Top 10 Alice in Chains Songs
#10: “Dam That River”
Dirt (1992)
When a song is written about a fight between band members, it’s likely it’ll heavily feature a lot of anger. Drummer Sean Kinney broke a table over Jerry Cantrell’s head, so the lead guitarist and chief songwriter wrote “Dam That River” as an act of payback. With lyrics aimed at Kinney and revealing Cantrell’s indifference to the bloodshed caused, the Dirty track is pure grunge and alternative metal. Luckily, the two men moved past the incident long ago and remain in the band to this day.
#9: “What the Hell Have I”
“Last Action Hero: Music from the Original Motion Picture” soundtrack (1993)
Along with “A Little Bitter,” this is one of two songs recorded by the band for the soundtrack to the Arnold Schwarzenegger film, “Last Action Hero.” With a similar sound to the songs off their sophomore effort Dirt, “What the Hell Have I” has certainly passed the test of time. Featuring a Middle Eastern vibe and many of the lyrical themes the band is known for, the 4 minute-number became a top 20 entry on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
#8: “Rain When I Die”
Dirt (1992)
The third track off Dirt tells the story of a man who only ever gets what he wants once it’s too late. He has done wrong once again, and is seeking forgiveness before he loses what he cares most about, like a flower waiting for rain that is not going to come. With lyrics perfectly matched to the melancholy tone of music, “Rain When I Die” is something anyone who has ever felt down could relate to.
#7: “Nutshell”
Jar of Flies (1994)
Layne Staley’s raw, tortured vocals sit center stage in this song from Alice inChains’ well-received chart-topping EP Jar of Flies. With a stripped down, acoustic sound and female backing vocal that provides a haunting melody, “Nutshell” is focused on being true to yourself above all else, even if it leaves you persecuted and alone. The band’s feeling of isolation, after finding unlikely stardom, which did not live up to their expectations, was never so well encapsulated as it was here.
#6: “Down in a Hole”
Dirt (1992)
This was conceived by songwriter Jerry Cantrell as an ode to his long-time relationship and the insecurity that exposing yourself to someone else makes you feel. When sung by vocalist Layne Staley, “Down in a Hole” instead becomes prophetic of the choices he made and that ultimately led to his dying alone in his apartment. No matter the interpretation, the self-destructive nature of the band and its members become clear – and the track is a powerful Alice inChains composition that went to number ten on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
#5: “Angry Chair”
Dirt (1992)
He may’ve been the band’s original lead vocalist, but Staley rarely wrote Alicein Chains songs in their entirety. This song off Dirt is an exception. Written on a guitar, “Angry Chair”’s meaning has never been confirmed, but that doesn’t take away any of its power and angsty vibe. With its dark atmosphere, the track also hit the top forty of both the Mainstream Rock Tracks and the Modern Rock Tracks charts.
#4: “Rooster”
Dirt (1992)
This Dirty single was written as a tribute to Jerry Cantrell’s father, who was nicknamed Rooster while serving in Vietnam, and even appears in the video for this song. No Alice in Chains track has more viscerally tackled war and the fight for survival. A song for the soldiers but against the war, “Rooster” was a top 10 hit on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and remains popular amongst service men and women to this day.
#3: “Man in the Box”
Facelift (1990)
One of the earliest grunge songs to receive a prominent position in MTV’s rotation, “Man in the Box” was a watershed song for the band and the genre as a whole. Conceived as a metaphor for censorship, the Facelift single is meant to invoke the imagery of trapped animals. The lyrics are so vague yet expressive that fans still relate to them, which has turned the Grammy-nominated song into one of the group’s signature tunes.
#2: “Them Bones”
Dirt (1992)
This song is by far the shortest and most concise song on this list. But thanks to “Them Bones”’ short runtime, it’s also one of the most driving and relentless of any of the band’s tunes. Written by Cantrell and using unconventional time signatures, the track showed that the band has a lot to say but not much time to say it, and yet they got their point across perfectly. It was another top 40 entry on both the Mainstream Rock Tracks and Modern Rock Tracks charts.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- “No Excuses”
Jar of Flies (1994)
- “Grind”
Alice in Chains (1995)
- “I Stay Away”
Jar of Flies (1994)
- “Rotten Apple”
Jar of Flies (1994)
- “Got Me Wrong”
SAP (1992)
#1: “Would?”
“Singles” soundtrack (1992)
This is a song conceived as a tribute to a friend after his death from a heroin overdose and released by a band whose struggles with drugs are also well documented. So it should come as no surprise that “Would?” is an unflinching, raw portrayal of addiction. First appearing on the “Singles” movie soundtrack, the grunge and alternative metal single was too strong not to be included on the band’s second effort, Dirt, later that same year. Moody yet enduring, it charted within the top 20 in the UK and on the U.S. rock charts and continues to be one of Alice in Chains’ best and most famous works.
Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite Alice in Chains song? For more musical Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.