Alice in Chains – Rain When I Die

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  General Comment:To me this song instantly connected to me. IMO I think of it as a girl who leaves a man, even though there is still love in the relationship. Confused and unable to cope with losing her, the man will reach out to any slight indication of love from her... which results in a very depressing situation for him, like the common nightmare of running but getting no where.

  Flag yojoe66666on March 23, 2013   Link

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  General Comment:"Is she ready to know my frustration?"
  ***They go clean for a while but she starts slipping.
  "What She Slippin' Inside, Slow Castration"
  ***She falls hard and he feel helpless to stop it.
  "Did She Call My Name?"
  ***But he will always follow her.. no matter where it leads.
  "I Think It's Gonna Rain
  When I Die"
  ***And he knows that could easily mean death.
  "Was It Something I Said, Held Against Me?"
  ***Yes, most likely. that's how we roll.
  "Ain't No Life On The Run, Slowly Climbing
  Caught In Ice So She Stares, Stares At Nothing"
  ***Going clean is hard.. sometimes very hard.
  "I Can Help Her But Won't, Now She Hates Me"
  ***She's withdrawing hard, he can get help her by getting her some but won't.
  
  "She Won't Let Me Hide
  She Don't Want Me To Cry
  Will She Keep On The Ground, Trying To Ground Me
  Slowly Forgive My Lie, Lying To Save Me
  Could She Love Me Again, Or Will She Hate Me
  Prob'ly Not, I Know Why, Can't Explain Me"
  **Now it's the other way around, he slips and she stays grounded. I'm sure they tried more than once.

  Flag avialaneon July 02, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:I always thought that this song is about a girl who he either never had, or may have had briefly, but she pursued him and wanted something serious, whilst he did not want her so much at the time. He didn't want her because he saw himself as free, wild, insoluble, and felt like she was trying to take his freedom.
  She gets frustrated and her love turns into disdain, as it does.
  Then, with the typical "want what you can't have" attitude, he changes his mind, and decides he actually kind of loves her now that she's had enough of him.

  Flagged LukaSambucaon May 15, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:It always rains in Seattle, so it was no big surprise it rained the day Layne died. This album really spoke out about the struggles of addiction the band/Layne had. The sad thing is we all lost a great poet, song writer, entertainer and person the day Layne passed. There is no more AIC without Lanye! Rest in peace my friend.

  Flagged Malfunkshunon March 25, 2012   Link

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  My Interpretation:I think the actual title of the song (I think it's gonna rain when I die) is a metaphor for a flower. The idea is that flowers tend to die when they don't get watered well enough, and Layne Staley is "the flower". He predicts that when he's wilted it will rain right afterwards as a way of saying his death will happen too soon and what could've saved him would already be too late.

  Flag Netheroon July 28, 2011   Link

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  My Interpretation:This song is clearly about a man at least trying to change the way he is by being more open-minded, with his failing relationship with his girlfriend. His soon-to-be ex-girlfriend has come to hate him for being a Jerkass, and prefers to never see nor speak to him again. The boyfriend wonders about all his problems (probably talking about them with his friends), and would rather wish to make things up with her.
  But, since she now loathes him, he ponders if she ever thinks or talks about him, hence, "Did she call my name...?!" As for the song title, he also probably wants/predicts it to pour rain on the day he dies of a broken heart, to fit the mood of mourning.
  As for how the song ends: The chanting, that was heard during the beginning, fading out with the instruments... only to come back, getting louder, until it officially ends. This must symbolize how, even with the man gone & dead, he'll still come back to haunt those who knew - and maybe even once - loved him.

  Flag Sunzu49on July 17, 2011   Link

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    Oh, but the "She don't want me to cry" must mean that the ex-girlfriend might still care for him, since she wouldn't like to see him getting all upset over her.
    
    And, to be more specific, he would like it to rain when he dies to see if the people he knew & loved would feel awful, like the weather.

    Flag Sunzu49on July 28, 2011  
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  General Comment:So energetic song! Think there's some reference to Layne's girlfriend Demri.

  Flag antitezaon June 21, 2011   Link

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  Song Meaning:This song is particularly enigmatic.
  
  I get the sense that "Rain when I die" equates to a lonely, sad death. The lyrics obviously suggest a relationship gone sour, but the cause is what's unclear/unknown.
  
  The lyrics "What she slippin' inside, slow castration" and "Caught in ice so she stares, stares at nothing" almost suggest drug use. Ice is a slang for methamphetamines. I don't know how else the word ice would be interpreted here.
  
  Perhaps she's trying to get him help (take him to rehab?), or maybe they both have drug problems. I'm not quite sure. Like I said, the lyrics are very enigmatic.
  
  
  
  

  Flag hoppingbunnyon December 23, 2010   Link

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  My Opinion:Imy opinion-for whatever it's worth-I believe that the 'she' in the song is a personification of death in general. I think that Jerry and Layne each felt that dying was a dismal event and therefore was easily thought of as rain. The odd thing that almost is morbid to think about is that since Layne died in Seattle-it more than likely was raining when he died.

  Flag MMQCon August 09, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:sounds like the girl in this relationship was a controlling bitch, and that she was getting down on him about everything all the time until she left, and made him feel like a useless piece of shit

  Flag jerrylovesrock666on August 08, 2010   Link

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