Down in a Hole Lyrics
Ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
[Intro: Layne Staley & Jerry Cantrell, 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
[Verse 1: Layne Staley]
Down in a hole and I don't know if I can be saved
See my heart, I decorate it like a grave
Oh, you don't understand who they thought I was supposed to be
Look at me now, a man who won't let himself be
[Chorus: Layne Staley & Jerry Cantrell, Jerry Cantrell, Layne Staley]
Down in a hole, feelin' so small
Down in a hole, losin' my soul
I'd like to fly
But my wings have been so denied
[Verse 2: Layne Staley]
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, feelin' so small
Down in a hole, losin' my soul
I'd like to fly
But my wings have been so denied
[Bridge: Layne Staley & Jerry Cantrell, Jerry Cantrell, Layne Staley]
Bury me softly in this womb (oh, I wanna be inside of you)
I give this part of me for you (oh, I wanna be inside of you)
Sand rains down and here I sit (oh, I wanna be inside of you)
Holding rare flowers in a tomb, in bloom (oh, I wanna be inside)
[Chorus: Layne Staley & Jerry Cantrell, Layne Staley]
Down in a hole, feelin' so small
Down in a hole, losin' my soul
Down in a hole, feelin' so small
Down in a hole, out of control
I'd like to fly
But my wings have been so denied
About
This song is a love song from guitarist Jerry Cantrell to the love of his life Courtney Clarke.
Early pressings listed this as the 12th track in the album. Later pressings listed this as the 4th track supposedly to fit better with the band’s desire to have the album loosely tell a story from song to song.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
Songwriter and guitarist Jerry Cantrell said of the song in the Music Bank box set liner notes,
[“Down in a Hole”]’s in my top three, personally. It’s to my long-time love. It’s the reality of my life, the path I’ve chosen and in a weird way it kind of foretold where we are right now. It’s hard for us to both understand…that this life is not conducive to much success with long-term relationships.
- 1.Them Bones
- 4.Down in a Hole
- 5.Sickman
- 6.Rooster
- 7.Junkhead
- 8.Dirt
- 9.God Smack
- 10.Iron Gland
- 11.Hate to Feel
- 12.Angry Chair
- 13.Would?
