Although widely associated with grunge music, the band's sound incorporates heavy metal elements. Since its formation, Alice in Chains has released five studio albums, three EPs, three live albums, four compilations, two DVDs, 31 music videos and 29 singles. The band is known for its distinctive vocal style, which often included the harmonized vocals between Staley and Cantrell (and later between Cantrell and William DuVall). Cantrell started to sing lead vocals on the 1992 acoustic EP Sap, and his role continued to grow in the following albums, making Alice in Chains a two-vocal band.
Alice in Chains rose to international fame as part of the grunge movement of the early 1990s, along with other Seattle bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden. The band was one of the most successful music acts of the 1990s, selling over 20 million records worldwide, and over 14 million records in the US alone, with two No. 1 albums and six Top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 chart. The band has had 16 Top 10 songs on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, 5 No. 1 hits, and nine Grammy Award nominations. Their debut album, Facelift, featuring the hit single "Man In The Box", was released in 1990 and has been certified double-platinum by the RIAA, selling over two million copies. In 1992, the band's second album, Dirt, was released to critical acclaim and was certified quadruple platinum. Their second acoustic EP, Jar of Flies, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart in 1994, becoming the first ever EP and first Alice in Chains release to top the charts, and it has been certified triple platinum by the RIAA. The band's third album, Alice in Chains debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 1995 and has been certified double platinum.
Although never officially disbanding, Alice in Chains was plagued by extended inactivity from 1996 onwards due to Staley's substance abuse, which resulted in his death in 2002. The band reunited in 2005 for a live benefit show, performing with a number of guest vocalists. They toured in 2006, with William DuVall taking over as lead vocalist full-time. The new line-up released the band's fourth studio album, Black Gives Way to Blue, in 2009, which received gold certification by the RIAA and two Grammy nominations. Their fifth studio album, The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here, was released in 2013 and debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. The band toured extensively and released several videos in support of these albums.
Their sixth studio album, Rainier Fog, would be released in 2018, through BMG records, making it their first big release on the new label. Rainier Fog would end up debuting at No. 12 on the Billboard 200, making it yet another powerful addition to the band's already impressive discography.
Although Alice in Chains has been labeled grunge by the mainstream media, Jerry Cantrell identifies the band as primarily heavy metal. He told Guitar World in 1996, "We're a lot of different things ... I don't quite know what the mixture is, but there's definitely metal, blues, rock and roll, maybe a touch of punk. The metal part will never leave, and I never want it to". The Edmonton Journal has stated, "Living and playing in Seattle might have got them the grunge tag, but they've always pretty much been a classic metal band to the core."
Over the course of their career, the band's sound has also been described as alternative metal, sludge metal, doom metal,drone rock, hard rock, and alternative rock. Regarding the band's constant categorization by the media, Cantrell stated "When we first came out we were metal. Then we started being called alternative metal. Then grunge came out and then we were hard rock. And now, since we've started doing this again I've seen us listed as: hard rock, alternative, alternative metal and just straight metal. I walked into an HMV the other day to check out the placement and see what's on and they've got us relegated back into the metal section. Right back where we started!". Drummer Sean Kinney rejects the grunge label, stating in a 2013 interview "I mean, before we first came out there was no grunge, they hadn’t invented that word. Before they invented the word grunge we were alternative rock and alternative metal and metal and rock, and we didn’t give a shit whatever, we were a rock and roll band!". According to Mike Inez, they were always the metal stepchildren of the Seattle scene.
Jerry Cantrell's guitar style combines "pummeling riffs and expansive guitar textures" to create "slow, brooding minor-key grinds". He is also recognized for his natural ability to blend acoustic and electric guitars. While down-tuned, distorted guitars mixed with Staley's distinctive "snarl-to-a-scream" vocals appealed to heavy metal fans, the band also had "a sense of melody that was undeniable", which introduced Alice in Chains to a much wider audience outside of the heavy metal underground.
According to Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic, Alice in Chains' sound has a "Black Sabbath-style riffing and an unconventional vocal style". The band has been described by Erlewine as "hard enough for metal fans, yet their dark subject matter and punky attack placed them among the front ranks of the Seattle-based grunge bands". Three of the band's releases feature acoustic music, and while the band initially kept these releases separate, Alice in Chains' self-titled album combined the styles to form "a bleak, nihilistic sound that balanced grinding hard rock with subtly textured acoustic numbers".
Alice in Chains is also noted for the unique vocal harmonies of Staley (or DuVall) and Cantrell, which included overlapping passages, dual lead vocals, and trademark harmonies typically separated by a major third. Cantrell said it was Staley who gave him the self-assurance to sing his own songs. Alyssa Burrows said the band's distinctive sound "came from Staley's vocal style and his lyrics dealing with personal struggles and addiction". Staley's songs were often considered "dark", with themes such as drug abuse, depression, and suicide, while Cantrell's lyrics often dealt with personal relationships.
Godsmack
Alice in Chains Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Straw that broke your back, you're under
Cast all them aside who care
Empty eyes and dead end stare
Don't you know that none are blind
To the lie, and you think I don't find what you hide?
What in God's name have you done?
For the horse you've grown much fonder
Than for me, that I don't ponder
As the hair of one who bit you
Smiling bite your own self, too
And I think that you're not blind
To the ones you left behind
I'll be here
What in God's name have you done?
Stick your arm for some real fun
So be yearning all your life
Twisting, turning like a knife
Now you know the reasons why
Can't get high, or you will die
Or you'll die
What in God's name have you done?
