The band went on a semi-permanent hiatus in 1996 due to the band members' conflicting schedules and Staley's problems with substance abuse. Attempts were made in the late 1990s to revive the group without Staley, and material for a follow-up release to Above had been worked on; however, the band dissolved following the death of bassist John Baker Saunders in 1999 from a drug overdose. Staley also died of a drug overdose three years later. Martin and McCready have since made two short partial reunions, one in 2012 and one from 2014 to 2015. A special edition box set containing a remastered edition of Above and various unreleased material was released in March 2013.
During the production of 1994's Vitalogy, Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready went into drug and alcohol rehab at the Hazelden Clinic in Minnesota, where he met bassist John Baker Saunders.[5] In 1994, when the two returned to Seattle, Washington, they formed a side band with drummer Barrett Martin. McCready played in such bands as Pearl Jam and Temple of the Dog, Martin with Skin Yard and the Screaming Trees and Saunders with blues talents such as Little Pat Rushing, Hubert Sumlin, Sammy Fender, and The Lamont Cranston Band.[6] Immediately the trio set up rehearsal time together and wrote the music for two songs that would later become Mad Season's "Wake Up" and "River of Deceit", both of which would later appear on the band's album Above. McCready then brought in friend and Alice in Chains frontman Layne Staley to round out the line-up. McCready had hoped that being around sober musicians would push Staley to get himself sober.
Despite not having a single song completely prepared (only beginnings of songs, according to Martin) and not even having a name for the band, McCready scheduled an unannounced show at the Crocodile Cafe on October 12, 1994, which turned out to be a big success. The song "Artificial Red", which was also to appear on the album, actually came together during the show itself. Two more gigs were scheduled (November 6 & 20, 1994) at the same venue, with the band calling itself The Gacy Bunch, after both the notorious serial killer John Wayne Gacy of Chicago and the 1970s sitcom The Brady Bunch. On January 8, 1995, the band made an appearance on Pearl Jam's Self-Pollution satellite radio broadcast, a four-and-a-half-hour-long pirate broadcast out of Seattle which was available to any radio stations that wanted to carry it, performing "Lifeless Dead" and "I Don't Know Anything".
After gaining more popularity, the band recorded its only album and changed its name to Mad Season, which is an English term for the time of the year when psilocybin mushrooms are in full bloom, and a term which McCready related to "the seasons of drinking and drug abuse." The album, Above, which was recorded in Seattle, Washington at Bad Animals Studio (co-owned by Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart) and co-produced by the band and Pearl Jam sound engineer Brett Eliason, featured ten songs. It also included guest vocals and additional lyrics by Screaming Trees frontman and solo artist Mark Lanegan. McCready said, "We did all the Mad Season music in about seven days. It took Layne just a few more days to finish his vocals, which was intense since we only rehearsed twice and did four shows." The album was released on March 14, 1995 through Columbia Records to critical and commercial success. Over the course of 1995, Above scaled the Billboard 200, eventually peaking at No. 24 and spawning two singles: "River of Deceit" (#2 Mainstream Rock Tracks, No. 9 Modern Rock Tracks) and "I Don't Know Anything" (#20 Mainstream Rock Tracks). Above was certified gold on June 14, 1995.
McCready described the songs on the album as "some jazzy stuff, some blues, some arena rock." Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic said that the album "sounds like a cross between Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam, taking the ponderous seriousness of Alice and PJ's '90s update of winding '70s guitar rock." Staley's lyrics dealt with his personal troubles, with Martin saying, "Layne Staley felt as though he was on a spiritual mission through his music." During the lyric writing process, Staley was reading the book The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran, which was a strong influence on the lyrics and the overall tone of the album. "I Don't Know Anything" is a heavier, blues-influenced track, while "Long Gone Day" takes considerable jazz influence, combining the use of samba-style bass, xylophone, and saxophone.
Staley is credited for writing all the lyrics on the original release within the liner notes of the 2013 deluxe issue. As was the case with much of his work with Alice in Chains, Staley's lyrics dealt with his struggle against addiction as well as other personal troubles. Lyrically, much of "River of Deceit" was inspired by Khalil Gibran's The Prophet. Vocalist Mark Lanegan of Screaming Trees contributes guest vocals on "I'm Above" and "Long Gone Day"; he is also credited for co-writing the music to those tracks along with McCready and Martin. Lanegan also wrote the lyrics for the three bonus tracks on Disc 1 of the deluxe issue - "Locomotive", "Black Book of Fear", and "Slip Away". R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck is credited for co-writing the music to "Black Book of Fear" along with McCready, Martin, Saunders, and Lanegan.
