Let's Rank All 87 Alice In Chains Songs!
This will be a big undertaking but an album ranking felt inadequate since two of the strongest statements made by Alice In Chains were EPs, and there are only 6 full length LPs. So let’s dive in and rank all of their songs (and trigger the hell out of some people in the process lol). To be crystal clear - this ranking will be exactly how I feel, even if it changes in a month or 5 years. And one of the ways I feel is that Alice In Chains continues to be as vital of a band today as they ever were. If you’re a “No Layne no Chains” slappy then you may just want to see yourself out. I won’t miss you.
Listen, I LOVED and still love Layne. I’ve been a fan of Alice In Chains since I first heard Man In The Box 35 years ago. I saw them live with Layne. He was already in really bad shape by then when they opened for KISS at Tiger Stadium in 1996. I remember the day he died hearing some rock star had died - I seem to remember my mom (?) telling me she heard but she didn’t know who it was but she thought it was someone I liked. I suspected Layne immediately, and was devastated when it was confirmed. I ache for how Demri’s loss shattered him - the whole nine yards. The band meant a ton to me - a ton.
So don’t @ me with how YOU have some issue with the guys in that band remaining friends and after several years deciding they still wanted to play together. Did AC/DC make a huge mistake with Back In Black and everything after? Are you disgusted with that? As Sean Kinney said in this 2009 interview, “Some people, the music connected with them so strongly, their opinions, how they feel about it… It’s amazing that they have such a connection but they seem to act like it happened to them. This happened to us and Layne’s family, not them. This is actually our lives. If we’re okay with it, why can’t you be? This happened to us, this didn’t happen to you…”
Okay okay…. enough ranting. Let’s get to the music and a couple of ground rules. I’m not including any songs that were recorded and left behind before the first LP Facelift was released. A few of these range from historically-important-but-formative attempts at hair metal, to pretty good. They were subsequently released on the box set Music Bank. I’m also not including uncredited / half credited oddities like Love Song or Iron Gland as songs. I included Yeah on the Kyuss list as a goof since the band did indeed list it as a track.
By the way, this was hard. There isn’t a single “bad” Alice In Chains song, and only a handful that aren’t great. It was really only after about the first dozen starting at 87 and working my way up that I realized already that this was was going to be a TASK and I was in trouble. But I think I did a pretty good job of sorting through these gems and putting them in a pretty solid order. Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments - you’re entitled to your opinion (even though there’s a good chance you’ll be wrong - this IS a snobbery after all).
*Side Note: if you are interested in purchasing the music of Alice In Chains you can do so by clicking my affiliate link which will take you right to Amazon (here’s the one for Dirt on vinyl) and yes, I may receive a little commission on those sales.
Let’s Rank All The Alice In Chains Songs!
87. Killer Is Me - MTV Unplugged - 1996 The one original they included at the end of the performance on the MTV Unplugged special, which was the first time they had performed together in a couple years. Jerry wrote it and sings lead vocals on it. Layne does contribute some harmonies but I never felt like this song really added a whole lot. It’s decent.
86. Died - Music Bank - 1998 One of the two final originals that the band recorded for the box set. Pretty good, just feels like it’s by the numbers a bit.
85. So Close - Alice In Chains - 1995 Really good - this band’s filler would be plenty of bands’ killer. Just not one of their most memorable.
84. Nothin’ Song - Alice In Chains - 1995 See above. More fun than So Close but still seems like a bit of a throwaway for them - the title is a giveaway. I know there will already be people saying “What??? I LOVE the Nothin’ Song!!!” Yeah, yeah, yeah - I get it. I still kinda do too. It’s not like it’s a skip - I’ll even admit that maybe it has stuck to my mouth like peanut butter on the brain from time to time (that’s a lyric from the song if you didn’t know).
83. I Know Somethin’ (Bout You) - Facelift - 1990 - The back half of Facelift falls off a bit. This is a prime example of where they hadn’t completely left behind their gUnS n fUcKiN rOsEs influences from when they were finding their sound. It’s still solid - it’s still Layne in his prime, just not my favorite. Close but not quite close enough.
82. God Smack - Dirt - 1992 Yes, Dirt is the best AIC album. Yes, a pretty good band (allegedly) named themselves after this song. I know these things. I don’t LOVE it and never really did. Layne’s bizarre vocal delivery and the cool guitar wah wah work during the “chorus” make it interesting.
