Heaven Beside You

Directly from the linear notes of the Music Bank box set (written by Cantrell): "Another attempt to reconcile the fact that my life and paths are tearing me apart from the person I love. All the songs I write about her are a way for me to maybe speak to her, express things I could never express."

This song is about the personal battle that rages on inside our heads. Heaven beside you - this is what your partner and friends may think of your well being. Hell within - is what you are feeling personally.

To me this song seems like Cantrel is almost venting about Staley. "Be what you wanna be See what you came to see Been what you wanna be I don't like what I see" At first, he was content to let Staley do what he wanted, but by that time it started effecting thier music. "Like the coldest winter chill Heaven beside you... Hell within" Staley had all this great potential but let the hell within(herion) mess it up. Am I the only one who thinks hell within and heroin sound alike? Also, "So there's problems in your life That's fucked up, and I'm not blind I'm just see through faded, super jaded And out of my mind" Cantrel's attempts at empathy. "So there's problems in your life That's fucked up, but You're not blind You're just see through faded, overrated And out of your mind" Cantrel's tired of trying to help Staley. Maybe he thought the only way to communicate his feelings was in song?

To me, personally, this song is about being emotionally exhausted, or being in a very dark place inside, and how you see the activity of the people around you. Seeing people going through their own experiences, and knowing what they are doing, and understanding what they are talking about, but feeling very apathetic towards it, weather its something that you know is something you may approve or disapprove of. I feel like it means that you know you are surrounded by positive things that you can focus on, but you stay negative inside, unable to help it, and it feels terrible- "like the coldest winter chill, heaven beside you, hell within". I also feel that there is emotional conflict in it, that these feelings are terrible, and you would like to be rid of them for happiness, but not liking the way the people around you are acting, so you stay unhappy- "do what you wanna do, go out and seek your truth, when I'm down and blue, rather be me than you". it is as if you are sitting in shadows quietly, feeling this apathetic darkness towards all of the activity going on in the light, and not wanting to step out into it because the darkness has become a sort of comfort zone, and you aren't sure if it is worth leaving it behind, no matter how irrational and negative that might seem- "I'm just see through faded, super jaded, and out of my mind". That is just the way i personally relate to it and interpret it.

This song is not about heroin. All AIC songs are not about heroin. People are looking for meanings that are not there. Jerry wrote this about the love of his life and how he messed up their relationship. The point of view that he writes it in is like he is talking to himself, second-person point of view. He is not talking about his relationship with Layne, Layne's heroin abuse, or his own drug use. Most of Jerry's songs are about relationships, not drugs. Yeah, Angry Chair is about heroin, but not all AIC songs are. If you want to know what a song is about, try the liner notes of the Music Bank box set. Jerry gives his comments about songs there.

It's seems if they got any mass attention at all, then they are mainstream. These definitions we throw around are broad and poorly-defined. I really don't know what the hell "mainstream" means much like I am not sure what the hell "selling out" means. I know my thesis is flawed, I am human. Even after Layne Staley died, I haven't heard of a huge ground swell of support for AIC. These guys could never transcend to a wider fanbase and I don't know why that is. Maybe the heads at Columbia thought these boys were freaky and from another plane of existance. When I heard these guys at first, I thought they were from Hell. But, I threw my initial thoughts and perceptions to the side and I came back with a greater appreciation for them. That doesn't mean a non-fan has done what I have done. They think these are guys are strange and won't give them a second look. I think there is an ingrained acceptance to digest shit known as "music" and the truly artistic and musically talented ones are left to rot on the vine. By that comes my cosmetic mathematical judgment. Fans of Britney Spears are not musically sensed and they eat that shit faster than pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving dinner. That's why Brittany sells 50 billion albums. AIC is not easily digested, they are like seafood and pepper jack cheese mixed together. I can digest both but I like one more than the other, pumpkin pie is great but too damn sweet. Pepper jack and seafood makes a great Subway sandwich and I can eat those several times a month. More people like pumpkin pie than pepper jack and seafood. AIC sells maybe not even 10 million albums period and they will be remembered if at all. So by my warped ass thinking, coolness factor is inversely proportional to the size of fanbase. I do agree with you that this band is awesome despite the size of the fanbase. I am only one person and my thinking is far out in left field that I will get lamb-basted by the more moderate ones of the group. You're a moderate, autumns_gone, and thank you for the creative criticism.

I think it takes a level of maturity to listen to AIC. Also if you grew up in the seattle music scene like I did, AIC is a part of you whether you like it or not. I was never hooked on AIC until I saw Unplugged. If you actually see these guys perform, especially in unplugged, it absolutley cannot be denied. There is so much passion in every song, and I would honestly compare the enjoyment I get out of watching Staley and Cantrell to Page and Plant. Whether Heaven beside you is about a girl or whatever, its still the shit along with every other song AIC wrote. Pop is worthless and Britney can have her millions of fans. Any old corporate sponsored image with a recording studio and a thousand different machines can make a mindless pop album. It takes talent to make a real album. AIC is the epitome of talent, and I would take 50,000 fans who know that over millions who dont, ANY day.

It's about the love of Jerry's life, and how he couldn't stay faithful to her, and they broke up. "Heaven beside you" - The most beautiful girl in the world, where your heart belongs. "Hell within" - The agony you caused yourself, and knowing that you blew your chance. Such an amazing song.

Dude...No. If a band is awesome regardless of how many fans they have. I really hope that if this band had millions of fans you'd still like them cause it's just really sad if you base your judgment on a band over how mainstream they are.

I think this song is basically about someone who complains about his life but when compared to other people's lives it's nothing.