Alice in Chains, Man in the Box | Outlandish Rock 🎸🤘

On the 4^th edition of Outlandish Rock 🎸🤘, we explore the outlandishness behind the song “Man in the Box” performed by Alice in Chains.  

B

ring on the outlandishness! Outlandish Rock 🎸🤘 is a column that falls under the umbrella of Controversial Tunes 😈🎶.  Like its parent column, Outlandish Rock 🎸🤘 provides background information and insight into rock and metal songs that raise eyebrows and stir the pot.  The records featured on Outlandish Rock 🎸🤘 can be classic or brand new. On the 4^th edition of Outlandish Rock 🎸🤘, we explore the controversy behind the song, 🎵 “Man in the Box” performed by 🎙 Alice in Chains.

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Theme & Lyrics ✍

“I’m the man in the box / Buried in my shit.” Woo, that’s some statement 🎙 Layne Staley makes on the Outlandish Rock 🎸🤘 classic, 🎵 “Man in the Box”! It’s a key statement on a song that seems to have multiple meanings, depending on who you ask.  Staley was a brilliant front man for the Seattle grunge band 🎙 Alice in Chains. Sadly, he’d succumb to a drug overdose at just 34 years old in 2002.  Nonetheless, Layne left his mark on this 1990 🏆 Grammy-nominated record purportedly about censorship… or drug addiction… or being boxed-in…  

🎵 “Rooster” remains my favorite AIC record but “Man in the Box” is clearly in the mix.  The band is in top-notch form – it marks their debut single from their debut album!  Revisiting being the “man in the box,” by the pre-chorus, Staley asks to be saved.  Saved from what? Well, that’s debatable and again, depending on who you ask, a source of controversy.  Worth noting, Staley is backed by guitarist/co-songwriter 🎙 Jerry Cantrell on the oft-analyzed chorus:

“Feed my eyes
Can you sew them shut? 
Jesus Christ
Deny your maker
He who tries
Will be wasted
Feed my eyes
Now you’ve sewn them shut.”

Cantrell, interestingly, contradicts/offers the opposite of Staley, which is part of the charm of the record. The “feed your eyes…sew them shut” lyrics speak to the censorship angle.  Of course, it can also be interpreted to mean other things as everyone seems to have an opinion on this song. The second verse returns with more “shit,” censored on some versions of this classic (That’s some shit right there). While outlandishness earns “Man in the Box” the most attention, we should be talking about that rad Jerry Cantrell solo. Woo!

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Final Thoughts 💭

There are more controversial, outlandish rock joints than “Man in the Box.” That said, with some s-bombs, potential jabs at Christianity, and possibly referencing addiction (depends on who you ask), “Man in the Box” does enough to solidify its spot on Outlandish Rock 🎸🤘. “I’m the dog who gets beat / Shove my nose in shit.” Yes, please 🤘!!!

Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 Don’t BOX Yourself in With These 13 Songs

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🎙 Alice in Chains • 💿 Facelift • 🏷 Sony Music Entertainment • 🗓 1990
Alice in Chains, “Man in the Box”: Outlandish Rock 🎸🤘 No. 4 [📷: Brent Faulkner, The Musical Hype, Paul Brennan on Pixabay, Pexels, Sebastian Ervi, SHVETS production, Sony Music Entertainment, Vinícius Caricatte]

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