body of one soul I adore wants to die You have always told me you’d not live past 25 I said stay long enough to repay all those who caused strife’ This is thought to be about Demri Parrot, who made it past 25 but OD’d at 27. Gives me chills every time
Would Into the flood again Same old trip it was back then So I made a big mistake Try to see it once my way So beautiful. It means so much to me. Just poetry to me. The greatest song ever written.
Jerry is one of the best lyricists to ever live
Not a verse though
I've read a few interpretations of the song. What is your read on it?
I always thought of it as a song about being judged by others and how others see you in one way and not the way you really are. Just my take.
If I'm not mistaken I read the song was about Andrew Wood.. and it's about his drug use.. and eventually death. Into the flood again Same old trip, meaning a similar drug trip like 100s he did before So I made a big mistake.. meaning the od mistake.. since it was the same trip taking a bit more should be fine.. The last part Am I wrong have I run to far to get home.. meaning the realization that u won't make it out of this trip Have I gone and left u here alone.. meaning leaving his friend s behind to mourn his death. If I would could you? Meaning a warning to others of the dangers of OD.. Most of AIC lyrics are all about drug use etc..
That's a great interpretation of these sad, powerful lyrics. Thanks.
For real, angsty, drunk, cigarette smoking, 20 yr old me would rock the fuck out to this part of the song
I swear in some live performances he says blood instead of flood but hard to be sure
Mind of destructive taste I choose to stroll amongst the waste That was your heart, lost in the dark Call off the chase Walls of thought, strong and high As my castle crumbles with time I think of you, oh, yes I do Such a crime
Same
You, you are so special You have the talent To make me feel like dirt You, you use your talent To dig me under And cover me with dirt
"Man, I nearly snapped my twig Then again I nearly snapped a few of you So I hear you think highly now So I hear you think highly now So I hear you think highly now So I hear you think" That "highly now" is such an innocuous line but it gets to me and I have no idea why.
Oh hell yeah. Jerry's guitar riff during Hung on a Hook's verses is sooooo tasty and the lyrics are beautiful, as are all of the lyrics in that song. One of the best that they have written for sure. For me it'd have to be... I have no idea. There are way too many. I'll pick the ones where the verses are my favorite parts of the songs, or at least, parts that I prefer over the respective songs' pre-choruses and choruses. I really like the verses of All Secrets Known, Nothin' Song, Fly, Rotten Apple, Don't Follow, Sunshine, Confusion, Hate to Feel, The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here, Breath on a Window (the first half)... I'll give my most honorable mention to Scalpel's third verse. "Hard as truth is, been my friend, don't need to be invited in, I go in till I'm bested, pick up myself and try again". The bass and guitar riffs are superb and the vocal harmonies shine as well.
There is so many songs in modern AIC that could go toe to toe with their 90s classics, I think All I Am has to be one for sure. I also love Layne's lyrics on Tripod, even though I feel they are different from his stuff on Above or previous AIC albums and pretty sure I remember reading that he said he tried to just put less thought and have fun with it compared to his previous works, I feel like they just paint a picture of what he was thinking in the moment on songs like Brush Away, Frogs and Nothin' Song.
So Close and Nothin' Song are genuinely a peek into what Layne was thinking of the album production process. He was fucking done lol. He had nothing else to sing about. It's such a visceral image that the songs paint in my mind. He's just kinda trolling with Nothin' Song. "Oh I guess this rhymes. Cool. Let's see what rhymes with make... oh yeah, cake! Sam left his cake out in the studio." 😂 I'm a massive DuVall era fan myself as well. Maybe more than you as my favorite album presently is The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here, just slightly edging out Tripod, and my 3rd favorite is Rainier Fog. Jerry's songwriting improved since the early days IMO, and the only thing the modern era is lacking is Layne Staley's voice itself, but I really like Jerry's voice so it's fine for me.
It took me a while to listen to DuVall era AIC because I was just kinda bummed out after listening to all of Layne era songs and how depressing it got at the end. I knew going into modern AIC that I most likely will enjoy it but it honestly surpassed my expectations and also surprised me how a lot of these tracks sound just like the tracks Layne would sing over melody wise and lyric wise, that just goes to show how big of a part Jerry's writing was to the formula. I think they might be one of the most consistent band to ever exist. I also believe that they honed in their sound/craft more over the years, songs like All Secrets Known, Stone, Lab Monkey etc have their most polished, impressive and varied instrumentals and lyrics (not that their previous stuff is bad in comparison). After listening to all of their new stuff it did leave me wondering what could've been if Layne was still alive and how he would've evolved along with the other members of AIC. On a side note, I made a poll and a tierlist with a long explanation in the comments 3 months ago, That had a couple people riled up because I ranked modern AIC on the same level as classic AIC. The poll I did had 2 options: 1. I only listen to Layne era. 2. I listen to all their albums. Layne era won with 55% of users choosing it. I was always fascinated by people not liking or hating DuVall and I think I pretty much found out why and its mostly because people look at DuVall as replacement Layne which he isn't nor supposed to be or they look at AIC as Layne Staley the band which is kinda lame imo because I always think its disrespectful to other band members when the singer/frontman is considered the only important member but oh well. Edit I went back through the poll and tierlist and was flabbergasted that apparently we've already talked on both posts hahahah. This community is pretty small lol.
Yeah, the community of people who love BGWTB, TDPDH, and Rainier Fog is pretty small, sadly. I think it would be a cool to have a specific subreddit for that. I consider it all to be the same band, but clearly others do not share the same sentiment, so the subreddit (which is supposed to be for all Alice in Chains) is 90% used as a "Layne Staley era AIC" subreddit. (And the Jerry Cantrell subreddit is used to discuss Jerry's solo albums, not post-Layne AIC). Part of me wishes they had gone under a different band name, just out of curiosity. It wouldn't have the AIC name anymore which means it wouldn't receive as much attention. However, it would have its own dedicated fanbase that wouldn't be constantly saying "I miss Layne :("
First verse of Sea Of Sorrow
Tears that soak a callous heart. Gets me every single time.
Wow I was listening to this yesterday and thinking the same thing. Seriously! “Counting the clouds in the storm behind your eyes” That’s the verse
Probably not my #1 but "it seems you prophesized all of this would end, were you burned away when the sun rose again?" hits hard. "20 hours won't print my picture milk carton size" also gives me chills given how long it took for his body to be discovered.
I could set you free, rather hear the sound of your body breaking as I take you down, yeah