Alice in Chains – God Am

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  General Comment:The first line of this lyric it's about the heroin, of course:
  "Sure GOD'S all powerful, but does he have LIPS? Whoa..."
  Follow me !!! You have GOD...Lips...lips makes me think about kisses....and kisses makes me think about SMACK....so what hell we got ? GODSMACK ? Godsmack is another way to call heroin.
  
  But the rest of the music may be not a criticize against God...but against the way religious people tries to push God to the rest of others: a violent God who only thinks about vengance and punishment...a sadistic and evil god...

  Flag RyanReiddyon January 01, 2013   Link

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  General Comment:I'll take a different standpoint and claim that this song is about capitalism.
  The first line, the way I always hear it sounds like:
  
  "Sure God's all powerful, but does he have DEBTS? Whoa..." referring to poor people in debt as opposed to God the almighty. Then the remainder of the verse talks about how God, now a tool of capitalism to keep people under control, could not give anything to the individual considering the personal sins and the situation the world is in. I think this interpretation best explains the "I pay taxes" part.
  
  Second verse talks about how in the rich people's myth/fable, God is designed to win against the individual.
  
  Third verse refers to the slogans of capitalism: to live and work together as a nation in which opportunities to prosper exist for all. But the last line says these are not enough to hide the reality: "Can't hide sick ones you're weeding".
  
  The chorus depicts the individual's will to be his/her own God. To be free.
  
  

  Flag uzabezon June 16, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:I agree with the idea that its probably crack in that bong cause layne says 'WHOA!' as the guitar comes in like bells ringing but maybe thats just me. As far as the contempt for god, in addiction recovery programs it's believed that reliance on god is the only hope. I think Layne felt like that god wasn't there when he asked for help.

  Flag edeezyon April 20, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:The lighting sound in the beginning is not a bong. I would guess it to be him heating up the spoon to dissolve heroin. Or it may be one of their dark, cynical jokes and be imitating the sound of heating the spoon so people will think it is heroin. He has a very dark humor abot his using. It's often trying to be sarcastic about it; a way of denying the use that tabloids and rumors accused him of. Sadly, they seem to be pretty accurate for once.

  Flag AliceUnchainedon April 06, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:I think the line "sure God's all powerful, but does he have lips?" means that Layne is essentially saying God can kiss his ass.
  
  One of my favorite songs of all time. I believe in God, and I still think this song is awesome. He was in so much emotional pain and physical torment in his life - no wonder he was pissed off at God.
  
  RIP Layne.
  
  Oh yeah the bubbling bong water at the opening is friggin hilarious too. God I miss music that had meaning and was put together well. Too much crap out there nowdays for my taste.

  Flag danewiron November 21, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:The title reminds me of the short story 'I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream', where the last five people on Earth are been kept alive and brutally dominated by a god-like supercomputer called AM. I have no idea whether this resemblance is intentional or not.

  Flag Big Nihilon August 13, 2010   Link

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    Plus, of course, the lips/mouth reference.

    Flag Big Nihilon August 14, 2010  
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  General Comment:Alright everybody seems to be on the general idea that this song is about Layne's frustrations with God. I agree. In the song it's pretty blatant that he believes in God's existence, but he feels like God doesn't truthfully care. "Dear God, how have you been then? I'm not fine, fuck pretending" God's all powerful, he already knows how Layne is, Layne's angry with him because He's not helping to make things in his life better, in fact, he's making it worse.
  
  The next two verses are about God's absence, The Bible is in a way nothing more then a collection of stories that glorify God. "Faith From Fable." God's not existent in his life, and yet everyone gives glory to God for past actions, while he is doing nothing now. That is at least what I picked up from those verses.
  
  The last verse, is Layne rejecting God. He's earned his own life, and his own respect. Without God, who has failed him.
  
  The chorus, I think is Layne's way of justifying his anger at God. No one can be like him. Layne's just like everyone else, nobodies perfect. It further justifies his belief that god has abandoned him and/or humanity.
  
  The very beginning of the song. "Sure God's all powerful, but does he have lips?" Is obvious. God's got all of this power, but where is he? Have you heard from him? He's silent.

  Flag TheKickandTheSnareon July 20, 2010   Link

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  Song Meaning:You guys need to understand that music is a form of poetry and Alice In Chains songs were written often about the same subjects the horrors of drug addiction deep depression, and a few songs that were written about their girlfriends. Layne Staley said in an interview "our music is about taking something that's ugly and making it beautiful" and I couldn't agree more
  
  that said.. this particular song is about Heroin
  
  Layne referred to Heroin as "GOD" reference Godsmack "God's name is smack for some"
  he wasn't God bashing in this song, now I'm no church person but it's a fact he wasn't
  nor was he in Bleed the Freak, A Little Bitter, Get Born Again, Man In The Box or any other song he Mention the word "God" one more example: the song, man in the box "Jesus Christ deny your maker he who tries will be wasted" that should be self explanatory. also he guest appeared on a deeply religious song
  called "Ring Them Bells"
  
  Alot of these songs were explained in interviews, but I can tell you no AIC song is just spelled out for you they didn't write like that, dirt, sickman, angry chair, would?, Junkhead and hate to feel were all about heroin it's true would? was written as a tribute to Andy Wood but the song was written about drug relativity it not about about andrew wood it's dedicated to him.
  
  so as a favor to you and in an attempt to put to rest this nonsense about sacrilege I'm going to break
  down this song for you line by line.
  
