Alice In Chains has made their way into history being known as the deeper and heavier band that came out of the 1990’s scene. Layne Staley was their lead vocalist and primary song writer with Jerry Cantrell as the secondary vocals and amazing guitar riffs. Sean Kinney is the drummer for Alice In Chains and Mike Starr was their original bassist, although in 1992 Mike Starr left the group making room for Mike Inez to become their bassist. The sound of Alice In Chains was known for being dark and soulful with lyrics ranging from anger, pain, depression and their well known drug addiction struggles. Layne Staley battled drug addiction for many years, which ultimately lead to his death in April 2002. Although Layne Staley publicly battled his addiction to drugs, it was in his music where we learned really the struggles of drug addiction and the battle that raged within his soul. Whether you were young back in the 1990’s or older, Alice In Chains was always that band that made you feel like you were not alone and taught you the important lessons about drug use. Layne Staley was reclusive in his final years so Alice In Chains was no longer together recording music, but the music always lived on through the years becoming a fixture for many people. It is very hard to narrow down ten songs by Alice In Chains because they all have certain meanings to them, but here is my top ten list of their best work.
10. “Would?” from the Alice In Chains 1992 album Dirt
“Would?” is just one of the Alice In Chains songs that sticks in your mind because it is just pure raw vocal power. “Would?” might be most infamous because it was a song on the 1992 movie “Singles” and it is one that gets the most airplay on the radio. Would?” was written about Mother Love Bone lead singer Andrew Wood who died in the early 1990’s from a drug overdose and was a very close friend of Jerry Cantrell, the guitar player for Alice In Chains. It is just all around a classic Alice In Chains song that has lived on through the years and has only gained in popularity since the release of it.
9. “We Die Young” from the Alice In Chains 1990 debut album Facelift
“We Die Young” is a less popular song by Alice In Chains but it was one of the best songs from their debut album Facelift which was in 1990. This song is in my top ten because the riffs on the guitar are amazing and the song is powerful. A song about gang-related violence and children being taught the ways of the street at an early age, hinting at the fact they will die young. This song is very powerful and speaks to what life is like everyday for millions of our children around the world.
8. ” Frogs” from the 1995 self-titled album Alice In Chains
“Frogs” is from the 1995 Alice In Chains self-titled album and is one of those songs you just can not stop from listening to. Written late in the career of Alice In Chains, this song came from the idea of recording the sounds they heard while in a swampy area writing songs for the album. They recorded the sounds from that area and in the recording frogs were heard which gave the name to the song. In the song, if you listen closely you can actually hear the frogs in the background along with many various instruments. This is just one of those songs if you like Alice In Chains you have to listen to. The lyrics are also very powerful and talk about what being a friend is and how things change over time.
7. “Rooster” from the 1992 Alice In Chains album Dirt
This is a great song because you can clearly hear the powerful screams of Layne Staley along with the amazing guitar of Jerry Cantrell. This was one of many classic Alice In Chains songs and it is talking about the war that the father of Jerry Cantrell was a part of. Today, this has been used by the band as an anti-war song directed at our invasion of Iraq. The song is very powerful and has picked up even more power since our latest war and has become a song for the men and women who serve this country everyday.
6. “Rotten Apple” from the 1993 Alice In Chains album Jar of Flies
This song is special because Alice In Chains only performed this song one time in concert before taking their long hiatus from music. Lyrically this song is filled with many different feelings and emotions and the amazing bass and guitar only add to the wonder of this song. The song is filled with so much pain and emotion that it is an instant classic for any Alice In Chains fan.
5. “Junkhead” from the 1992 Alice In Chains album Dirt
If you are a fan of Alice In Chains, you know how much of their music was written regarding the topic of drug addiction and substance abuse. “Junkhead” is the song about what it is like starting out as a drug user, the excitement and happiness that is created by the drug of choice. “Junkhead” is one of my personal favorite songs because if you yourself have been in the throws of an addiction, you understand this song in the most powerful way. “Junkhead” was not a popular song back in the 1990’s primarily because it would never get time on the radio due to the nature of the lyrics. This song shows the beginning stages of addiction and drug use and how the user feels during this stage. It is also a great song due to the rawness in the voice of Layne Staley and the powerful riffs in the middle of the song from Jerry Cantrell. A must-have song for any fan of Alice In Chains or anyone going through drug abuse or addiction.
4. “God Smack” from the 1992 Alice In Chains album Dirt
This is a great song from Alice In Chains because it shows the end-stage of what drug addiction can do to a person. Many of the songs from this album deal with drug addiction and it goes from the happiness to the misery of what drugs can do to you. “God Smack” is a song dealing with why you should not do drugs and how it will forever affect your life. This is a great song that is powerful in the message and powerful in every way imaginable.
3. “Sea of Sorrow” from the 1990 Alice In Chains album Facelift
Overall a great song with great lyrics and music for any fan of Alice In Chains. This song is about love and the pain that someone you love can cause you and is just an instant classic song from Alice In Chains. It has good lyrics along with some powerful music which makes it one of my favorite songs by Alice In Chains.
2. “Down In a Hole” from the 1992 Alice In Chains album Dirt
This song is just great all around and really shows a softer side of Alice In Chains. Written by guitarist Jerry Cantrell; this song deals with relationships and love after losing that relationship. “Down In A Hole” is just one of those softer songs that really plays on your heart and fills you with emotions. Not to mention, the harmonizing between Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell throughout the song just makes it that much better. A classic song dealing with a common problem but in a beautiful way.
1. “Man In the Box” from the 1990 Alice In Chains album Facelift
This song is my number one because this is the song that got me listening to Alice In Chains back when I was very young. A classic song from Alice In Chains that had some of the most airplay during the 1990’s. “Man In the Box” was a song written about veal believe it or not and has become a staple to any fan of Alice In Chains. Not only is the guitar riffs in this song amazing, but the power behind the vocals of Layne Staley are just amazing. This song really shows what the band is about and how powerful the voice of Layne Staley was while in his prime. Also, this song was actually their first song that got radio time and it instantly made them become popular, it was their breakout song and first-release. I can not say enough about this song as it has very special meaning to me, which it why it will forever hold a special place in my heart.
