Alice in Chains

Released: November 7, 1995

Songwriter: Mike Inez Layne Staley Sean Kinney Jerry Cantrell

Producer: Alice in Chains Toby Wright

[Verse 1]
What does friend mean to you?
A word so wrongfully abused
Are you like me, confused?
All included but you
Alone

[Verse 2]
The sounds of silence often soothe
Shapes and colors shift with mood
Pupils widen, change their hue
Rapid brown avoid clear blue

[Chorus]
Why's it have to be this way?
Be this way, be this way
Be this way, be this way
Be this way

[Verse 3]
Flowers watched through wide eyes bloom
A child sings an unclaimed tune
Innocence spins cold cocoon
Grow to see the pain too soon

[Chorus]
Why's it have to be this way?
Be this way, be this way
Be this way, be this way
Be this way

[Outro]
At 7 AM
On a Tuesday in August
Next week I'll be 28
I'm still young, it'll be me
Off the wall, I scraped you
I gotta wake
I gotta wake, it comes this way
I can't wait no more
It comes this way (it comes this way)
To drown this ache
To reinstate (Everyone dead, everyone)
(You put me through) Take your place (Put me through hell)
Heaven direct your shape (Heaven direct)
You see I can do it so well
Your expiration date
Your expiration date
Fate, date
Expiration date
This one is gonna last too, hate
Never gonna fuck with me again
My own clean slate
Don't fuck with me again
Makes your eyes dilate
Makes you shake
Irate

Alice in Chains are a Seattle-based rock band. They rose to international fame in the early 1990s as part of the ‘grunge’ movement. They are one of the most critically and commercially acclaimed acts of the 90s. Their first 3 studio albums all went multi-platinum and they have received 8 Grammy nominations for Best Hard Rock performance (sadly, never winning once).

Their unique sound comes from the harmonized vocals of co-founders Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell, as showcased in some of their biggest songs like “No Excuses” from Jar of Flies, “Angry Chair” from Dirt and “Again” from the self-titled album. Cantrell also serves as the primary songwriter and guitarist of the band.

The band was never restricted to grunge. Cantrell believes it to be heavy metal; and indeed a lot of modern heavy metal bands cite Alice in Chains as an influence, including Metallica for Death Magnetic.

more tracks from the album

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From the albums

Alice in Chains (1995)
Music Bank (1999)

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Alice in Chains

Music Bank