Unplugged
Alice In Chains - 1996
Columbia - CK 67703
Produced by: Toby Wrigth and Alice In Chains

1. Nutshell (4:57)
2. Brother (5:27)
3. No Excuses (4:57)
4. Sludge Factory (4:36)
5. Down In A Hole (5:46)
6. Angry Chair (4:36)
7. Rooster (6:41)
8. Got Me Wrong (4:59)
9. Heaven Beside You (5:37)
10. Would? (3:43)
11. Frogs (7:30)
12. Over Now (7:12)
13. The Killer Is Me (5:23)

Total playing time: 71 m. 30 s.

Layne Staley: vocals, additional guitar
Jerry Cantrell: guitars, vocals
Sean Kinney: drums, percussion
Mike Inez: bass, guitar
Scott Olson: additional guitars & bass

p l a t i n u m   c h a i n s
The "Unplugged" album was certified platinum as of
September 19th 1996, with sales of over 1,000,000 copies!

I want this album now!

Alice In Chains performed for MTV Unplugged at the
Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York April 10th 1996.
Song list + comments by people who attented the show!
The album was released on July 30th.

Check out the Unchained interview with Jerry Cantrell
(This page also contains four AIC Unplugged pictures)

Layne and Sean at the Unplugged show:
"This is the best show we've done in three years." - Layne
"This is the only show we've done in three years!" - Sean


Alice in Chains Unplugged has been released on VIDEO October 8th 1996


Nutshell
Lyrics by Layne Staley
Written by Mike Inez, Jerry Cantrell, Sean Kinney


We chase misprinted lies

We face the path of time

And yet I fight

And yet I fight

This battle all alone

No one to cry to

No place to call home



Oooh...Oooh...

Oooh...Oooh...



My gift of self is raped

My privacy is raked

And yet I find

And yet I find

Repeating in my head

If I can't be my own

I'd feel better dead



Oooh...Oooh...

Oooh...Oooh...


Brother
Music & lyrics by Jerry Cantrell

Frozen in the place I hide

Not afraid to paint my sky

With some who say I've lost my mind

Brother, try and hope to find...



You, were always so far away

I know that pain

So don't you run away like you used to do



Roses in a vase of white

Bloodied by the thorns

Beside the leaves that fall because my hand is

Pulling them hard as I can



You, were always so far away

I know that pain

And I won't run away like I used to do



Pictures in a box at home

Yellowing and green with mold

So I can barely see your face

Wonder how that color taste



You, were always so far away

I know the way

So don't you run away like you used to do

Layne: Thanks. We've been waiting a long time to play this show, and huh, I'd like to thank you all for coming out to see us, it means a lot to us. We're gonna have a good time, play some good songs for you. This song is called No Excuses.


No Excuses
Lyrics & music by Jerry Cantrell


It's alright

There comes a time

Got no patience to search for peace of mind

Layin' low

Want to take it slow

No more hiding or disguising truths I've sold



Everyday it's something

Hits me all so cold

Find me sittin' by myself

No excuses, then I know



It's okay

Had a bad day

Hands are bruised from breaking rocks all day

Drained and blue

I bleed for you

You think it's funny well you're drowning in it too



Everyday it's something

Hits me all so cold

Find me sittin' by myself

No excuses, then I know



Yeah it's fine

We'll walk down the line

Leave our rain, a cold trade for warm sunshine

You my friend

I will defend

And if we change, well I love you anyway



Everyday it's something

Hits me all so cold

Find me sittin' by myself

No excuses, then I know

Layne: Okay, now we're going to break to an LL Cool J video, so... [ short Enter Sandman intro by Metallica ]


Sludge Factory
Lyrics by Layne Staley
Music by Jerry Cantrell, Sean Kinney


You insult me in my home

You're forgiven this time

Things go well, your eyes dilate

You shake, and I'm high?

