A Looking in View

Always thought this song was based on the band members knocking on the door to Layne's apartment, trying to help him. I've heard/read quotes from Cantrell or Kinney on many occasions about how they'd beat down Layne's door trying to get through to him and he would never answer. He just shut himself in his apartment, did drugs, and ignored help from his friends.

1st couple paragraphs are from Layne's point of view ("your peace of mind") - Layne hiding in his apartment hearing footsteps and seeing shadows

2nd couple paragraphs are from Cantrell/Kinney and others trying to help him ("Keep us separate, sullen, dumb") - biting their tongues and holding their breaths to hear if Layne is home.....they feel separate/stupid/sad

DuVall's "LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY" which sounds like Layne, intentional or unintentional, makes it even eerier.

The song seems to be about holding in way too much until you explode. Holding in your emotions and not letting someone see the true feelings about something or someone, and then finally erupting (or maybe holding it in to avoid erupting, maybe).

just like i said before. this song is ALL about Layne

read the first verse:

"Hear footsteps creak the floor The shadows give away Someone outside the door Won't let them in"

now read what Sean Kinney (AIC's drummer) said of Layne Staley's last days:

"I kept trying to make contact... Every time I was in the area, I was up in front of his place yelling for him... Even if you could get in his building, he wasn't going to open the door. You'd phone and he wouldn't answer."

i love this song ever since i downloaded it the other day, its so much better than i thought theyd sound without layne. its heavy and complicated like their last album but it still has that perfect creepy aic atmosphere from dirt. duvall actually sounds really good with them, it sounds kinda like hes trying to copy layne but at least hes doing a good job of it. i have no idea about the meaning but i cant wait for the cd to come out

Almost forgot, I know he isn't but I swear Williams is yelling Layne everytime he sings the "lay down" lyrics. Maybe that was supposed to happen.

Great song but could have got the same affect keeping it a little shorter.

I think the video helps make a little more sense out of the lyrics although I don't think the situations were at all views of AIC members, maybe just the director's. Too me, the song is about someone judging themselves, worrying too much about what others think about them and thus becoming somewhat of a recluse believing if they keep things hidden people won't be able to judge them and their problems will be solved or either they think they can fix the problem themselves without any help from the outside world....makes sense to me, looking at themselves from the outside, as we would look or judge someone in front of us instead of looking at their innerself.

I'm probably looking a little too far into these lyrics, AIC was notorious about writing stuff that "whatever you think its about, that is what its about" to quote Layne.

By the way, the Dirt reference at the end of the video was awesome, probably the only part I liked about it.

I think this song is about damaged person who can't express their frustrations so they act out in negative ways, and after living like that so long it's like they are a lost cause.

"Life damaged gives to crime A run down broke machine That steals your piece of mind Before you know it's gone" That pretty much explains it. You make bad choices and it steals your "piece of mind" or sense, and then finally it's gone forever.

"Hiding in the darkest slumber Boiling to the surface Crawling on your skin discomfort Makes you brake and run and stumble fall" All the repressed feelings hide, then "boil to the surface" and makes the person act out or "break run stumble fall" etc.

"A looking in view too long on the outside Desperate plans make sense to the low life" Basically being on the wrong/negative side of a persons mind or compassion, for too long makes them acting out of desperation seems normal for someone living the "low life", perhaps a drug addicts life or just a depressing life in general.

"It's why you never tell me..." And all those reasons are why the person never expressed their demons to the narrator (Jerry?).

I almost feel like this song could be about Jerry's frustrations with how Layne's life went into a downward spiral. Who knows, I obviously don't know the situation but perhaps the "lay" sounding like "Layne" as other posted commented would be a subtle hint. I doubt that's what it's about, because the lyric would probably be "never TOLD me" instead. Just a random thought.

Either way, those are my thoughts and I think this song is fucking awesome. It sounds like AIC without trying to be... it just is. The vocal harmonies sound really nice and I think they did an awesome job re-creating the vibe of what AIC has been about without trying to force it or being lame. I can't wait for the album.

Awesome song but i was kinda wishing it was somehow about Layne.

I believe he's saying "desperate plans make sense in a low light"