81. Lying Season - Music Bank - 1991 An outtake recorded in 1991 released on 1999’s Music Bank. Solid.
80. Black Gives Way To Blue - Black Gives Way To Blue - 2009 A poignant tribute to Layne to end the comeback album with none other than Elton John contributing piano. It’s quite pretty and really good. It’s just that oddly enough, I’ve always felt like I should like it more than I do. I like it. But it just doesn’t hit as hard as I feel like it should.
79. Confusion - Facelift - 1990 Really powerful vocal by Layne heading into the chorus - best feature of an otherwise plodding track with a chorus that wears on me a bit. Still a solid track though.
78. Junkhead - Dirt - 1992 The other clearly overt drug song on Dirt - not that this and God Smack are the only two to reference drugs. Not a huge fan of this one either, and Layne had been quoted later as having regretted singing about heroin in a way that almost tries to make it seem cool like he does here. It’s more listenable musically than God Smack.
77. God Am - Alice In Chains - 1995 There are some who love this, and it’s a unique riff that has a nice thick bottom to it, but it never made a ton of sense to me. It’s just a little strange. And “God Am” - what is that…? It’s just always been goofy for me - distracting.
76. Put You Down - Facelift - 1990 Cool funky riff on that back half of Facelift.
75. Choke - The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here - 2013 Here’s where it gets tough from here on out. Everything from here on is great at a minimum. Choke as the closer for TDPDH has a great feel. Not my favorite chorus for some reason but it’s still damn good.
74. All I Am - Rainier Fog - 2018 Another ending track that sticks with the mellow closing vibe of 4 of the 6 albums. I think this one may still be growing on me even though it’s been 7 years (which I honestly don’t know how that’s possible).
73. Right Turn - Sap - 1992 The lone song by Alice Mudgarden - the supergroup that includes Soundgarden’s late frontman Chris Cornell and Mudhoney’s Mark Arm sharing vocals. So cool! And when Cornell comes in with the screaming “Yeah it’s hard to believe somebody tricked you….!!!” it’s quite awesome.
72. What The Hell Have I - The Last Action Hero Soundtrack - 1993 The vocal harmonies sound slightly distorted to me on this track but it’s still a great song.
71. Real Thing - Facelift - 1990 Love this bluesy killer that closes out Facelift.
70. Swing On This - Jar Of Flies - 1994 …and I also love this bluesy killer that closes out Jar Of Flies!
69. Deaf Ears Blind Eyes - Rainier Fog - 2018 I firmly believe that at this point being older and wiser has served this band well. If they don’t have the raw energy that they may have had when they were young and addicted with Layne’s vocal power they make up for it by consistent songcraft, so that there is no filler at all to be found. This song isn’t a “stand out” track from the latter albums but it’s still so good.
68. Hung On A Hook - The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here - 2013 Mellow and ominous (which describes a solid 20% of AIC songs - take out the mellow part and you’ve got 80% lol) for much of the track, building to the scary dense climax of “Not gonna save yaaaaaa - perform euthanasiaaaaaaa!”
67. Never Fade - Rainier Fog - 2018 Uptempo rocker. William Duvall takes the lead on much of the vocals here with Jerry handling the lead on the chorus, and the video is worth a watch to get a sense of that. Jerry sings the majority of the lead vocals in the “new” lineup but often the vocals are layered, harmonized (as is their signature) and a bit difficult to figure who is singing what if you’re curious. And while we’re at it about William - I think he’s as cool as they come. Dude is totally bad ass and does a fantastic job on Layne’s vocals live. He has never taken stepping into that role lightly.
66. Rainier Fog - Rainier Fog - 2018 A tribute to the Seattle scene from which they came and specifically to fallen former members Layne Staley and Mike Starr. Another song featuring Duvall on lead vocals and it’s solid.
65. Acid Bubble - Black Gives Way To Blue - 2009 By the way, if I was going to rank the albums this one would be top 3. Yep I said it. It’s a masterpiece. It took me a while to digest Acid Bubble - much of AIC’s music takes time, but this epic is worth it.
64. Bleed The Freak - Facelift - 1990 Are you people going to get pissed if I say some of these early tracks still sound like a young band without some of the depth they would display on subsequent releases? Yeah, you are…. okay sorry. Yes I do still love Bleed The Freak. Some of these thoughts I have are just comparatively speaking and all of these songs are great at this point, but I suspect some will be upset by any perceived slights to anything Layne. We’re just talking among friends here - don’t be upset.
63. Lab Monkey - The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here - 2013 This is one of those songs that shows Jerry’s genius in that it not only is a grower, but it seems a little weird at first, like it might not even be that…..good. But then as the song progresses he unleashes a really cool and more conventional bridge at the 2:23 mark leading to the chorus at the 3 minute mark which kicks ass and feels iconic. After you start to put that all together including the cool wah pedal solo after the first chorus you start to get why this song is such a killer. Awesome.
