He also has a solo career, having released the albums Boggy Depot in 1998 and Degradation Trip Volumes 1 & 2 in 2002. Cantrell has also collaborated and performed with Heart, Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica, Pantera, Circus of Power, Metal Church, Gov't Mule, Damageplan, Pearl Jam, The Cult, Stone Temple Pilots, Danzig, Glenn Hughes, Duff McKagan and Deftones, among others.
Cantrell was named "Riff Lord" by British hard rock/metal magazine Metal Hammer in 2006. Guitar World Magazine ranked Cantrell as the 38th out of "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Guitarists of All Time" in 2004, and the 37th "Greatest Guitar Player of All Time" in 2012. Guitar World also ranked Cantrell's solo in "Man In The Box" at No. 77 on its list of "100 Greatest Guitar Solos" in 2008.
He also contributed to the soundtrack of The Cable Guy (1996), John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) and Dark Nights: Metal (2018), and has made cameos in films such as Jerry Maguire (1996), Rock Slyde (2009) and Deadwood: The Movie. Cantrell also acted in the Alice in Chains mockumentaries The Nona Tapes (1995) and AIC 23 (2013).
Cantrell is a recovering addict and alcoholic and has been sober since 2003. He was awarded the 2012 Stevie Ray Vaughan Award from MusiCares, for his work helping other addicts with the recovery process. Cantrell said in his acceptance speech, "I crash landed here almost 9 years ago, in Los Angeles. Sean [Kinney] was at the door with my brother, so my choices were open the door and go to rehab or jump out the back window down a cliff into some black berry bushes. That’s the choice I took. Luckily they caught me because I couldn’t go anywhere, I was kind of stuck in a bush at the bottom of a cliff bleeding, and I ended up here. I didn’t intend to get here but I’m very grateful I am here, and it took a lot of people to help me get here. It's been an amazing day. It's overwhelming. I'm as imperfect as they come. I just don't get high today and wake up the next morning and try and do the same thing. A lot of people stand and get the fuck back up after falling. Some people don't get that chance. My band's been a harsh example of that – what happens when you don't deal with it." Cantrell and his Alice in Chains bandmates played a five-song set at the awards event and Cantrell stated, "We really miss Layne [Staley] and Mike [Starr], and we carry them with us in our hearts".
Satisfy
Jerry Cantrell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How you cage a bird aflight
Feathers bright
To show your might
Are you such a stone
Smile greasy, you pick my bones
Crawl inside
Hard times on the refugee
Keep a sidesteppin' over me
Not sure but you think you might
Can you see when there is no light
Tell me once again
That you'd like to be my friend
While we run
A race of one
Do you feel the same
My head hung high in shame
You install
A trophy wall
Hard times on the refugee
Keep a sidesteppin' over me
Not sure but you think you might
Can you see when there is no light
Please me
Satisfy
One request
Choose to live...
In Jerry Cantrell's song Satisfy, the lyrics delve into the idea of power dynamics and control, specifically in relationships. The opening lines question how one can contain a free spirit, using the metaphor of caging a bird with bright feathers to show off one's own might. This sets the tone for the rest of the song, as it explores how people often use others to build themselves up.
The chorus speaks to the idea of needing validation and wanting to be desired, saying "Please me, satisfy, one request, choose to live." This line conveys a sense of desperation and a need for approval.
The second verse continues the theme of power dynamics, using phrases like "smile greasy, you pick my bones" to paint a picture of someone who takes advantage of others for their own gain. The use of the phrase "trophy wall" suggests that this person takes pleasure in collecting conquests and using them to boost their own ego.
Overall, Satisfy is a cautionary tale about the dangers of allowing yourself to be controlled or manipulated by someone else, and the importance of valuing your own autonomy and self-respect.
Line by Line Meaning
I would like to know
The singer wants to learn about how someone can capture and control a bird mid-flight, displaying their strength and power with its bright feathers.
How you cage a bird aflight
Asking how to trap a bird that's already in the air.
Feathers bright
The bird's feathers are vibrant and captivating, which makes it even more difficult to capture.
To show your might
The artist believes that the person who manages to trap the bird in mid-air does so to display their own dominance and strength.
Are you such a stone
The artist questions whether the person trapping the bird is unfeeling and unempathetic towards the bird's plight.
Smile greasy, you pick my bones
The singer is accusing the other person of wronging them and taking advantage of them in some way.
Crawl inside
The person accused of wrongdoing is metaphorically burrowing inside the singer's mind, perhaps causing them emotional harm.
Have you no life
The artist wonders if the other person has any other meaning or purpose in their life apart from mistreating others.
Hard times on the refugee
The artist feels like they're in a difficult or challenging situation, and likens themselves to someone who has no clear place to call home or feel safe.
Keep a sidesteppin' over me
The artist feels like they're being ignored or dismissed by others despite their struggles and needs.
Not sure but you think you might
The singer is questioning whether others are truly aware of their difficulties and whether they care enough to help.
Can you see when there is no light
The artist is wondering if others can truly empathize with their struggles and sense of despair, even when things seem very dark and difficult.
Tell me once again
The singer is asking another person to repeatedly reassure them of their friendship and support, perhaps because they are feeling isolated or anxious.
That you'd like to be my friend
The singer is asking the other person to confirm that they value a friendship or connection between them.
While we run
The singer imagines themselves and the other person working together towards a common goal or experience.
A race of one
The artist acknowledges they may be competing solo, or against impossible odds.
Do you feel the same
The artist is asking the other person if they reciprocate positive feelings and emotions, perhaps looking for affirmation or clarity.
My head hung high in shame
The singer is admitting to feeling embarassed or self-conscious about something, and perhaps hoping the other person will understand or forgive them.
You install
The singer accuses the other person of creating or building a negative environment, possibly for their own gain or display.
A trophy wall
The artist imagines the other person proudly displaying the people or things they've defeated, perhaps at the expense of others' well-being.
Please me
The artist is asking the other person to do something that would make them happy or satisfied.
Satisfy
The artist is looking for satisfaction or fulfillment, whether in a positive or negative sense.
One request
The singer is asking for a specific favor, likely expecting it to be honored.
Choose to live...
The artist leaves this line incomplete, perhaps inviting the listener to fill in the blank with their own interpretations or thoughts.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jerry Cantrell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Duff787
on Dickeye
It's all about Layne. Jerry was pissed that he recorded with mad season. Born traitor. Layne and Jerry did lots of drugs together. Only thing he came here looking for. Injected concrete is a not so subtle reference to what dealers cut heroin with. Layne frequently shot up between his toes to hide track marks. Hide bloody feet.