Look in my eyes deep and watch

The clouds change with time

20 hours won't print

My picture milk carton size

Carton size

Carton size



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



Once again you see an in

Discolored skin gives you away

So afraid you kindly gurgle out a date

For me



Now the body of one soul I adore wants to die

You have always told me you'd

Not live past 25

I say stay long enough to repay

All who caused strife



Once again you see an in

Discolored skin gives you away

So afraid you kindly gurgle out a date

For me

Layne: This is called Down In A Hole...


Down In A Hole
Written by Jerry Cantrell


Bury me softly in this womb

I give this part of me for you

Sand rains down and here I sit

Holding rare flowers in a tomb...in bloom



Down in a hole and I don't know if I can be saved

See my heart I decorate it like a grave

You don't understand who they thought I was supposed to be

Look at me now a man who won't let himself be



Down in a hole, losin' my soul

Down in a hole, losin' control

I'd like to fly, but my wings have been so denied



Down in a hole and they've put all the stones in their place

I've eaten the sun so my tongue has been burned of the taste

I have been guilty of kicking myself in the teeth

I will speak no more of my feelings beneath



Down in a hole, losin' my soul

Down in a hole, losin' control

I'd like to fly, but my wings have been so denied



Oh I want to be inside of you



Down in a hole, losin' my soul

Down in a hole, feelin' so small

Down in a hole, losin' my soul

Down in a hole, out of control



I'd like to fly but my wings have been so denied


Angry Chair
Written by Layne Staley

Sitting on an angry chair

Angry walls that steal the air

Stomach hurts and I don't care



What do I see across the way

See myself molded in clay

Stares at me, yeah I'm afraid

Changing the shape of his face



Candles red I have a pair

Shadows dancing everywhere

Burning on the angry chair



Little boy made a mistake

Pink cloud has now turned to grey

All that I want is to play

Get on your knees, time to pray boy



I don't mind, yeah

I don't mind, yeah

Lost my mind, yeah

Can't find it anywhere



Corporate prison, we stay

I'm a dull boy, work all day

So I'm strung out anyway



Loneliness is not a phase

Field of pain is where I graze

Serenity is far away



Saw my reflection and cried

So little hope that I died

Feed me your lies, open wide

Weight of my heart, not the size



I don't mind, yeah

I don't mind, yeah

Lost my mind, yeah

Can't find it anywhere



Pink cloud has now turned to gray

All that I want is to play

Get on your knees time to pray


Rooster
Written by Jerry Cantrell

Ain't found a way to kill me yet

Eyes burn with stinging sweat

Seems every path leads me to nowhere

Wife and kids household pet

Army green was no safe bet

The bullets scream to me from somewhere



Here they come to snuff the rooster

Yeah here come the rooster

You know he ain't gonna die



Walkin' tall machine gun man

They spit on me in my home land

Gloria sent me pictures of my boy

Got my pills 'gainst mosquito death

My buddy's breathin' his dyin' breath

Oh God please won't you help me make it through


Got Me Wrong
Music & lyrics by Jerry Cantrell

Yeah it goes away

All of this and more of nothing in my life

No colored clay

Individuality not safe



As of now I bet you've got me wrong

So unsure you run from something strong



I can't let go

Threadbare tapestry unwinding slow

Feel a tortured brain

Show your belly like you want me too



As of now I bet you've got me wrong

So unsure we reach for something strong



I haven't felt like this in so long

Wrong, in a sense too far gone from love

That don't last forever

Something's got to turn out right



You sugar taste

Sweetness doesn't often touch my face

Stay if you please

You may not be here when I leave

Thank you. We've got a friend of ours today, Mr. Scotty Olson on guitar.