62. Over Now - Alice In Chains - 1995 The closer of the “tripod” album (a 3 legged dog on the cover led to that nickname). Solid track that begins with a static-y “Taps” which foreshadows the end of the band which was soon to come for that era at least. Indeed the title itself does that as well. Jerry handles the lead vocals and the song just kinda…..runs out at the end in a poignant way in hindsight.
61. Pretty Done - The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here - 2013 Another grower that actually felt uncomfortable for me to listen to for a while. And then after a while it sort of worms its way into your brain and scratches an itch you didn’t know you had. Incredible stuff really to come up with this. The best riff of the track doesn’t show up until almost two minutes in. Alice In Chains albums don’t come with a roadmap - it might be a while before you realize that the riff in the middle makes the whole song make more sense, and then you start over on an entire new journey with that song where you then hit the peak. It’s such a thrill when it happens…
60. Red Giant - Rainier Fog - 2018 The third song into the Rainier Fog album we get the first shot of that darkness they have always done so well. Sludgy with those signature harmonies. Awesome.
59. Fear The Voices - Music Bank - 1992 This was an outtake from the Dirt album that didn’t get released until 1999 for the box set. This would have been great for the album although it still sounds even more like it would be at home on Facelift to my ears. Cool mellow intro that gives way to revved up guitars that give way to a cool funky but heavy groove. Wish there was more Layne era stuff in the vault….
58. A Little Bitter - The Last Action Hero Soundtrack - 1993 Like the other track they contributed to this soundtrack the vocals here have some real distortion to them but the song has a great groove and it’s nice and dark.
57. So Far Under - Rainier Fog - 2018 Awesome song contribution from William Duvall here with one of those bendy riffs that Jerry Cantrell has written tons of (he talks about those here and how he was influenced by Tony Iommi and Ace Frehley which I love to hear - two of my favorites). Nice and evil, and cool to hear Duvall adding a perfect AIC riff to the canon.
56. Fly - Rainier Fog - 2018 Some of these Rainier Fog tunes could have been towards the top if they weren’t just squeezed out of those slots by the monsters there. Not very heavy but a great changeup and really well written. There aren’t really any mainly acoustic tunes on the most recent two albums which is a bummer. I’d give anything for another mostly acoustic EP, but a song like Fly almost scratches that itch….but not quite.
55. Brush Away - Alice In Chains - 1995 I’ve always found this one to be an odd song. I can’t completely put my finger on it and in the end that’s part of its greatness. It feels really heavy even though it’s not conventionally so, and it’s kind of trippy although I can’t pinpoint that either. The stomping chorus (if that’s what it is) with the toneless vocals kicks ass, and the little “yeah…” coming out of the second time is really effective as Sean Kinney kind of purposely miss-hits (?) the drums. I don’t know man…. the song is genius. Better to just let it wash over and not think too hard.
54. Drone - Rainier Fog - 2018 Brilliant for the use of the spaces between in this deliberate spooky crawl that is credited to Cantrell, Kinney and bass player Mike Inez. The bridge part in the middle which departs from the vibe for a minute is so cool too - gotta love those. Kinney starts doing his improv thing with some subtle lead drumming fills towards the end which he is a master at. So good.
53. Heaven Beside You - Alice In Chains - 1995 Another lead vocal by Jerry from the Layne era which some iconic lyrics representative of the times “I’m just see-through faded, super jaded, out of my mind…” Being jaded was supposed to be a defining quality of the Gen X or “slacker” generation. But with the band being in a pretty bad way with drugs (certainly Layne but the others will be the first to say they were all a mess), they likely felt this more than any of us normal folk did.
52. Low Ceiling - The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here - 2013 What a great song with a great opening line “Old mister fun is back…wonder where he’s been hiding at?” I love the way this one builds and builds to a killer climax.
51. Sea Of Sorrow - Facelift - 1990 The subtle bit of piano that doubles the intro riff from Sean Kinney here is such a cool little secret weapon for this jam, not to mention his fills leading into the choruses. The same intro is used again as a transition to the second verse but the piano is barely audible the second time. I’m not even sure if it’s definitely there the second time - I can barely tell. I don’t want to be critical here because I love this song but I guess I have no choice but to subtract a couple points for the repetition of the chorus which has always been a hair monotonous for me. Sorry… just calling it like I see it.
