Mad Season – Wake Up

Mad Season oli grungen superkokoonpano, joka syntyi Pearl Jamin Mike McCready hakeutui katkolle ja kohtasi siellä basisti John Baker Saundersin. Hoidosta päästyään he perustivat sivuprojektin Screaming Treesin rumpalin. Barrett Martinin kanssa. McCready toi uuteen projektiin laulajaksi Alice in Chainsin Layne Staleyn sillä sivuajatuksella, että kuivilla olevat muusikot voisivat jeesiä pahasti heroiinikoukussa ollutta laulajaa. Ei ole yllätys, että Mad Seasonin ainokaiseksi jääneellä albumilla käsitellään muun muassa addiktiota. Waku Up -biisi kuvaa Staleyn tilannetta…

”Wake up young man, it’s time to wake up
Your love affair has got to go
For 10 long years, for 10 long years
The leaves to rake up

Slow suicide’s no way to go, oh
Blue, clouded grey
You’re not a crack up
Dizzy and weakened by the haze

Moving onward
So an infection not a phase
Yeah, oh
The cracks and lines from where you gave up

They make an easy man to read, oh
For all the times you let them bleed you
For little peace from god you plead, and beg
For little peace from god you plead

Ah, yeah, ah, yeah, ah, yeah
Wake up young man, wake up, wake up
Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up
Oh, yeah

Wake up young man, it’s time to wake up
Your love affair has got to go
For 10 long years, yeah
For 10 long years, the leaves to rake up

Slow suicide’s no way to go, oh
Slow suicide’s no way to go
Wake up, wake up, wake up”

Temple of the Dog – Times of Trouble

Temple of the Dog perustettiin Mother Love Bonen laulajan Andrew Woodin kunniaksi. Andrew Wood kuoli heroiinin yliannostukseen. Temple of the Dogin ainoalla levyllä useammatkin laulut käsittelevät Woodin poismenoa. Tämä Chris Cornellin kirjoittama laulu kertoo, että älkää tehkö kuin Wood vaan yrittäkää pysyä kasassa ja erossa aineista.

”When the spoon is hot
And the needle’s sharp
And you drift away
I can hear you say
That the world in black
Is upon your back
And your body shakes
So you ditch away
And you close the shades

Don’t try to do it
Don’t try to kill your time
You might do it
Then you can’t change your mind
You’ve got a hold on to your time
Till your break through these
Times of trouble

When you try to talk
And the words get hard
And they put you down
Don’t you stay
Don’t you ditch away

I saw you swinging
Swinging your mother’s sword
I know you’re playing but
Sometimes the rules get hard
But if somebody left you out on a ledge
If somebody pushed you over the edge
If somebody loved you and left you for dead
You got to hold on to your time till you break
Through these times of trouble”

Mother Love Bone – Come Bite the Apple

Biisi kertonee MLB:n laulajan Andrew Woodin heroiiniriippuvuudesta. Omena toimii tässä biisissä heroiinin metaforana. Wood kuolikin yliannostukseen muutama päivä ennen levyn julkaisua ja näin ainokainen levy jäi bändin viimeiseksi.

”How did I get here
What song did I sing
Just what have I done to deserve such a thing
(You say I’ve heard all that before)
(So won’t you give it up and stop using me)
(I’ve heard all that before)
So bring me an apple, I’m crying
I been persecuted, like a lying man
The spirit provides me
Its what I am today
This spirit it gives but also can take away
(And you say I’ve heard all that before)
(So won’t you give it up baby and stop using me)
(I’ve heard this all before)
So come bite the apple, I’m run down
Like sodom to gommorah, all dead now
So please stop to laugh and pity me
My soul means well but I’m sorry
My skin it is withered and I’m nervous
My future was in my hands, ’til I washed it all away
Get along little sister I heard your doing well
Doing well said get along little sister
Heard your doing well
Etc, bla, bla, bla”

Nirvana – Aneurysm

Kysymys kuuluukiin… rakkaudesta vai heroiinista?

”Come on over and do the twist
Over do it and have a fit
Love you so much it makes me sick
Come on over and do the twist

Beat me outta me, beat me outta me

Come on over and do the twist
Over do it and have a fit
Love you so much it makes me sick
Come on over and shoot the shit

Beat me outta me, beat me outta me

She keeps it pumpin’ straight to my heart”

Babes in Toyland – Spun

Vois viitata esmes Metamfetamiinin käyttöön…

”I live inside all invited inside
Eyes flutter feathers my hairs fair like weather
I’ve blown my recovery
Living is nice when you’re spun like a kite
Sugar and tea and cream
Looks like the sea is green with rivalry
Now that I know just what you’re all about I want out!
I live inside all invited inside
Sugar and tea and cream
Looks like the sea is green with reverie
Life is real when you’re dreaming
Life’s a dream when you’re reeling
Now I want out”

Nirvana – Negative Creep

Pihalla olevasta hylkiöstä kertoo tämä ralli.

”This is out of our reach
and it’s grown
This is getting to be
drone
I’m a negative creep
and I’m stoned!
I’m a negative creep
and I’m…

Daddy’s little girl ain’t a girl no more”

Pearl Jam – Gonna See My Friend

”do you wanna hear something sick?
we are but victims of desire
i’m gonna shake this thing
i wanna shake this pain before i retire

i’m gonna see my friend, i’m gonna see my friend
make it go away
i’m sick of everything, i’m gonna see my friend
make it go away”

Riippuvuudesta taidetaan haluta eroon.

Alice in Chains – Angry Chair

Veikkaisin, että huumeaddiktiosta tämäkin Dirt-albumin helmi kumpuaa.

”Pink cloud has now turned to gray
All that I want is to play
Get on your knees time to pray, boy”

Pink cloud saattaa esim. viitata hetkellisen kuivilla olemisen hyvään oloon eli kun yrittää uskotella itselleen ja muille, että nyt kaikki on hyvin ja selvinpäin oleminen on aivan mahtavaa. Ja totuushan taitaa olla tarua karumpaa…