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.
Maybe
Alice in Chains Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In L.A. it stretches longer
Fading, waiting
Try to heal, but the pain, it won't go
Start with less, always seems to cost more
Hating, breaking
Remember come December
Ain't nowhere that's safe for a lowly pretender
I'm shooting straight for the target center
Maybe you should know
I'm feeling lonely
And I'm tired, oh yeah
Maybe I should go
Got no desire
To watch the last tear fall
Maybe this will show
I'm reeling, empty
Uninspired, oh yeah
Maybe I don't know
You anymore
And I'm smiling
Our burden is untied
Let it die
I'd be lying if I said it felt right
Even though I got a dog in this fight
Wounded, losing
People talk, in and out their words go
To be the one from where the wind, it does blow
Hounded, surrounded
Remember come December
One life can live forever
Ain't nowhere that's safe for a lowly pretender
I'm shooting straight for the target center
Maybe you should know
I'm feeling lonely
And I'm tired, oh yeah
Maybe I should go
Got no desire
To watch the last tear fall
Maybe this will show
I'm reeling, empty
Uninspired, oh yeah
Maybe I don't know
You anymore
And I'm smiling
Our burden is untied
Let it die
Maybe you should know
I'm feeling lonely
And I'm tired, oh yeah
Maybe I should go
Got no desire
To watch the last tear fall
Maybe this will show
I'm reeling, empty
Uninspired, oh yeah
Maybe I don't know
You anymore
And I'm smiling
Our burden is untied
Let it die
The lyrics of the song "Maybe" by Alice in Chains revolve around the feeling of loneliness and emptiness that the singer is going through. The song starts with an acknowledgement that the good old days of summer are long gone and the pain that they have left behind has not faded away. The singer talks about how he tries to heal, but the pain only seems to intensify. He expresses his frustration by saying that starting with less always seems to cost more, which shows how the singer feels that he is losing in life.
The song goes on to talk about how the singer feels that he has lost touch with someone and doesn't know them anymore. He talks about feeling tired and lonely and how he has no desire to watch the last tear fall. The song ends with the singer saying that maybe it's time to let go of the burden and move on. The lyrics of the song are powerful as they showcase the pain, frustration, and loneliness that the singer is going through in a very raw and emotive way.
Line by Line Meaning
Long gone, the days of summer
The summer days are over and gone, never to return.
In L.A. it stretches longer
In Los Angeles, summer seems to linger, a reminder of what is lost.
Fading, waiting
Slowly disappearing into the past, waiting for something that may never come.
Try to heal, but the pain, it won't go
Trying to mend the pain, but it persists despite our efforts.
Start with less, always seems to cost more
Beginning with less than we need or want, always ends up costing us more.
Hating, breaking
Feelings of disgust and breakage, the opposite of love and growth.
Remember come December
In December, remember what we have and what we have lost in the year, for it is almost gone.
One day can last forever
A day can seem eternal in length, while life, in contrast, can pass by in a flash.
Ain't nowhere that's safe for a lowly pretender
There is no place that is safe for someone who pretends to be someone that they are not.
I'm shooting straight for the target center
I am going for the most direct path, even if it is difficult or unpopular.
Maybe you should know
Perhaps you need to know something that you are not aware of.
I'm feeling lonely
I am experiencing feelings of isolation and sadness.
And I'm tired, oh yeah
I am exhausted, physically and emotionally.
Maybe I should go
Maybe it is best if I leave, for my own well-being and that of others.
Got no desire
I have no inclination or enthusiasm for anything, even watching things fall apart.
To watch the last tear fall
To witness the moment when everything crumbles, having already cried all the tears possible.
Maybe this will show
Perhaps this will make clear to you what you did not understand before.
I'm reeling, empty
I am feeling unsteady and adrift, emotionally drained and hollow.
Uninspired, oh yeah
I am lacking in motivation, creativity, and enthusiasm.
Maybe I don't know
Perhaps I am uncertain, unclear, and confused about something or someone.
You anymore
I am unsure of who you are, and whether I know or understand you.
And I'm smiling
Despite all this uncertainty and sadness, I find myself smiling, perhaps ironically or as a pretense.
Our burden is untied
We are finally free from the weight and responsibility of our shared struggle.
Let it die
Let it all end, let it all fade away and be nothing more than a memory.
I'd be lying if I said it felt right
If I claimed that everything is okay and feels normal, it would be a lie.
Even though I got a dog in this fight
Despite the fact that I am invested and involved in this situation or argument.
Wounded, losing
Injured and resigned to defeat or loss.
People talk, in and out their words go
People say things, but their words can be fickle and unpredictable.
To be the one from where the wind, it does blow
To be the person who is affected by the ever-changing whims of fate.
Hounded, surrounded
To be relentlessly pursued or followed, with no escape in sight.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jerry Fulton Cantrell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Harrison do Carmo
Long gone, the days of summer
In L.A. it stretches longer
Fading, waiting
Try to heal, but the pain, it won't go
Start with less, always seems to cost more
Hating, breaking
Remember come December
One day can last forever
Ain't nowhere that's safe for a lowly pretender
I'm shooting straight for the target center
Maybe you should know
I'm feeling lonely
And I'm tired, oh yeah
Maybe I should go
Got no desire
To watch the last tear fall
Maybe this will show
I'm reeling, empty
Uninspired, oh yeah
Maybe I don't know
You anymore
And I'm smiling
Our burden is untied
Let it die
I'd be lying if I said it felt right
Even though I got a dog in this fight
Wounded, losing
People talk, in and out their words go
To be the one from where the wind, it does blow
Hounded, surrounded
Remember come December
One life can live forever
Ain't nowhere that's safe for a lowly pretender
I'm shooting straight for the target center
Maybe you should know
I'm feeling lonely
And I'm tired, oh yeah
Maybe I should go
Got no desire
To watch the last tear fall
Maybe this will show
I'm reeling, empty
Uninspired, oh yeah
Maybe I don't know
You anymore
And I'm smiling
Our burden is untied
Let it die
Maybe you should know
I'm feeling lonely
And I'm tired, oh yeah
Maybe I should go
Got no desire
To watch the last tear fall
Maybe this will show
I'm reeling, empty
Uninspired, oh yeah
Maybe I don't know
You anymore
And I'm smiling
Our burden is untied
Let it die
Dr. Blue
Still can't believe that this song is so underrated. Its easily one of the best written songs ever. The lyrics, chord progression and transitions are fucking sublime.
Bryan L. Morrison
Agreed
El Nacho
Based
Tom Beauchamp
Alice In Chains IS underrated
scott turner
You guys are all correct amazing song
Igor Ponce
we can hear Cantrell's pain
Juanpi Jimenez
Rainier Fog is their most underrated album. It has a lot of amazing songs like this one, Never Fade, Red Giant and Fly
Dzoni Makaroni
The Caped Critique Me too.
Phillip McCutcheon
Agreed, it's a spectacular piece of work. The only fans who don't see it are the ones who hold on to man in the box.
Sara Toole
and all i am . . . incredible