50. Head Creeps - Alice In Chains - 1995 A wonderfully insane vocal rhythm to the verses on this one with . Layne was in bad shape and getting worse during the recording of this album by most accounts, but he did write this one song himself apparently, and I’m pretty sure it’s the last song to be recorded with him getting sole writing credit.
49. Hollow - The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here - 2013 Great opener for the reformed lineup’s second album. “Hollow as a mountain - all tunneled and drilled below…” Not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a mountain. I dig a title and a lyric that gets deep into the psyche.
48. Private Hell - Black Gives Way To Blue - 2009 Speaking of lyrics that get deep into the psyche…. okay, actually that’s mostly the territory that AIC lyrics mine and always have hehe... Jerry explains the meaning here in this 2009 interview which also highlights how subjective the listening experience is with AIC’s music, and what makes these lists so fun. Having a snobbery with rankings like these is a fun way to troll a little and to spark conversation about the music we love!
47. The One You Know - Rainier Fog - 2018 The opener for their latest album (still hard to believe it was 7 years ago already as I mentioned earlier….) that opens with a statement riff that Jerry said was influenced by Bowie’s Fame. So cool, and there’s so much more to this song beyond that - it’s a grower.
46. Check My Brain - Black Gives Way To Blue - 2009 The first official post-Layne single with an ascending/descending warped riff that is just undeniable. What a great way to say “we’re back.”
45. Maybe - Rainier Fog - 2018 I love this one with the a cappella breaks and I feel like this should have been a single… But it’s a weary Jerry here. Wounded, lonely, contemplating.
44. The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here - The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here - 2013 A searing and evil vibe that to me is calling out dinosaurs - religious zealots that would have you believe “Jesus don’t like a queer” and Jerry clarifying he has “no problem with faith, just fear.” Powerful message. You get the sense with the effects of actual dinosaurs lurking around, like the song itself is prehistoric. Brilliant.
43. Voices - The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here - 2013 What a cool track - that fade in intro giving way to the “Who am I? Is this me?” lyric and that downright catchy chorus. But don’t get fooled into thinking this is some lightweight tune. This song is really well written and executed and would have fit in well on Sap or Jar Of Flies the more I think about it.
42. Lesson Learned - Black Gives Way To Blue - 2009 Tracks 8-10 on Black Gives Way To Blue creep up on you, and once you realize how good they are you lock into what a masterpiece that album is. I hear some distortion on the vocals that reminds me of some of the effects used on the self titled album - is it me? Either way this track kicks ass.
41. Take Her Out - Black Gives Way To Blue - 2009 The other of the three I just mentioned above. I love the subtle groove that this one brings (a great Mike Inez bass line here), the eerie lead guitar hook that floats above it, and Jerry’s slow, deliberate vocals. Huge fan of this song.
40. Grind - Alice In Chains - 1995 A great opener to the “Tripod” album and a defiant statement that they are still here even if they were not in good shape. “In the darkest hole you’d be well advised not to plan my funeral til the body dies…yeaaahhhh….” Indeed.
39. Scalpel - The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here - 2013 It would be so good if they released another semi-acoustic and mellow EP… but for now we have to settle for songs like Scalpel which is still pretty damn great. It still rocks a little but it’s mostly a mellow vibe.
38. Breath On A Window - The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here - 2013 An epic song in three parts really even though at 5:20 it’s the 4th shortest song on the album. Another one with so much packed into it that it will take you a while to fully realize its greatness. Are the three parts the tic, tac, and toe you’re playing with your breath on the window? Hehe… who knows but I love it - firmly in the top half of AIC songs and could easily be higher on this list.
37. Last Of My Kind - Black Gives Way To Blue - 2009 Whoa. William Duvall serving notice that he’s going to put his stamp on this band. That doesn’t mean it’s “his” band now and it isn’t meant to be, but damn if he wasn’t the perfect addition for them to carry on and this was the first evidence on an LP. At the 3:25 when the “chorus” takes a grinding sinister turn it’s just killer, and that outro…. Heavy AF.
36. Love, Hate, Love - Facelift - 1990 You want evidence of Layne’s vocal prowess? Here’s some. What a performance, showing off his range and power all over this one - really incredible. Especially at the end letting it all out as the tempo slows even more for him to simply scream repeatedly “Yeaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh LOVE HATE LOVE!!!!” Pretty effective - saying a ton without having to say much, and the band providing a perfect slow dark crawl for him to do it. An early classic.
35. I Can’t Remember - Facelift - 1990 That acoustic intro man….. so good, and that motif is present throughout - that’s the strength of this track, and of course a solid vocal from Layne.