Long Gone Day
Mad Season Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It runs from cold to colder
Time to time the skies come down
And help me lose my way
Tears and lies for answers
You and open veins
God knows I'm gone
Girl I just want you to
Lord, it's a storm in my head and I fall
These sins are mine and I've done wrong, oh babe
Come on down
Come on down my babe, wrong time I know
Long gone day (woah, woah-oh yeah)
Hmm mmm mmm mmm mmm
Who ever said we'd wash away with the rain?
See you all from time to time
Isn't it so strange how far away we all are now
Am I the only one who remembers that summer?
Oh woah, I remember
Everyday each time a place was saved
The music that we made
The wind has carried all of that away
Long gone day
Hmm mmm mmm mmm mmm
Who ever said we'd wash away with the rain?
So many tears I'm starting to drown
The rains in heaven must all come down
Silver spoons that fix the crown
The luckless ones are broken
Fears and lies for answers
You and open flames
God knows I'm gone
And I just want you to
Come on down
Lord, it's a storm in my head and I fall
These Sins are mine and I've done wrong
I want you to, oh I just want you to
Come on down
I fear again, like then, I lost my way
Shout to God to bring my sunny day
The song "Long Gone Day" by Mad Season is a poignant exploration of the theme of loss, both personal and communal. The opening lyrics, "So much blood I'm starting to drown, it runs from cold to colder," suggest a sense of overwhelming sadness and despair, while the repetition of the phrase "God knows I'm gone" further emphasizes a feeling of isolation and helplessness. The singer appears to be searching for solace in the memories of a lost love, invoking the image of a girl to come and help him find his way. The contrast between the warmth of the human connection and the coldness of the world around him creates a sense of disconnection and alienation.
As the song progresses, the singer reflects on the collective loss of a group of people, evoking memories of a summer long gone and lamenting the passing of time. The lyrics "who ever said we'd wash away with the rain?" suggest a sense of nostalgia for a time when things seemed clearer and simpler. However, the imagery of "tears," "rains in heaven," and "broken" luckless ones" suggests that the passage of time has not been kind, and that the bonds that once held this group together have been weakened or destroyed.
Overall, "Long Gone Day" is a haunting and melancholic exploration of themes of loss and disconnection. The lyrics are poignant and evocative, with the repeating refrain of "come on down" creating a sense of longing and yearning for a lost connection.
Line by Line Meaning
So much blood I'm starting to drown
There is so much trauma and pain in my life that I feel like I'm suffocating and can hardly keep my head above water.
It runs from cold to colder
The situation just keeps getting worse and more unbearable with every passing moment.
Time to time the skies come down
Occasionally, it seems like something could come to my rescue, but those moments of relief are fleeting.
And help me lose my way
These moments of relief often distract me from the path I need to be on to heal and recover from my pain.
Tears and lies for answers
Instead of the truth, all that comes from my pain is more pain in the form of tears and lies.
You and open veins
In my most vulnerable moments, it feels like everyone can see the rawness of my pain and I'm exposed.
God knows I'm gone
I'm lost and disconnected from myself, and it feels like no one can truly understand or support me.
Girl I just want you to
I'm desperate for someone to be there for me and to show me love and empathy.
Come on down
I need someone to come close and be present in my life when I'm in such a dark place.
Lord, it's a storm in my head and I fall
My thoughts and emotions are overwhelming and I can't keep them under control, causing me to feel lost and alone.
These sins are mine and I've done wrong, oh babe
I'm consumed with guilt and shame for things that have happened in my life, things that I often cannot change.
Come on down
I'm still pleading for someone to be there for me and help me through my struggles.
Come on down my babe, wrong time I know
I know that it's never a great time to need someone, but I still need love and support despite the timing.
Long gone day (woah, woah-oh yeah)
The moments of hope and happiness from the past are long gone and never seem to be coming back.
