Care not for the men who wonder
Straw that broke your back, you're under
Cast all them aside who care
Empty eyes and dead end stare

Don't you know that none are blind
To the lie and you think I don't find what you hide?
What in God's name have you done?
Stick your arm for some real fun

For the horse you've grown much fonder
Than for me, that I don't ponder
As the hair of one who bit you
Smiling, bite your own self, too

And I think that you're not blind
To the ones you left behind
I'll be here
What in God's name have you done?
Stick your arm for some real fun, uh

So be yearning all your life
Twisting, turning like a knife
Now you know the reasons why

Can't get high, or you will die
Or you'll die
What in God's name have you done?
Stick your arm for some real fun

So your sickness weighs a ton
And God's name is smack for some, yeah


Lyrics submitted by Ice

God Smack Lyrics as written by Layne Staley Jerry Cantrell

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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God Smack song meanings
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61 Comments

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  • +6
    General Comment

    "Would?" is written for Andrew Wood; I don't think "God Smack" was.

    Layne has said that this is about watching someone you love descend into heroin addiction. I'd guess that it was written about his fiancee, who eventually passed away from heroin-related causes. Regardless, it sounds like he's trying to wake the person up to what is happening to them, and to the fact that he knows it, and that it's awful. He's sort of begging [her?] to realize what she's done (he sings "What in God's name have you done?" with such horror) and to stop ("Can't get high, or you will die").

    The line "And God's name is smack for some" is a criticism; he's complaining that heroin has become more important to [her?] than anything else in the world, even god (as he complains earlier the person has "cast aside" everyone that cares, and has grown more fond of "that horse" than of him). One of the most touching lines is "And I think that you're not blind / To the ones you left behind / I'll be here." He's telling this person that he knows that she knows she's leaving the people she loves behind, but that he'll be still be there for [her?].

    It's so sad that he watched someone he loved going through this, and then ended up doing the same thing himself. Poor Layne.

    drinkthepoisonon October 14, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Its about drug addiction "So be yearning all your life/twisting turning like a knife" and "gods name is smack for some" of course the song doesnt paint a pretty picture, but thats AIC for ya (RIP Layne Staley)

    parkaboyon April 24, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    listen 2 the words! (stick your arm for some real fun) or u could just do it the easy way and snort the heroin!

    Bknow33on May 27, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    it sounds like this song has two meanings in its own, one can be about shooting heroin (stick your arm for some real fun), and other is about how religion is nothing but "crack" to AIC. The line...(and god's name is smack for some)...says how god's name is nothing but "smack" to some people, denouncing religion.

    shortbus45on July 23, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i think shortbus got it right but then again songs can have many different meanings depending on how you look at it

    KidneyTheifon July 28, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    drug addiction is definitely what this is about. "so your sickness weighs a ton and God's name is smack for some". this basically means that heroin(smack) is a main concern. addicts will do anything for it. "for the horse you've grown much fonder than for me, that i dont ponder". that's self explanitory as well. "be yearning all your life" describes the addiction.

    SwornToTheBlackon August 19, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Dude. Horse is slang for Heroin.

    If you think this song is about anything but drugs, I don't know what to tell you.

    Im_Nexton September 10, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Yeah, this song is really blatant when it comes to getting its point across. It's probably one of the most clear cut songs I've ever heard from Alice in Chains. It's about heroin. I mean, come on, how much more clear can you get? "Stick your arm for some real fun..." thats pretty easy to understand.

    Guitariston September 22, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think we all know where Godsmack got their name! WEEE!!!!

    Great song, about drugs obvious enough.

    Muzzyon March 22, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Okay, the people that said it was about drugs is right, but its not the WHOLE story. of course everyone may think its about staleys use, but infact, layne/jerry wrote it for Andrew Wood. For all the music idiots out there, Andrew Wood was the singer for Mother Love Bone. He died of a "smack" o.d. in 90. Great song, Rip Andrew and Layne

    TransparentSunChildon April 08, 2004   Link

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