34. Shame In You - Alice In Chains - 1995 So beautiful. The whole song isn’t necessarily that pretty, but the fact that you know it is going to be elevates the whole track. One of these songs that gives you a perfect moment of bliss that you wish could continue forever that starts at the 4:07 mark and only lasts for under a minute and a half, but it’s one of my favorite 83 seconds of music of all time.. Reminds me of the last 143 seconds of the Pumpkins’ Hummer in that way.
33. Your Decision - Black Gives Way To Blue - 2009 Another semi-acoustic masterpiece. No one plans to take the path that leads you lower…. Often the band’s lyrics are subject to interpretation and this one is no different but it’s impossible to think that the theme of decisions and the consequences of them doesn’t at least have some reference to Layne. We know the (genius) title of the album itself certainly references grieving and moving onward.
32. Get Born Again - Music Bank - 1998 Of the last two tracks the band recorded with Layne Staley and released on the Music Bank box set, this is the better of the two, and at the time was downright revelatory to hear. I blasted the crap out of this over my monitors I used for my stereo speakers at the time and the song weighs a ton when Mike Inez’s bass appears. Heavy harmonized vocals as Layne was in the deep throws of heroin addiction, and it wasn’t a secret that he wasn’t healthy, so I guess I wasn’t sure we’d hear him again.
31. Sunshine - Facelift - 1990 One of two songs I can think of that lovingly lifts part of the bassline from Zeppelin’s When The Levee Breaks without sounding at all like a ripoff, with the other being Helmet’s Biscuits For Smut. The “Then some dude came down to touch the mother” line always kinda cracks me up.
30. Nutshell - Jar Of Flies - 1994 Contemplative second track on the Jar Of Flies EP, given a little more weight after they opened with it on the MTV unplugged performance which was the first of the band’s final 7 performances with Layne in 1996. I’m a fan although I suspect there will be those who will feel this should be higher, and I get that. Beautiful and haunting and I do love it - it bears repeating that I love all of these songs at this point.
29. Phantom Limb - The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here - 2013 What a line… “I’ll just haunt you like a phantom limb.” I may be getting older in age but I don’t think I’m getting “old” in taste. Jerry’s songwriting continues to evolve and I think I would have found this song as cool when I was 20 as I do now… What a killer riff.
28. Stone - The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here - 2013 And another one. Alice In Chains could have easily been one of my favorite bands of all time just on the strength of the last three records. I look forward to the holdouts that get triggered by the high ranking of these songs but I stand by them. Incredible stuff. Stone is a 100% slaying beast and one of the best riffs in their whole body of work, and the bridge at the 2:03 mark is the dagger.
27. Brother - Sap - 1992 You were always so far away… What an opener to this incredible largely acoustic EP! So cool and with one of my favorite lyrics in “Wonder how that color tastes?” With Jerry on lead vocals and none other than fellow Seattle legend Ann Wilson providing some awesome guest vocals.
26. All Secrets Known - Black Gives Way To Blue - 2009 There is something poignant and incredible about this one. To open this chapter after the grief of losing Layne Staley with a simple “So………a new beginning……” Just connects in a weary, knowing way that I’ve never heard a band do before. It’s such a contrast to AC/DC’s Back In Black which came roaring out of the gate a year after Bon Scott’s death. This one is much more somber and contemplative, but it still kicks its own share of ass and the album takes no prisoners. “There’s no going back to the place we started from.” Truth.
25. Rotten Apple - Jar Of Flies - 1994 At 6:59 Rotten Apple is the 4th longest AIC song. Bet you didn’t realize that did you? But as the opening comedown from the brilliant madness of Dirt it’s a mellow yet thrilling way to just be for a little while. To just chill and let Jerry Cantrell stretch out with some tasty lead guitar improv to kick off this mellow masterpiece of an EP. Maybe the greatest EP of all time - by anyone. But….Innocence was long gone at this point as Layne sings here. Overrrrrr…. Layne was a brilliant dude, knew what was happening to him and said so in interviews. It wasn’t some posturing or act - he sang about it honestly.
24. Whale and Wasp - Jar Of Flies - 1994 I mean, this could be number one right? One of the most gorgeous pieces of music you’ll hear and the only AIC instrumental. We want more please and thanks.
23. No Excuses - Jar Of Flies - 1994 This song was everywhere in 1994 - definitely one of if not the most commercially successful song for the band and rightfully so. Catchy, uplifting even. Jerry and Layne harmonizing, really distinctive drum performance - just purely pleasant all the way around. A song you’ve heard a thousand times but never get sick of.
