Alice in Chains – Lesson Learned

"Lesson Learned" as written by and Jerry Cantrell....
Just another lesson learned
Wear a scar, a bore repeating
Take a simple fateful turn
Opened up to stop the bleeding

Feeling you never could
Been the disconnected frying
Hit the vein and struck a nerve
Seeing through a self that's blinding

Nowhere to buy in
Most of us hiding
Others are shining

You know when you find it
In your darkest hour, you strike gold
A thought clicks, not the be-all end-all
Just another lesson learned

Just another brick you toss
Stone the number one deceiver
Multiply the added cost
Easy to become a believer

Feeling like you never could
Been the disconnected frying
Hit the vein and struck a nerve
Seeing through a self that's blinding

Nowhere to buy in
Most of us hiding
Others are shining

You know when you find it
In your darkest hour, you strike gold
A thought clicks, not the be-all end-all

Just another lesson learned


Lyrics submitted by laynestaleyiscool

"Lesson Learned" as written by Jerry Cantrell

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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Lesson Learned song meanings
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10 Comments

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  • +3
    General CommentWell, I used to be a heavy usin heroin addict and I would have to say that i've been the disconnected frying before and i've hit a vein and struck a nerve and that shit is the worst thing you can do while shooting up... so my perspective of the chorus is that when you find the heroin at the worst part of withdrawal symptoms "darkest hour" you strike gold like literally its a high in its self to find the drug when you feel that shitty then a "thought clicks" that its not the end of the world to feel like shit... so you decide to turn your life around... possibly...
    TheJoester23on August 03, 2010   Link
    • 2 Replies
  • +1
    General CommentWhat's with the lack of posts here, this is one of the best songs on the album...crank the speakers up and enjoy it!
    BlackLushuson January 29, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Commenti think it's either about the downward spiral that ensues as you become more addicted to drugs, or about letting religion solve all your problems, when really, you just cling to it to make yourself feel like you've got a solution.
    jerrylovesrock666on August 10, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General CommentThis song is about hitting a new personal low, and then going from there, using the experience as a basis to reinvent yourself. This song fits in so well with the idea of "grunge"... even though new AiC isn't that grungey... but a common theme of grunge is taking your scars with you, not hiding them, wearing your imperfections as a badge of honor, getting wiser from them, and getting on with your life. There are no perfect characters in these lyrics. Everyone has their scars and we can choose to live in them until we crack, we can choose to hide them, or we can choose to wear them on our sleeves, and to grow from them.

    I love Alice in Chains. New and old. This is my favorite new AiC song.
    Tig45on January 11, 2011   Link
  • -1
    General CommentI hate to be "that guy" but it's clearly about drug abuse.
    BobbyjointRitualon October 03, 2009   Link
  • -1
    General CommentI think it's about someone being averse and ignorant to something, be it God, religion, a drug, doctors, friends/family, whatever but then that person pretty much hits rock bottom and finds salvation or comfort in that something which he was previously ignorant of and as a result has a change in conscience - perhaps he has a newfound appreciation for the thing or at least respects how some people are driven to it
    acphenomon May 06, 2010   Link
  • -1
    General CommentI too think this song is about hitting rock bottom. The song is about how if you hit rock bottom, you'll find your true desire to live. The opening of the song, and several other parts, seem like a guy is attempting to commit suicide by slitting his wrists. But in that same moment, he strikes a nerve, giving him blinding pain. And in his darkest hour, feeling like he thought he never could, he strikes gold.

    In one part of the song, he talks about someone being stoned as a punishment for something wrong. Seeing someone get stoned (and not the druggie stoned) makes it easy to become a believer that wrong doing = punishment. But for those with addictive personalities, the TRUE way to get over something, is to hit rock bottom.
    lqcorsaon July 26, 2010   Link
  • -1
    General CommentI don't think it's necassarily about drugs. It may have some references, like "hit the vein and struck a nerve", but that's just a metaphor. I think this song is simply about lying to yourself when you secretly know what you should be doing. "Most of us hiding, others are shining". Meaning most of us hiding from the truth.
    ILUVLAYNEon September 04, 2010   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • -2
    General CommentIt's kinda you know like sticking your finger in the fan type of thing...
    TheArtOfSandon November 07, 2011   Link
  • -4
    General Commentthis song is about a man obseessed with a ouja board. the board kills many around him and teaches him a lesson.
    funeraldanceron October 01, 2009   Link

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