Alice in Chains – Would?

The song, written by guitarist/co-vocalist Jerry Cantrell, concerns the late lead singer of Mother Love Bone, Andrew Wood, who died of a heroin overdose in 1990. In the liner notes of 1999's Music Bank box...
Know me broken by my master
Teach thee on child, love hereafter

Into the flood again
Same old trip it was back then
So I made a big mistake
Try to see it once my way

Drifting body, it's sole desertion
Flying, not yet quite the notion

Into the flood again
Same old trip it was back then
So I made a big mistake
Try to see it once my way

Into the flood again
Same old trip it was back then
So I made a big mistake
Try to see it once my way

Am I wrong?
Have I run too far to get home?
Have I gone?
Left you here alone?

Am I wrong?
Have I run too far to get home?
Have I gone?

Left you here alone?
If I would, could you?


Lyrics submitted by Ice

"Would?" as written by Jerry Cantrell

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Would? song meanings
Add your thoughts

180 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +12
    General CommentTo me, this is definitely a song about regret and asking for forgiveness. I'm too tired to break it down line by line, but the main points are that the narrator (for lack of a better term) has been slipping into old habits and mistakes, slowly falling back into the 'flood' of regret/depression. However, they still believe that anyone could make the same mistakes if in their shoes, and ask for the listener to "try to see it once my way".

    Also, the whole "Am I wrong..." part is the narrator question whether or not they've made too many mistakes to ever live a happy or normal life. "Have I run too far to get home?" = "Have I done more damage than I can repair?". Just a quick interpretation, hopefully someone else here has a similar view.
    thecallofktulu1993on January 14, 2011   Link
  • +7
    General CommentThis song is very different in many levels,
    One is the fact that the singer is talking about
    going threw his addiction of heroin all over again.
    For me, I related to being traped in my ex girlfreinds love again. Also you can but it in any situation, one time or the other that a part of you're life has gone wrong. It's a great mind easer and good song to think about!!!!!!
    Beauch Doggon May 14, 2002   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • +7
    General CommentI think it's about someone knowingly making a bad decision that they're going to eventually regret but feel they must do. In turn, they're asking another to see their situation the same way they did in order understand why they keep coming back to the same problem. The end of the song has the person asking if they've gone too far to turn their back on the situation and if, in the long run, they have abandoned the recipient of the song. The recipient is then asked that if they were to be alone, could they see things from the same perspective as the Main person of the song.
    JDF2376on July 18, 2009   Link
  • +4
    General Comment"If i would could you." If i would love you could you love me. My favorite alice in chains song
    prehistoricfelixon August 04, 2009   Link
  • +4
    General Commenti relate the last line to mine and my boyfriend's relationship with heroin. quitting is hard enough when you're doing it alone, but it's even harder when you're so closely intertwined with someone who's also an addict. i want to quit, but he's not ready, and i'm not strong enough to stop using with him using around me, and i'm not strong enough to leave him for the sake of my own health.

    "if i would, could you?"

    apparently not.
    thegasmanon March 04, 2010   Link
  • +4
    My OpinionThis song sounds like it is about a person who accidently done someone wrong and that person will not let them forget about and keeps giving the person a guilt trip about or trying to ruin their reputation and the person is going through a rough time in his life and is trying to make it up or fix his mistakes but cant seem to get a break and have something good happen in his or life.
    grungecountryon August 15, 2015   Link
  • +3
    General CommentTo me this song reminds me of love.... just making mistakes and just wishing you could change them and that the other person would see that you know you made the mistake...... love is my drug....
    Led Hendrixon February 14, 2006   Link
  • +2
    General CommentIt's about making the same old mistakes again, and not being able to please the people around you. And you just want them to try and see it once your way.
    Soundgarden1019on February 16, 2006   Link
  • +2
    General CommentThis song is very haunting I get a very dark feeling from it. I love it though i listen to this whenever I work out keeps me motivated especially towards the end when he asks those questions cuz anyone could relate to those questions.
    armondo28on November 13, 2008   Link
  • +2
    My InterpretationI listen to this song almost every time I make a mistake. I remember hearing Layne saying in an interview that him and Jerry try to write songs to help them say what they want to say but still keep them open enough for anyone to relate to.
    suicidal216on January 21, 2010   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

Back to top
explain