Stick your arm for some real fun
So your sickness weighs a ton
And God's name is smack for some
The lyrics of Alice in Chains' song "Godsmack" are telling the story of someone who has become addicted to drugs, or more specifically, heroin. The song describes a person who is in a state of denial, blinded by their addiction and unable to see the harm they are causing to themselves and those around them. The opening lines of the song, "Care not for the men who wonder, straw that broke your back, you're under, cast all them aside who care, empty eyes and dead end stare," suggest that the person has pushed away those who are trying to help them and is consumed by their addiction.
The chorus of the song, "What in God's name have you done? Stick your arm for some real fun," refers to the act of injecting heroin. The lyrics suggest that the person is willing to do anything to get their fix, even if it means causing harm to themselves. The line "For the horse you've grown much fonder, than for me, that I don't ponder," refers to the person's love for the drug being stronger than their love for their own life or the people around them. The final lines of the song, "So your sickness weighs a ton, and God's name is smack for some," highlight the devastating effects of addiction and the idea that the drug has become like a religion for those who are addicted.
Line by Line Meaning
Care not for the men who wonder
Do not concern yourself with those who question your actions
Straw that broke your back, you're under
The small, final issue that caused you to break down and give in
Cast all them aside who care
Ignore those who try to help and show concern for you
Empty eyes and dead end stare
Showing no emotion or desire to change your current state
Don't you know that none are blind
Everyone can see through your lies and deceit
To the lie, and you think I don't find what you hide?
You believe that you have successfully hidden your true intentions from me
What in God's name have you done?
What actions have you taken that are so terrible?
Stick your arm for some real fun
Inject drugs for a temporary sense of pleasure
For the horse you've grown much fonder
You care more for the drugs than for me or anything else in your life
Than for me, that I don't ponder
I no longer spend time thinking about how much you care for me
As the hair of one who bit you
A reference to a dog who bites its owner and then attempts to comfort them
Smiling bite your own self, too
You are harming yourself with your addiction, even though you believe it brings you pleasure
And I think that you're not blind
I believe that you are aware of the pain you are causing to yourself and others
To the ones you left behind
You have abandoned and hurt those who once cared for you
I'll be here
Regardless of your actions, I will still be present and supportive
So be yearning all your life
Your desire for drugs will never be fully satisfied
Twisting, turning like a knife
Addiction will continue to cause emotional and physical pain
Now you know the reasons why
The consequences of addiction are clear to you
Can't get high, or you will die
Drug addiction is slowly killing you
Or you'll die
Continued drug use will ultimately lead to your death
So your sickness weighs a ton
The burden of addiction is incredibly heavy
And God's name is smack for some
Drugs become a god-like entity that controls and destroys lives
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JERRY CANTRELL, LAYNE STALEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@crunchysugar
Lyrics from genius:
[Verse 1]
Care not for the men who wonder
Straw that broke your back, you're under
Cast all them aside who care
Empty eyes and dead-end stare
[Pre-Chorus 1]
Don't you know that none are blind
To the lie, and you think I don't find
What you hide?
[Chorus]
What in God's name have you done?
Stick your arm for some real fun
[Verse 2]
For the horse you've grown much fonder
Than for me, that I don't ponder
As the hair of one who bit you
Smiling, bite your own self, too
[Pre-Chorus 2]
And I think that you're not blind
To the ones you left behind
I'll be here
[Chorus]
What in God's name have you done?
Stick your arm for some real fun
[Guitar Solo]
[Verse 3]
So be yearning all your life
Twisting, turning like a knife
[Pre-Chorus 3]
Now you know the reasons why
Can't get high, or you will die
Or you'll die
[Chorus]
What in God's name have you done?
Stick your arm for some real fun
So your sickness weighs a ton
And God's name is smack for some
[Outro]
Yeah!
@nightsblood
Care not for the men who wonder
Straw that broke your back, you're under
Cast all them aside who care
Empty eyes and dead-end stare
Don't you know that none are blind
To the lie, and you think I don't find what you hide?
What in God's name have you done?
Stick your arm for some real fun
For the horse, you've grown much fonder
Than for me, that I don't ponder
As the hair of one who bit you
Smiling, bite your own self, too
And I think that you're not blind
To the ones you left behind
I'll be here
What in God's name have you done?
Stick your arm for some real fun
So be yearning all your life
Twisting, turning like a knife
Now you know the reasons why
Can't get high, or you will die
Or you'll die
What in God's name have you done?
Stick your arm for some real fun
So your sickness weighs a ton
And God's name is smack for some
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah...
Przetłumacz na: polski
@ilaser4064
Damnit early to an Alice In Chains release and too drunk to think of a witty comment.
@reinforcedpenisstem
You made up for it with honesty.
@RobertFry-xv2yj
SLAMSQUATCH APPROVED!!!!!!
@NoCantsAllowed
That one seemed pretty good to me!
Except... I'm fairly certain this song was released about 30 years ago...
Haha!
@pvcsjojungfru
It was witty for being 30 years too late 😂😂😂👍🏼🤘🏼
@M_Jayy
@@pvcsjojungfrulmao
@reinforcedpenisstem
This is where Layne recorded his vocals secretly and out of sight in the vocal booth, I believe.
@mikedowns3195
You are absolutely correct sir that's why he such a goddamn legend.
@Jason-TheChad-Muska_circa1995
Yes he did so because he was pressing on his Adam's apple in order to create the sound and he didn't want anybody to see what it looked like because he thought it would look goofy
@e.no2388
Yea laynes voice was wack