22. Sickman - Dirt - 1992 Now we’ll start to see the towering psychotic achievements of Dirt show up on the list. Sickman is completely unconventional and completely warped in the very best and harrowing way. The screams that give way to the chorus “I can feel the wheel but I can’t steer…when my thoughts become my biggest fear.” The psychology of a sick man deep in the depths of drug addiction…
21. We Die Young - Facelift - 1990 The opening blast from the opening album. What a kick ass groove! Leaving no doubt this band is here to rawk. And what’s crazy is I don’t remember this video - I actually just watched it for the first time and wow…. they were SO young... Feeling a lot of sadness right now. So much promise, and two of them gone so far before their time…
20. Down In A Hole - Dirt - 1992 I always felt like the bridge (?) gave me the feeling of an exposed wound: “Down in a hole and I don’t know if I can be saved…...” And the thing is, I feel so close to some of these songs that I’ve been listening to for so many years, but whenever I write a post like this I bounce around the web doing a little research (I know surfing the web isn’t RESEARCH, calm down), I learn things that I can’t believe I never bothered with. Like revisiting lyrics and finding out I had some of them wrong, or not knowing that Jerry wrote this song to his girlfriend. Or that the band was actually in L.A. recording this when the riots broke out over the Rodney King verdict and escaped with Slayer’s Tom Araya to Joshua Tree for a few days while things settled down. That’s Tom screaming “GLAND!!!” in Iron Gland on this album (also listed as Intro: Dream Sequence) by the way. I have to ask Tom about that if I get to see him again at one of these one-off Slayer shows. Sorry for the name drop but yes I’ve hung out with him on a handful of occasions. I’m fascinated by this story. Anyway, Down In A Hole gives me waves of Cincinnati nostalgia from the months I spent there working there, commuting from Dayton in a past life back in 1993. I love it so much, and what a powerhouse vocal from Layne… incredible.
19. A Looking In View - Black Gives Way To Blue - 2009 Hell yeah - one of their best. A 10 ton riff not far from Sludge Factory in its effectiveness that sticks around for a while as they continue to jam it in this 7:06 long epic. I love when they do that. As heavy as it gets and I’ll die on the hill of top 20 status for this one. And hey, it was nominated for a Grammy in the “best hard rock performance” category (which was then merged into “best hard rock / metal performance” for the next two years and then eventually stripped away and absorbed by the “best rock performance” category)…..so it has to be good right? Lol - so stupid - screw the Grammys. At least it lost to someone cool like Them Crooked Vultures! In any event it’s one of two songs on the album where William Duvall gets writing credit and he and Jerry share lead vocal duties.
18. Dam That River - Dirt - 1992 What a killer rolling riff that has that little stop at the end of it each time. IYKYK. Obviously you can say this about plenty of AIC tunes but this is one you definitely sing loudly when you’re in your car. “OHHHHH YOOOOOU COOOOOULDN’T DAAAAM THAT RIVAAAAH!!!! AND MAYBE I DON’T GIVE A DAMN ANYWAAAAYYYYYEEE"!!!!” I love the way Dirt hits you with that short, effective 1-2 punch before you settle in for the longer tracks - this being the 2 in the 1-2.
17. When The Sun Rose Again - Black Gives Way To Blue - 2009 This is my highest ranked song on the list from the post-Layne era. And it’s a tough call. But as has always been the case going back to Sap, this band does dark and mellow better than any heavy band I can think of. And this one is a masterpiece. The vocal harmonies, the lyrics, the awesome electric solo over the ominous acoustic playing… this would have been perfect on Sap and it’s the best case for another EP in that mode. I’ve written about this song here before in my 10 Best Songs: No Singles series.
16. I Stay Away - Jar Of Flies - 1994 The other big hit from Jar Of Flies which was on the radio and all around in 1994 and the prettier of the two. It’s hard to explain to someone who hasn’t heard this album how it could be the light to Dirt’s dark and yet still be haunting and dark at the same time. Doesn’t make sense to describe something that way but it’s exactly the case, and that’s part of it’s sheer brilliance. The climax of Layne repeating “Iiiiiiiiii Staaaaaaaaaay Awaaaaaaaay” at the end will always give me chills.
15. Hate To Feel - Dirt - 1992 More madness - like, seriously. This is quintessential Alice In Chains. Who comes up with a song like this? It’s so disjointed and perfect, and heavy as hell in the chorus. Nobody sounded like this before this and a big reason why Dirt is such a landmark. “All this time I swore I’d never be like my old man. What the hey, it’s time to face exactly what I am” is a lyric that you feel. You identify with Layne here (he wrote the music and lyrics to this one) even if you would never identify with the sentiment in life. Me personally - I would never swear I’d never be like my old man. My dad was awesome. These guys draw you in.
