Lyric discussion by jlanssie 

Cover art for Scalpel lyrics by Alice in Chains

I think the song is about the hardships of life and about picking yourself up and continuing.

He sings the roads and world are falling apart, but he's not making a sound. He's not complaining, he's enduring.

Dreams are frozen and gone and he left amlong time ago to save his skin. But sheds some doubt, did he really make it?

He hides in someone else and pretends. And cuts himself with a scalpel. He operates on himself to fix himself, quietly and subtle.

He goes on until he is bested and defeated, but he picks himself up and tries again.

I think it's one of the best Alice in Chains songs out there and one of the better or best grunge songs.