| Soundgarden – Burden in My Hand Lyrics | 11 years ago |
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Cornell addressed this song in an interview: Q:After all of these years, what does "Burden In My Hand" mean to you? Is that a particularly special song? A: It kind of became that. That was a song that really came from the guitar itself. It was mostly like the guitar was dictating what the lyrics should be and creating a mental image. The mental image was this sort of destitute guy. I guess he'd lost his cool if you want to put it that way. He's sort of coming to grips with what had happened and not necessarily feeling particularly emotional about it either way. He's trying to figure out how he would stand up and put one foot in front of the other—or not—and the song never really resolves any of that. It's just that moment of somebody sitting in the dirt. I had more moments like that after that song was written than I ever had before it was, so it means a lot more to me now than it did then. That's true of a lot of songs, not just songs I'd written but songs I'd been a fan of. I was like an Elvis Costello freak when I was about 17-years-old. I listened to every single record and knew almost every song. It wasn't until like 20 years later that I realized I'd be listening to an Elvis Costello song and I'd be like, "Oh, I know what that means now!" [Laughs] I thought I knew what that meant before. I thought it was just words, but now I actually have experiences in my life that relate to it completely and now I understand it entirely. The funny thing is those were experiences that he had at 24-years-old. It took me to be like 38. http://www.artistdirect.com/entertainment-news/article/chris-cornell-of-soundgarden-looks-back-on-burden-in-my-hand/9205115 |
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| Alice in Chains – A Looking in View Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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Here is what I'm hearing [thanks to previous posters; interpretation in brackets]: [Bottom line, I suspect this song is informed by, but not necessarily about, either Jerry Cantrell's or the band's experience with Layne Staley as his addiction and health got worse. Perhaps they perceived Layne as closing off himself to his friends, as his situation got worse, and as Layne perceived himself increasingly in a self-loathing and negative way. Ultimately, this may be an empathetic song about the suffering of a friend, where you are not able to do much to help or be helpful. The band's video seems consistent with this interpretation. It has three storylines/montages: a young man constructing a clock; an older, religious man self-flagellating over breaking his internal moral values; and a desperately unhappy woman who is contemplating hurting herself in her bathroom. I didn't see a connection in the song to the young man, but I saw parallels in the lyrics to the storylines for the older man and young woman. I like the song. It's definitely AIC. Reminds me of Soundgarden's Burden in My Hand, AIC's Dirt] Hear footsteps creak the floor The shadows give away Someone outside the door Won't let em' in [Perhaps narrator getting in mind of hurting friend, imagining the friend's thinking, when the narrator comes to visit... but the friend "won't let em' in", literally and figuratively. I think I read that Layne wouldn't let Jerry in at some point.] Life damaged gives to grind A run down broke machine That steals your peace of mind Before you know it's gone Lay down Lay [The friend's life is "damaged" by something, "broken", breaking his/her peace of mind. Almost an observation that they friend is seeming to 'lay down'... to die, giving up, etc.] Silence burning on your tongue Keep us separate So they know [The hurting friend isn't responsive to the narrator. "Silence burning on your tongue." Keeping them separate.] Hiding in the darkness under Boiling to the surface don't go far [A person's pain is "hiding" "under" in "darkness", but manifests itself in a visible way] A looking in view too long on the outside Desperate plans make sense in a low life Hey (repeat) [Second line may be reference to when a person feels him or herself "down" and like a "lowlife", desperate plans, like hurting oneself, can "make sense. First line may be one by the narrator, expressing regret of observing too long from the outside without being there for the friend. But I'm not sure about the first line.] These things I hate in you Also reflect it seems Distortion laced with spite Teach you how to leave Lay down Lay [Narrator perhaps saying he/she doesn't like how things are going for the friend, and also the hurting friend's behavior and thinking, which are distorted and "laced with spite".] Hiding in the darkness under Boiling to the surface something Crawling on your skin discomfort Makes you break and run, stumble, fall A looking in view too long on the outside Desperate plans make sense in a low life Hey (repeat) It's why you never tell me whatever's on your mind (repeat 2x two voices in harmony, repeat 2x one voice for first part) [The narrator concludes all of these things are coming together, causing the hurting friend to be closed off.] A looking in view too long on the outside Desperate plans make sense in a low life Hey (repeat) It's why you never tell me whatever's on your mind |
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