Junkhead

As a former heroin addict, who got clean with the help of the Dirt album, it was as if I could have written the lyrics myself, on how well I could relate to it. Here's my interpretation.

Verse 1. After being clean for some time, the user relapses. He forgets about all of the negative aspects of the drug use, and just focuses on how it makes him feel, which trust me, it's an amazing feeling, that is very hard to not want to re-experience. He would have stayed clean, but he met someone new, who just so happened to be under the influence, and also had some to get rid of. Being in that situation is very hard for a former user. Needless to say, he was convinced to do it again.

Chorus: The user doesn't do just one drug. He will do whatever he can get. At this point, both Layne and Jerry had large bank accounts due to the success of Facelift, so they always had cash available, and at this point frequently were doing different varieties of drugs.

Verse 2. It's a fact, that the majority of people look down on hard-drug users. It seems sick to them, and they frequently try to educate people on the dangers of drugs. The users however, understand each other, and can relate very well to one and other.

Verse 3. Are the non-users happy? The user feels that way at the moment. He feels content, and feels fully aware, although those are the drugs talking. He doesn't care about his money, or his status as a rockstar, because inside, he feels empty and bare.

Verse 4. Anyone who is not a user, or a former user, can not understand a users mind. No matter how much they study it, they still simply can not understand. However, anyone who tries it, no matter what their previous stance on the subject is, they will then understand the users mind, and at first see it as being not so bad.

"reverand_chris" pretty much has it. This is the start of the cycle of songs on "Dirt" that chronicle heroin addiction. Some people take the song out of context and misinterpret it, but if you listen to it closely or listen within its context on the album, it's blatantly against drug use.

"Junkhead" is sarcastic ... very, very, VERY dark humor. He is simultaneouly explaining and mocking a drug addict's justification for using the drug. The narrator has convinced himself that drugs aren't so bad, that they make him better than others, etc. But LISTEN to the way he sings it--it's pretty damn obvious that he's fucked up and miserable and lying to himself/trying way too hard to convince himself.

And, y'know, in case you missed the message, Junkhead is followed by "Dirt" ("One who doesn't care is one who shouldn't be/I've tried to hide myself from what is wrong with me"), "Godsmack" ("Can't get high, or you will die" "What in God's name have you done?" "So your sickness weighs a ton"), "Hate to Feel" ("What's gone wrong, I can't see straight" "Mirror on the wall will show you/What you're scared to see" "Used to be curious/Now the shit's sustenance"), "Angry Chair" ("Saw my reflection and cried/So little hope that I died" "Little boy made a mistake/Pink cloud has now turned to gray/All that I want is to play/Get on your knees, time to pray, boy") and so on. I mean, how obvious is it from those songs that heroin is DESTROYING him, it's killing him, making him insane, ruining his innocence and his life?

So no, Junkhead is not a pro-heroin song. It's an explanation/very dark MOCK of how a junkie justifies drug use to himself. It's followed by a depiction of heroin DESTROYING said junkie. You'd have to be an utter idiot to think that amounts to an endorsement.

""When Junkhead was written, it was a definite pro-drug song; it was written three years ago. But when we put it to music, it became an antidrug song. I thought that it was so blatantly pro-drugs people would be able to see it in the way I saw it then, and now, as coming from a really-sick-mind point of view, I thought they'd interpret it as I wrote it."

-Layne Staley

This track begins one of the deepest parts of any other album by any other band. The whole thing Junkhead through Would? Is about the cycle of drugs. I'll Explain...

Junkhead- This is the user buying the drugs saying to himself its gonna be a great night. He finds himself a dealer, buys the drug then takes it home to do it.

Dirt- Is him talking to the drug directly. Saying i want you to kill all the pain, and make me happy. And the reference to the stinging pistol in his mouth is him saying, that when i take these drugs there is a risk i could die but its a risk im wiling to take for a good time. And it ends with him taking the drug.

God Smack- This is after he has taken the drug and his conscience is talking to him saying what have you done?

The Instrumental(Iron Glad)- This is sometimes refered to as the "Dream sequence" This is when the drug had taken effect, and he his halucenating and things like that

Hate To Feel- This is him regretting having taken the drug, saying he promised himself he would not be an junkie like his father was, and saying its time for me to check into rehab.

Angry Chair- This refers to rehab itself. I have never been to rehab myself, but i do believe they give you tons of therapy (refering to the chair) and some medications. And he is talking about how horrible it was in there.

Would? - This is him talking to another person about the mistake he has made, Saying that this drug nearly destroyed me, yet i still took it making the same mistakes, but cant you see it from my point of view. It ends with him telling the person how easy it is to be overtaken by the drug with him saying "If I Would, Could You?"

And thats about it, i dont recall if those are exactly accurate but i'd say they are fairly close. Great stuff from one of the Greatest bands ever. its a shame he lost his life for drugs..:(

I do not think he promoted it nor justified it, NOR did he assume it ruins everyone that does it, and I have to say here that I was actually a heroin addict, and I actually knew Layne S. a little too.I have met several singers in my lifetime, and he was one of them. A person on heroin has alternating feelings of how much they love it and also at times how much they hate and are tired of it, and as someone who has gone thru both I think I understand the drug songs very well. Also, Jerry being in a band with a junkie will alter his own views of course, this was his good friend.He wanted him happy and out of pain, but also not sick and productive too. Drugs do not always ruin your life, hell my life was awesome then and still is now.But it is a message. Another thing about this album, the song angry chair was not only about drugs, it is also about punishment as a child, by a strict father and religious views. The thing is, anything Layne did in fact write, not Jerry but Layne himself, will always have a heroin undertone at any point in his life he was actually using it, because when you are on it, it involves itself into everything else you might do or think by default.this is not necessarily a bad thing, it is just the truth.Being both a heroin addict and a writer at the same moments myself, I wrote many things about non drug related topics, however deeper level the drugs were indeed still right there in my brain.On the other hand, the songs on the other side of Dirt are about the military and war, and Jerry C. father, in fact I think is the Rooster. Them bones is about death and the end in general. Songs are made to interpret anyhow so anyone who wishes to disagree is welcome anyway. I am a highly educated person with a brain in my head, who has had a hard life that I wouldnt change for anything really, when it comes down to it,because I have had the pleasure of knowing some of these folks. Also because I learned from it all.Also that I can sit and speak about things and show this world that some of we addicts are in fact not trash, we know a lot, have gone to school, and have talents.It is but one aspect of our whole selves, it just happens to include itself into the rest.

Yea, this song is about smack but I disagree, person before me, I think it's not exactly promoting drugs it's talking about addiction and what it's like.

This song extremely sadden's me......this was written during Layne's early druggin days where the high was exciting and enjoyable...and then he slowly decayed right before me eyes. I am fortunate to be a genX'er and got to see AIC and this beautiful man many times....addiction really killed his soul long before he actually died (listen to Mad Season's Above album and I think you'll agree)...What's my drug of choice????Its you Layne Staley.....something I believe God put you on this earth to accompish.... and through the many lives you inspired and touched.....'your wings were not denied'.

I think the atmosphere/tone of the music is the best part of this song.

Lyrics pretty straightforward.....don't think it's an advocation of drugs per se, but more the justification in a user's mind. Especially against all the attacks and how "junkheads" are looked down upon. So this is the "f you" to them. Again - I don't believe it's an advocation of drug use though, but a distorted justification.

wow.

I knew I would feel the love on this thread.