  "Sure God's all powerful, but does he have lips? Whoa..."
  
  this is some what hard to explain but AIC had a great sense of humor especially Layne,
  it's basic sarcasm to make you think this song is literal when its all metaphoric
  
  
  
  Dear God, how have you been then?
  I'm not fine, fuck pretending
  
  he saying he's relapsing while the listener believes he's talking to God in prayer
  it's a metaphor for saying he's going back using heroin which he refers to as "God"
  he's not fine meaning he's going through severe with drawl
  
  
  
  All of this death your sending
  Best throw some free heart mending
  
  despite the fact it's killing him
  he hopes after he uses he will be at peace
  
  
  Invite you in my heart, then
  When done, my sins forgiven?
  
  poetically referring to "shooting up"
  sins forgiven meaning pain go's away
  
  This God of mine relaxes
  World dies I still pay taxes
  
  the heroin feels nothing for him
  world dies meaning the high takes over and
  everything around him is tuned out
  
  Can I be as my God am
  Can you be as God am
  Can I be as my God am
  God of all my God am
  
  the chorus will make sense in the end.
  
  So Lord, I see you grinnin
  Must be grand always winning
  
  its like saying the heroin is smiling at him
  the drug always wins over his sobriety
  
  How proud are you being able
  To gather faith from fable
  
  this line is exceptionally poetic:
  
  he's saying how is it that people still buy into the lies
  that drugs will solve your problems and make your life better
  
  faith meaning users who put their faith in heroin
  fable meaning their rationalizations for using it is all bullshit
  
  Can I be as my God am
  Can you be as God am
  Can I be as my God am
  God of all my God am
  God am
  My God am
  God am
  God
  
  All the respect I'm giving
  Shared strength acquired by living
  
  he saying he uses alot
  it uses him and he uses it, that what he means by "shared strength"
  and the acquired by living means only until the user dies
  
  All blooming life you're feeding
  Can't hide sick ones you're weeding
  
  the heroin is feeding of a healthy life that was once pure and destroying it
  can't hide sick ones it's killing because the symptoms of withdrawl and
  and the physical appearance of one who uses is very noticeable.
  
  
  Can I be as my God am
  Can you be as God am
  Can I be as my God am
  God of all my God am
  God am
  God am
  God am
  God am
  
  so there you go, now maybe you can understand why Layne Staley was such a poetic Genius!!
  the songs mean more than what they appear to be at times so my advice is HEAR the song don't just listen.

  Flag Neapolitan2on March 18, 2010   Link

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    I also want to point out too that in the beginning.. "Gods all powerful but does he have lips" is suppose to indicate "dialogue" between him and the "smack" which he refers to as "GOD' similar dialogue like in the song "Dirt" I know sometimes I hear people give different meanings.. and that's ok cause all songs are open to interpretation .. but its important to understand 90% of Alice in Chains music is based around Media response, Depression & Drug Dependency.. Layne stated in many interviews that was his message .. also reference - God smack, A Little Bitter,

    Flag Neapolitan2on August 05, 2012  
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  General Comment:He is giving voice to his frustrations, like a frustrated prayer. It's not unlike David's pleas in the Book of Psalms. This is especially true because of the chorus when he is asking if he can be like God is, that is can he be forgiven for his mistakes. That's not to say that it doens't have another level of meaning regarding his addiction being his "god". I think that's also there, but Layne's god isn't heroin. I think that the use of capitalzation of the word "God" means he is referring to the creator. Just because he is frustrated and doesn't understand what he is going through, that doesn't meant that he has lost sight of something greater than himself. People that say the song doesn't have layers of meaning do not leave much room for interpretation and they essentially limit Layne's abilities. He was an incredibly gifted, eloquent and witty man. When worlds of like this come out, they are full of significance, full of meaning. The lyrics here are very real, very heartfelt; they come straight from the heart.

  Flag musicbankon February 24, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:I'm thinking "Bleed the Freak" meets "Angry Chair."
  
  Layne sees God as an all-powerful being who is doing little to nothing to help him, and feels that if he had the power of God, he would act differently.
  
  He's in the process of seeing lives ruined around him, and his own life continuing to fall apart in spite of rehab and crying for help. Instead of helping mankind, God is absorbing worship to the point of distraction, to Layne.
  
  I think to a fair extent, the anger is justifiable, even to the most religious among us. Why does God allow X, Y, and Z to happen?

  Flag $p$on September 16, 2009   Link

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