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.
Junkhead
Alice in Chains Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A new friend turned me on to an old favorite
Nothing better than a dealer who's high
Be high, convince them to buy
What's my drug of choice?
Well, what have you got?
I don't go broke
Seems so sick to the hypocrite norm
Running their boring drills
But we are an elite race of our own
The stoners, junkies, and freaks
Are you happy?
I am, man
Content and fully aware
Money, status, nothing to me
Because your life's empty and bare
What's my drug of choice?
Well, what have you got?
I don't go broke
And I do it a lot
I do it a lot
Yeah
Yeah
You can't understand a user's mind
But try, with your books and degrees
If you let yourself go and opened your mind
I'll bet you'd be doing like me and it isn't so bad
What's my drug of choice?
Well, what have you got?
I don't go broke
And I do it a lot, said I do it a lot
I do it a lot
I do it a lot, said I do it a lot
The lyrics of Alice in Chains's song "Junkhead" are a raw and honest portrayal of drug addiction. The song begins with the singer describing a good night that was the best in a long time. He then introduces us to a new friend who turned him on to an old favorite. This is a reference to drug use, and the "dealer" referenced later in the verse is a drug dealer. The singer goes on to say that there is "nothing better than a dealer who's high" since he can convince them to sell him drugs.
The pre-chorus asks, "What's my drug of choice?" and the singer answers, "Well, what have you got?" This implies that he will do whatever drug is available to him, and he doesn't care about the consequences. He then says that he doesn't go broke and that he does it a lot. This shows that he is an addict and that he uses drugs frequently without regard for his own health or financial well-being.
The chorus is a repetition of the pre-chorus with an added emphasis on the frequency of drug use. The second verse is a commentary on society's attitude towards drug users. The singer describes the "hypocrite norm" that runs "boring drills." He contrasts this with the "elite race of our own," which consists of "stoners, junkies, and freaks." He says he is happy and content with his life and that money and status mean nothing to him because his life is "empty and bare."
The bridge of the song is a message to those who judge drug users. The singer says that they can't understand a user's mind and urges them to open their minds and try to understand. He suggests that if they did, they might find that they enjoy drug use and that it "isn't so bad."
Line by Line Meaning
A good night, the best in a long time
Having a great time, enjoying life
A new friend turned me on to an old favorite
Got introduced to something good by a friend
Nothing better than a dealer who's high
Dealing drugs while high feels great
Be high, convince them to buy
Being high helps in selling drugs
What's my drug of choice?
What kind of drug do I prefer?
Well, what have you got?
What drugs are you offering?
I don't go broke
I don't run out of money
And I do it a lot
I use drugs frequently
Seems so sick to the hypocrite norm
People who judge drug users are hypocritical
Running their boring drills
Living a mundane life
But we are an elite race of our own
Drug users are a unique group
The stoners, junkies, and freaks
Different types of drug users
Are you happy?
Are you content with your life?
I am, man
I'm happy with my current situation
Content and fully aware
Happy and conscious of my actions
Money, status, nothing to me
I don't care about wealth or reputation
Because your life's empty and bare
People who judge drug users have unfulfilling lives
You can't understand a user's mind
It's hard to comprehend a drug user's mindset
But try, with your books and degrees
People try to understand drug users with education
If you let yourself go and opened your mind
If you allow yourself to be open-minded
I'll bet you'd be doing like me and it isn't so bad
Drug use isn't as bad as people think
I do it a lot
I use drugs frequently
I do it a lot, said I do it a lot
I use drugs frequently and without worry
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Layne Staley, Jerry Cantrell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@FuaFoa
"Junkhead"
"Junk, fuck"
A good night, the best in a long time
A new friend turned me on to an old favorite
Nothing better than a dealer who's high
Be high, convince them to buy
What's my drug of choice?
Well, what have you got?
I don't go broke
And I do it a lot
Seems so sick to the hypocrite norm
Running their boring drills
But we are an elite race of our own
The stoners, junkies, and freaks
Are you happy? I am, man.
Content and fully aware
Money, status, nothing to me
'Cause your life is empty and bare
What's my drug of choice?
Well, what have you got?
I don't go broke
And I do it a lot
I do it a lot, yeah
You can't understand a user's mind
But try, with your books and degrees
If you let yourself go and opened your mind
I'll bet you'd be doing like me
And it ain't so bad
What's my drug of choice?
Well, what have you got?
I don't go broke
And I do it a lot
Say, I do it a lot!
I do it a lot!
I do it a lot!
Say, I do it a lot!
@jeffpodeszwik1592
“And I do it lot” / “And it ain’t so bad” are two of the heaviest lines on this album, sang in a way and melody that cannot be described. This record is a masterpiece.
@flight4203
To me is "content and fully aware"
@matthewanthony4606
For me it’s the “are you happy, iron man?” That’s such a deep and important question, how do we know if iron man is happy when he’s made out of iron?! 😮
@luckylarry88
@@matthewanthony4606 He "says are you happy" "I am man, content and fully aware."
Sounds like iron man thought
@capone9404
100 percent agree man. Layne is my guy... favorite vocalist of all time. I truly could listen to alice EVERY day of the week. Only about 4 bands and they're on that mount Rushmore. I gotta agree with you here man, the AND IT AINT SO BAD... it's top 3 alice lines. He gives that from his CORE. He was gifted and that is easily my favorite part of the song... towards the end for a reason. Had that one built up
@melissabell4927
For me it’s what’s my drug of choice, I don’t go broke, and it ain’t so bad. The way their voices harmonize on those first two lines of the chorus are like nothing else I swear. Unbelievably beautiful no matter how dark it is
@texturalrlb9627
My drug of choice is Alice in Chains. Can't get enough
@user-fr6cn7rc1c
MIne too❤
@nathanfwaggoner3428
I'm a disabled vet and I can relate to this song. Like many vets, I have been in a place of darkness, poverty, drug addiction, and homelessness. But now I have survived and recovered somehow because I have a strong will to live. I have now risen back up out of the ashes somehow. To move forward and let go of all the shame and stigma and now see myself as a true champion at everything. I had never been successful in my life at anything before cause I was always in too much pain and loneliness and trauma and couldn't find my way out or find the support so I could at least halfway function. But now I am going to school and am a straight-A student in college. I also used to be struggle with being overweight and having diabetes and now I am going to become a personal trainer with an Exercise Science degree and help people. I have finally found my peace and harmony that I couldn't find in people who didn't love or accept me and found it instead in connecting with the positive energy and beauty found in the outdoors, and in animals, and in nature. I have severed my ties and let go of and forgiven a world that is full of stupid mean people who live life like they got their brain and driver's licenses from a cracker jack box . I know it's my responsibility to make the best of my life and for my own well being and I refuse to blame anyone but myself if my life isn't good. I have seen many dark days come and go and now see the light after what seemed to be an eternity. I have found peace where I had never had none and I found hope and at 47 years old I finally found the love and touch of a good woman who believes in me and doesn't see me as human trash. And I know now for the first time in my life that life can actually be worth living.
@discipleslim9506
Listen friend. My joy increased with every sentence of your testimony...until you mentioned your woman. She is more dangerous to your well-being than anything else you've ever been through. You are a survivor and a winner! Do NOT create a fantasy of who your woman is. She is just like all women, constantly looking for a better man. Have fun with her, but keep your heart closed to her. If she starts making you feel uncertain, kick her ass to the curb. Peace Brother.