Hmm mmm mmm mmm mmm
This is an expression of despair and hopelessness that cannot be put into words.
Who ever said we'd wash away with the rain?
People thought that my pain would eventually dissipate, but it seems to be ingrained in me forever, like a stain that cannot be washed out.
See you all from time to time
I catch glimpses of people from my past or present but cannot connect with them as I used to.
Isn't it so strange how far away we all are now
It feels like everyone, including myself, has drifted away from who we used to be and our past connections.
Am I the only one who remembers that summer?
I reminisce about a summer filled with warm memories, and wonder if anyone else remembers or cares about those times.
Oh woah, I remember
The memories I have are vivid and powerful, and they continue to haunt me in my darkest moments.
Everyday each time a place was saved
Every time a memory was made or a connection was strengthened, it felt like another piece of hope and happiness was saved.
The music that we made
Music was an important part of my past, and it reminds me of a time when things felt vibrant and alive.
The wind has carried all of that away
The past is gone and lost forever, and it feels like the wind has taken away all of the good memories and feelings with it.
So many tears I'm starting to drown
I'm so overwhelmed with grief and sadness that I feel like I'm drowning in my own tears.
The rains in heaven must all come down
Even the heavens seem to be crying along with me, and the rains represent a purging of my pain and sadness.
Silver spoons that fix the crown
Some people are born into wealth and privilege, and it seems like they have everything they need to be happy and content.
The luckless ones are broken
Those who are not born into privilege or luck are often broken by the struggles they face in life.
Fears and lies for answers
In my darkest moments, I often turn to lies and false reassurances to numb my fears and pain.
You and open flames
I'm vulnerable and exposed, and I feel like I'm standing in the middle of an open flame that is consuming me.
And I just want you to
I'm craving human connection and empathy, and I need someone to help me through my struggles.
Come on down
I need someone to come close and be present in my life when I'm in such a dark place.
I fear again, like then, I lost my way
I'm afraid that I will never find my way back to the person I was before my struggles began, and that I will remain lost forever.
Shout to God to bring my sunny day
I'm pleading with the universe to provide some relief from my pain and to bring me the happiness and hope that I need to survive.
Lyrics © Red Brick Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Barrett Martin, Layne Staley, Mark Lanegan, Mike McCready
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@stephenmoore9737
These are the right lyrics!
So much blood I'm starting to drown
Runs from cold to colder
Time to time the sky's come down
To help me lose my way
Tears and lies for answers
You and open veins
God knows I'm gone
Girl I just want you to
Come on down
Lord it's a storm and I'm heading to fall
These sins are mine and I've done wrong, oh babe
Come on down
Long Gone Day
Mmmm, who ever said
We wash away with the rain
See you all from time to time
Isn't it so strange
How far away we all are now
Am I the only one who remembers that summer
Oh, I remember
Everyday each time the place was saved
The music that we made
The wind has carried all of that away
Long gone day
Mmmm, who ever said
We wash away with the rain
So many tears I'm starting to drown
The rain in heaven's all come down
Silver spoons affix the crown
The luckless ones are broken
Fears and lies for answers
You and open flames
God knows I'm gone
And I just want you to
Come on down, hmmm
Lord it's a storm and I'm heading to fall
These sins are mine and I've done wrong
I want you to
Oh, I just want you to
Come on down
I fear again, like then, I've lost my way
And shout to God to bring my sunny day
@Det313
Everytime I hear Layne's voice I get teary eyed, I battled a heroin addiction for almost 20 straight year's and I'm blessed to have made it through the fog. Two beautiful children came into my life and opened my eyes to living again, wanting to live again and I'm 3 years clean today 🙏🙏🙏
@misstembo2000
Thank you for sharing! Keep it up!!!!!
@antonioviana1357
Stay strong, dude! Congratulations!!
@SDCB754
Congratulations on your sobriety :)
@StefanMedici
Well done brother. One foot in front of the other and one day at a time. Stay strong.
@pwk22
Describing your success begets another success.
@hannathompson7998
Last time I watched this Mark was alive and tonight it hit me like a ton of bricks that they both are gone now. Ouch. Hurts. RIP beautiful, sweet, talented souls
@hs2874
I hope they get to jam together now.
@vee_xs
💔💔
@stephanieredden8861
John Baker Saunders too.