Dirt Lyrics
Or lack of self control
I want you to kill me
And dig me under, I wanna live no more
I've tried to hide myself from what is wrong for me
For me
In my mouth, on my tongue
I want you to scrape me from the walls
And go crazy like you've made me
I've tried to hide myself from what is wrong for me
For me
You have the talent to make me feel like dirt
And you, you use your talent to dig me under
And cover me with dirt
I've tried to hide myself from what is wrong for me
Personally, it pisses me off when I see that most of the conclusions that people come to (Layne's words) are all drug related. Completely missing the point of not only the song, but the tragedy woven into the words by a suffering and lonely man.
All throughout his turmoil, he retained his mental stability, although at times I am sure even he would admit to being 'out of it', but to only see "drugs" in his words dishonors the human being within. He was misunderstood in life and it seems inevitably that remains the case in death as well.
I agree it's an oversimplification to say it's all about drugs. Why would a person turn to dangerous drugs in the first place if not to numb the pain they are experiencing?
I agree it's an oversimplification to say it's all about drugs. Why would a person turn to dangerous drugs in the first place if not to numb the pain they are experiencing?
A lot of the lyrics to this and other AIC songs sound like the writer suffered from Borderline Personality Disorder, IMHO.
A lot of the lyrics to this and other AIC songs sound like the writer suffered from Borderline Personality Disorder, IMHO.
It's a very painful condition where you simultaneously crave an impossible amount of love & acceptance as an adult that you never got as a child and that no one can now give you (except yourself) and are repulsed by the craving. And you feel worthless deep...
It's a very painful condition where you simultaneously crave an impossible amount of love & acceptance as an adult that you never got as a child and that no one can now give you (except yourself) and are repulsed by the craving. And you feel worthless deep down because you never received the proper validation as a child.
Any small sign of rejection from someone you care about opens up a pandora's box of pain and you use hate as a shield against the pain. Or you may disconnect from all emotions to protect yourself ("One who doesn't care is one who shouldn't be/I tried to hide myself from what is wrong for me.")
Eventually you may turn to drugs to numb it all (think of the song Hate to Feel) because even death seems preferable to the exhausting emotional roller coaster that seems endless and inescapable.
The thing that smacks the most of BPD is the fantasy he's having to kill himself just to show someone else how much they've hurt him. And the idea of death being preferable to the frustration & lack of control over oneself & one's emotions.
Just my opinion!
@SaintDLee I agree. Alot of their songs could be interpreted as being about drugs. But so could any song about extreme love/hate. People don't reallize the feelings that come with drug abuse. The guilt shame loneliness torment disappointment emptiness selfishness..etc.. not everything he wrote was about drugs. But even the ones he did write about them were really just about the underlying feelings.and the reasons he felt a need to escape to begin with. Lifelong AIC fan here, also sober Heroin addict (I call it HELL-OIN) CLEAN FOR 8 YEARS NOW!! thinking about beautiful souls and minds wasted and taken...
@SaintDLee I agree. Alot of their songs could be interpreted as being about drugs. But so could any song about extreme love/hate. People don't reallize the feelings that come with drug abuse. The guilt shame loneliness torment disappointment emptiness selfishness..etc.. not everything he wrote was about drugs. But even the ones he did write about them were really just about the underlying feelings.and the reasons he felt a need to escape to begin with. Lifelong AIC fan here, also sober Heroin addict (I call it HELL-OIN) CLEAN FOR 8 YEARS NOW!! thinking about beautiful souls and minds wasted and taken to soon such as Layne, is one if the things that keeps me going when I think of slipping up. I've lost too many friends to the stuff and the world has lost too many talented artists. God knows we could use some decent music here in 2023! Sorry for the late reply haha but yeah
This song is far better than any lamentation written in the Bible.
This is a lament from the heart, a heart about to sputter out.
This is may be one of the best songs ever penned.
It's pretty fucking ignorant to compare them, they are completely different lamentations in nature: One is written, the other is musical. At the end of the day, the spirit in both is true.
It's pretty fucking ignorant to compare them, they are completely different lamentations in nature: One is written, the other is musical. At the end of the day, the spirit in both is true.
God, such ignorance.
God, such ignorance.
sounds like Layne was talking to his addiction face to face,in the line /you are so special/you have the talent/ to make me feel like dirt/he was hating his addiction and in a essence himself for letting it control him.lots of addicts have a love/hate relationship with their addiction and this was his hate for it showing.....damn,i wish he hated more,then maybe he would'nt have died
I agree that Staley wanted to talk about heroin here, but i totally hate the way people start to argue about the meaning of the song. It could have 1000 different meanings, this is what art means, it depends on what each listener needs to hear. To me, it's about hating someone that made you feel like crap and caused you to lose self-esteem, and the need to get revenge for that. But that's just my humble opinion.
@zmonk I'd argue it still is about internal struggles within one self more so than with someone else ... but yes agree, each to their own (and your personal experiences may determine whether you see it as an internal struggle or an external one).
@zmonk I'd argue it still is about internal struggles within one self more so than with someone else ... but yes agree, each to their own (and your personal experiences may determine whether you see it as an internal struggle or an external one).
@zmonk Yeah I read that "it is definitely about drugs" but my interpretation is the weakness you have towards other human beings and so you choose the easy way and ask them to "bury" you"instead of trying to understand you.
@zmonk Yeah I read that "it is definitely about drugs" but my interpretation is the weakness you have towards other human beings and so you choose the easy way and ask them to "bury" you"instead of trying to understand you.
It is obviously about suicidal feelings derived directly from Layne's heroin addiction. I think it is the bleakest, most depressng song I've ever heard. "One who doesn't care is one who shouldn't be" shows exactly where layne was at when this sng was written
It's just a song that's full of hatred for someone, and how he wants to make that person feel like they made him.
@Songmeaningsuser lol this isnt about a person it is about heroin addiction.........
@Songmeaningsuser lol this isnt about a person it is about heroin addiction.........
@Songmeaningsuser it is either about his addiction or an internal struggle within himself (and not a third party) IMO
@Songmeaningsuser it is either about his addiction or an internal struggle within himself (and not a third party) IMO
one of my favourite AiC songs. laynes vocals were always so fucking perfect!
lol
UMM...well screaming3s then you must be messed up (or not a true alice in chains fan) but Layne died from a speedball (cocain and heroin) overdoes so yea you dont know what your talking about at all!!! I think that this song id definetly anout heroin! and most of there songs are ...well thats how i see them. luv ya Lyane RIP
Mud wrestling. That gave me a good laugh.