Alice in Chains

Released: October 26, 1999

Songwriter: Jerry Cantrell Layne Staley Mike Inez Sean Kinney

Producer: Alice in Chains

How the mind does shout for rest
When the bodies shaken, yeah
Oh the tightness in my chest
Still your leaves I'm raking

Lord is this a test
Was it fun creating, yeah?
My god's a little sick
And he wants me crazy

Who
Are you
Who can say
It's ok to live through me?

Live to be
Part of me
You're a wrinkled magazine
Yeah

Was it something that I said?
Was it how they're breaking, yeah
I'm so selfish, paying your rent
While your blood I'm taking

You
Spend me
Like a tree
Dirty dollar bills for leaves
Dark in a sea
Of my seeds
And the tears on which you feed

You feed

The body is a temple
A dormant alter
To where infantile men lie around
Itching and nibbling
For a small piece of sanity
Of which you can not give

Shit!

Individuality
Buying pennies with my soul
And a little Heaven spent
While the Hell I'm taking

Thieves
Parasites
Hide from life
You know they'll remember me

They are abhorred
In self-worth
All that matters much to me

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

The Essential Alice in Chains

From the albums

Music Bank (1999)
The Essential Alice in Chains (2006)

Alice in Chains popular songs

A Little Bitter (Remix)Alice in Chains

Alice in Chains

The Essential Alice in Chains