This song is about breaking up with a girlfriend and the related depression. In my view, this is one of the best description of depression in verse (well done Jerry Cantrell). And I mean it as a person who went through depression (and read a lot about it). "Down in a hole and I don't know if I can be saved. See my heart I decorate it like a grave" - depressed people have strong feeling of hopelessness and sadness. "You don't understand who they thought I was supposed to be" - depressed people also feel strong guilt. "Look at me now a man. Who won't let himself be" - they ruminate a lot. Basically they are trapped in "a hole" of their own negative thought patterns. "Down in a hole, feelin' so small. Down in a hole, losin' my soul" - again the hopelessness and loosing yourself to this mental disorder. "I'd like to fly, but my wings have been so denied" - depressed people would like to stop the chain of their negative thoughts and not to be depressed anymore, but it's not something they can force by will. "I've eaten the sun so my tongue, Has been burned of the taste" - in depression, all the familiar sounds, tastes, beauties of ordinary world can't be felt anymore. You can see live the most magnificent views (imagine Grand Canyon) and you wouldn't be able to feel anything about it, like the healthy person would do. "I have been guilty of kicking myself in the teeth
I will speak no more of my feelings beneath" - again the feeling of guilt. Depression can be metaphorically described as being trapped in a hole of your own rigid thinking. You are not yourself anymore. All your thinking shrunk to negative thoughts, constantly ruminating about them. You may even not know you are in a "hole" and if you do you can't get out of it by will.
I don't know whether Mr. Cantrell read some scientific journal about depression before he wrote the lyrics, but man, it's so spot on.
This song is about breaking up with a girlfriend and the related depression. In my view, this is one of the best description of depression in verse (well done Jerry Cantrell). And I mean it as a person who went through depression (and read a lot about it). "Down in a hole and I don't know if I can be saved. See my heart I decorate it like a grave" - depressed people have strong feeling of hopelessness and sadness. "You don't understand who they thought I was supposed to be" - depressed people also feel strong guilt. "Look at me now a man. Who won't let himself be" - they ruminate a lot. Basically they are trapped in "a hole" of their own negative thought patterns. "Down in a hole, feelin' so small. Down in a hole, losin' my soul" - again the hopelessness and loosing yourself to this mental disorder. "I'd like to fly, but my wings have been so denied" - depressed people would like to stop the chain of their negative thoughts and not to be depressed anymore, but it's not something they can force by will. "I've eaten the sun so my tongue, Has been burned of the taste" - in depression, all the familiar sounds, tastes, beauties of ordinary world can't be felt anymore. You can see live the most magnificent views (imagine Grand Canyon) and you wouldn't be able to feel anything about it, like the healthy person would do. "I have been guilty of kicking myself in the teeth I will speak no more of my feelings beneath" - again the feeling of guilt. Depression can be metaphorically described as being trapped in a hole of your own rigid thinking. You are not yourself anymore. All your thinking shrunk to negative thoughts, constantly ruminating about them. You may even not know you are in a "hole" and if you do you can't get out of it by will. I don't know whether Mr. Cantrell read some scientific journal about depression before he wrote the lyrics, but man, it's so spot on.
[Edit: Additional thoughts]