14. Them Bones - Dirt - 1992 AHHH!!!! My goodness, is this a way to start an album! Staccato cannon fire riffs that destroy on one of the most effective and heavy 2 1/2 minute songs ever laid down. “I feel so alone, gonna end up a big ol’ bag of them bones” is such a great line. EDIT: A user in the Alice In Chains subreddit corrected me that it’s “pile of them bones,” not bag. I would have done the same thing and I’m actually annoyed at myself for having it wrong in my head for 33 years. I DO indeed take this stuff seriously. My apologies, very un-Doug’s-Music-Snobbery-like.
13. It Ain’t Like That - Facelift - 1990 One of those EVIL riffs that you have to turn up to 11. Just huge. One of 4 songs original bassist Mike Starr shares a writing credit for.
12. Got Me Wrong - Sap - 1992 An essential track from the grunge era immortalized in the classic film Clerks where it was given new life in 1994. This is one where you think of it as an acoustic tune from Sap but while the main riff is acoustic the song is plenty electric. Great improvisational electric guitar work here by Jerry. He’s way under appreciated in general as one of the best of all time. Yep, I said it.
11. Am I Inside - Sap - 1992 Ooooooh…. I wonder if most people would put this one this high…? It’s incredible. Flat out incredible. Majestic. I’m going to guess it’s Sean Kinney who plays piano here even though no one is officially credited. He adds piano on Sea of Sorrow so maybe that’s him here. Layne singing lyrics in a soft almost whisper is really effective and haunting with words like “Loneliness, it shadows me.
Quicker than darkness, crawls to the surface of my skin, visibly surrounded by it…” Wow. And then Ann Wilson chiming in again to bring it home.
10. Angry Chair - Dirt - 1992 Top ten - okay we’ve made it. This has taken me a long time, not gonna lie. But I love doing this and it’s a way to immerse myself with a new angle to approach these bodies of work with lists like this. Another mind bending idea on Dirt of sitting on an angry chair with dark droning harmonized vocals and a stop start questioning, trying to make sense of the consequences of a drug-induced ruined mental fitness. Another one like Hate To Feel that was entirely written by Layne Staley. This is true greatness, and while people may get triggered over the idea that anything post-Layne could be better than anything the band produced while he was alive, I say the following: My top 16 tracks are all Layne Staley-era tracks. I am NOT being merely contrarian in championing their later material. I’m trying to be objective as possible throughout in how I asses these songs while still acknowledging nostalgia. But yes, at the same time I’m going to mix in some subjectivity - remember this IS a snobbery after all. And here is where I land - with the first phase of the band still rising to the very top. So you can put away your pitchforks. To love the band without Layne Staley is not a knock against Layne Staley. He wasn’t just a great vocalist. He was a true artist in every sense.
9. Frogs - Alice In Chains - 1995 A 24 song gap between Frogs and the last song from this album. The lows from Tripod are lower but it still ends up with three in the top 10. This is where I bow down to Sean Kinney - and that’s the thing. All the members of this band are incredible. I featured Sean Kinney’s performance on this song specifically in this post about 7 Awesome Non-Obvious Drumming Moments In Rock. In terms of track sequence this is the last truly epic performance of Layne’s as the penultimate track on this LP. At 8:18 it’s the longest AIC song and if it was 18:18 it wouldn’t be long enough… Slow, hypnotic, menacing - pitch black on the darkness meter. Oooh yeah. And Sean Kinney with the most incredible lead drum performance throughout the entire thing. Otherworldly all the way around. Staley asking over and over and over “Why’s it have to be this way…..? Be this way…. Be this way…. Be this way…. Be this way…. Be this way….” All before he is resigned to what signs like slipping away as he rhymes some babble about your expiration date, fate, clean slate, eyes dilate…. almost like an incoherent reading of INXS’s Mediate… Whew.
8. Rooster - Dirt - 1992 A classic that Jerry wrote about his dad who served in Vietnam and had the nickname “Rooster.” Now THIS is music that rocks and makes people happy LOL as Paul Rudd hopelessly tries to convince his wife and daughters of in the film This Is 40. I like the subtle sonic nod to the veterans in addition to the lyrics with the military marching drums.
7. Would? - Dirt - 1992 Jerry’s tribute to the late Andrew Wood of Mother Love Bone and it first appeared on the Singles Soundtrack which is probably the greatest movie soundtrack of all time. They then added the song to the end of Dirt which always felt like an add-on but a great add-on. Mike Starr’s finest moment with the incredible bass line intro that repeats throughout before he was fired from the band. Love that Jerry handles the lead vocal for the verses and Layne for the choruses - what a great vocal point / counterpoint. A great groove - almost subtly……funky?
