It's about a cycle of suffering. Whether it be drug addiction, injury or what not. Then, you get better, and try to write about it, but it's not real anymore because you aren't suffering. Layne probably wishes he wrote something during some ordeal and when he tried to after, it just wasn't real enough.
The first verse is about him actually suffering. Probably in rehab during detox (Screaming & Sweating on the table).
The second verse is more about what you do when your hurting. He only goes out when he's able. When he goes out, he's struggling so much that it makes him sore. And, he doesn't forget what happened to him before. He probably wants drugs to relieve his pain. Even though he's acting happy, he's crying inside (behind the smile a tongue that's slippin).
Finally, he decides to write about when he was on drugs. He can't come up with the words he wants to, because it's not in the moment(in my eyes, what I'm lacking). So he slacks off and writes something that's not as real as it should be(score at face, a ten for slacking). But, he's gotta write a song because that's how he makes a living (sign the deal, set in motion). That's what the smaller fish (every other band) would do. But there's so much of that (so huge the ocean). But guess what...it's a cycle he's been in, and he's never gonna be in it againbecause "It Ain't Like That Anymore"
Consequently, Facelift is when Alice in Chains was no longer a smaller fish and rather than write while he's not suffering...Layne turned to drugs and probably wrote all of Dirt and the rest of his albums while under the influence.
@BenLee Okay, but Jerry wrote this song, so it's not about Layne's drug addiction. Could be about Jerry's own addictions, though those were much less severe.
@BenLee Okay, but Jerry wrote this song, so it's not about Layne's drug addiction. Could be about Jerry's own addictions, though those were much less severe.
It's about a cycle of suffering. Whether it be drug addiction, injury or what not. Then, you get better, and try to write about it, but it's not real anymore because you aren't suffering. Layne probably wishes he wrote something during some ordeal and when he tried to after, it just wasn't real enough.
The first verse is about him actually suffering. Probably in rehab during detox (Screaming & Sweating on the table).
The second verse is more about what you do when your hurting. He only goes out when he's able. When he goes out, he's struggling so much that it makes him sore. And, he doesn't forget what happened to him before. He probably wants drugs to relieve his pain. Even though he's acting happy, he's crying inside (behind the smile a tongue that's slippin).
Finally, he decides to write about when he was on drugs. He can't come up with the words he wants to, because it's not in the moment(in my eyes, what I'm lacking). So he slacks off and writes something that's not as real as it should be(score at face, a ten for slacking). But, he's gotta write a song because that's how he makes a living (sign the deal, set in motion). That's what the smaller fish (every other band) would do. But there's so much of that (so huge the ocean). But guess what...it's a cycle he's been in, and he's never gonna be in it againbecause "It Ain't Like That Anymore"
Consequently, Facelift is when Alice in Chains was no longer a smaller fish and rather than write while he's not suffering...Layne turned to drugs and probably wrote all of Dirt and the rest of his albums while under the influence.
@BenLee Okay, but Jerry wrote this song, so it's not about Layne's drug addiction. Could be about Jerry's own addictions, though those were much less severe.
@BenLee Okay, but Jerry wrote this song, so it's not about Layne's drug addiction. Could be about Jerry's own addictions, though those were much less severe.