Heaven Beside You
Lyrics by Jerry Cantrell
Music by Jerry Cantrell, Mike Inez


Be what you wanna be

See what you came to see

Been what you wanna be

I don't like what I see



Like the coldest winter chill

Heaven beside you ...Hell within

Like the coldest winter chill

Heaven beside you ...Hell within

Like the coldest winter will

Put heaven beside you

Hell within

And you think you have it still, heaven inside you



So there's problems in your life

That's fucked up

And I'm not blind

I'm just see-through

Faded

Super jaded

And out of my mind



Do what you wanna do

Go out and seek your truth

When I'm down and blue

Rather be me than you



Like the coldest winter chill

Heaven beside you ...Hell within

Like the coldest winter chill

Heaven beside you ...Hell within

Like the coldest winter will

Heaven beside you ...Hell within

And you wish you had it still, heaven inside you



So there's problems in your life

That's fucked up

But I'm not blind

I'm just see-through

Faded

Super jaded

Out of my mind



Like the coldest winter chill

Heaven beside you ...Hell within

Like the coldest winter chill

Heaven beside you ...Hell within

Like the coldest winter will

Heaven beside you ...Hell within

And you know you have it still, heaven inside you



So there's problems in your life

That's fucked up

But you're not blind

You're just see-through

Faded

Overrated

And out of your mind

Layne: I would have to say that this is the best show we've done in three years.
Sean: Layne, it's the only one!
Layne: Huh! Well it's still the best!


Would?
Lyrics by Jerry Cantrell


Know me broken by my master

Teach thee on child of love hereafter



Into the flood again

Same old trip it was back then

So I made a big mistake

Try to see it once my way



Drifting body its sole desertion

Flying not yet quite the notion



Am I wrong?

Have I run too far to get home

Have I gone?

And left you here alone

If I would, could you?


Frogs
Lyrics by Layne Staley
Music by Jerry Cantrell, Sean Kinney, Mike Inez


What does friend mean to you?

A word so wrongfully abused

Are you like me, confused

All included but you

Alone...



The sounds of silence often soothe

Shapes and colors shift with mood

Pupils widen and change their hue

Rapid brown avoid clear blue



Why's it have to be this way

Be this way



Flowers watched through wide brown eyes

A child sings an unclaimed tune

Innocence spins cold cocoon

Grow to see the pain too soon

Jerry: Somebody's filming my ass, it's getting hot!


Over Now
Lyrics by Jerry Cantrell
Music by Jerry Cantrell, Sean Kinney


Yeah, it's over now

But I can breathe somehow

When it's all worn out

I'd rather go without



You know it's been on my mind

Could you stand right here

Look me straight in the eye and say

That it's over now



We pay our debt sometime



Well it's over now

Yet I can see somehow

When it's all gone wrong

It's hard to be so strong



We pay our debt sometime



Guess it's over now

I seem alive somehow

When it's out of sight

Just wait and do your time



You know it's been on my mind

Could I stand right here

Look myself in the eye, and say

That it's over now



We pay our debt sometime

Layne: Thanks. I think that's it.
Crowd: No! No!
A guy: Booooh!
Layne: Hey fuck you man!
Crowd: Laughs, noise. Be good! Good boys.
Layne: Okay, one more!
Jerry: This is huh, something we were screwing around with at soundchecks, we're gonna just give it another shot here, try this out, see how it sounds.
Goes something like this, wrote a song about it, wanna hear it? Here it goes!

"That senator don't love no drug program, he been a dopehead for thirty years... There ya go... The senator don't like no women, he prefers young boys in leather..."

Jerry: It's called The Killer Is Me


The Killer Is Me
New song! By Jerry Cantrell
This track is incorrectly listed as "Killer Is Me" on the album, this is a misprint (it should read The Killer Is Me).


Don't need a gun

Pointed at me

No need to run

The killer is me

The killer is me



So the sun

Shines upon me

I'm havin' fun

The killer is me



Insane the mind

In the name of me

Can't find the time

To let things be



Insane the mind

In the name of me

Can't find the time

To let things be

Let things be



Oh yeah... Can I start over

Oh yeah... Can I start over

And get over it



So the sun

Shines upon me

I'm havin' fun

The killer is me

The killer is me

The killer is me



Oh yeah... Can I start over

Oh yeah... Can I start over

And get over it



Let things be

Jerry: Thanks, that was really fun!
Layne: I wish I could just hug you all! But I'm not gonna.