6. Again - Alice In Chains - 1995 A rumbling heavier-than-boulders riff that the band opened with at Tiger Stadium when I saw them open for the kickoff of the KISS reunion tour in 1996. “Hey…..” What an ass kicker. And fun too - those Motown-turned-upside-down falsetto doo doos? Amazing!
5. Don’t Follow - Jar Of Flies - 1992 THE single most beautiful Alice In Chains song. Full stop. An acoustic masterpiece with Jerry on vocals until the shift into a bit of a jam with Layne chiming in. Completely gorgeous and a single moment of the grunge era that I’m not sure was ever really matched - at least not often.
4. Rain When I Die - Dirt - 1992 I’m going to admit some potential bias here, and that is the fact that they opened with this song the second time I saw them at St. Andrews Hall in Detroit in support of Black Gives Way To Blue. It was cathartic. I was pretty devastated when Layne died. To be with those guys in a room again was a big deal for me, and when they hit the stage with this song it was a moment I’ll never forget. You don’t usually listen to this song first - it’s the third track on the album and it follows two heavy bangers. So to hear it in the spotlight in such a huge moment put it in a whole new light for me that has never faded. It’s a better song than you think it is, even if you already think it’s one of the best ever.
3. Dirt - Dirt - 1992 That riff to open this epic… and the ahhh ahhh ahhhs that double it. The centerpiece of the best album by the band and a singular achievement. A desperate acknowledgement of hopelessness with no way out that you hear and feel. “I have never felt such frustration or lack of self control. I want you to kill me and dig me under - I wanna live no more…” So deep, so horrifying, and tragically so truthful. The lyrics are so bleak and sound like a clearing of the deck. Like, Layne singing about these things plenty of times, but here is where he says I’m just going to bear it all and tell you what this has done to me, what I’ve done to me. This is the one.
2. Sludge Factory - Alice In Chains - 1995 I’ve talked about evil riffs a lot. Just downtuning and using minor chords doesn’t automatically a great riff make. But Jerry is indeed a riff master and this is his most evil one in my book. One that would make Tony Iommi proud. It’s only two chords. First one repeated. Dun dun, dunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn A sneering seering accusatory epic, and it seems the music business is the target.
“Call me up congratulations ain't the real why
There's no pressure besides brilliance let's say by day 9
Endless corporate ignorance lets me control time
By the way, by the way, by the way
Once again you see an in, discolored skin gives you away
So afraid you kindly gurgle, out a date for me”
The record company checking in to see how Layne is doing - not because they give a shit about him as a person, but to make sure he can deliver a brilliant record by their deadline. They’re scared his addiction might cost them money. Forget about Layne’s life… Their weapon is GUILT. Incredible.
1. Man In The Box - Facelift - 1990 If this seems like the obvious choice it’s because it is. The song that put them on the map and an iconic classic that can’t be denied. Such a cool groove. Our son Tony loved this one when he was younger because it had the word “shit” in it and he always gave that a little extra emphasis when he would sing it lol. I seem to remember being in Virginia Beach on vacation when I first heard this - at least that’s what I associate it with, and the fact that I remember where I was when I first heard it tells you what kind of impact it had at the time. It’s their My Generation, their Purple Haze - it’s the arrival. It’s a pretty standard verse chorus verse structure, but that voice… and that deliberate, tasty and heavy groove with the “Yahhhhhh ahhhhh yahhhhh…..” vocals doubling the riff? It’s perfect. This was different. You knew it. And it sits at its rightful place atop this list.
So there it is! The full list! And I will update this several months after the next album comes out at best. I’ll need to give any additions to this list the proper time to marinate, but I will update it as long as these guys are making music, which I hope is a long time still. Jerry is still putting out amazing solo material and the band is playing live dates this year so I would almost guarantee it will happen. Until then I hope you enjoyed this, and comment below with your feedback! Let the debates begin! We can disagree without being disagreeable….
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M10 Social is owned by Doug Cohen in West Bloomfield, MI and provides social media training and digital marketing services from the Frameable Faces Photography studio Doug owns with his wife Ally. He can be reached there at tel:248-790-7317, by mobile at tel:248-346-4121 or via email at mailto:doug@frameablefaces.com. You can follow Doug’s band Vintage Playboy at their Facebook page here. You can also visit our other business Detroit Jerky at the website www.DetroitJerkyLLC.com!