Alice in Chains – Fear The Voices

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Send "Fear The Voices" Ringtone to Cell

Put our heads together
Because a signature could change our future
For some wrote you a letter begging you to reconsider
Put our heads together

Fear the voices you hear today
If you still have choices we'll blow you away

So they put number on the television Mr. Gardner
A messed up generation put the pressure on you
You're a coward
A messed up generation

Fear the voices you hear today
If you still have choices we'll blow you away

We can see right through you, we're awake
Send your men and we are all awake
Awake, awake, awake, awake
Wake, awake, awake, awake

Fear the voices you hear today
If you still have choices we'll blow you away

Fear the voices

Send "Fear The Voices" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by Degradation Trip

Track duration: 04:58


Fear The Voices song meanings
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  • 0
    General Comment:Dear Brain Trust,

    Booth Gardner was the governor of Washington when AiC were just starting out. That's who Layne aimed the comment at. Early 90s, it probably had something to do with Tipper Gore's frantic "label the albums" campaign.

    Sincerely,
    Someone who was actually there
    Flag firnion March 22, 2013   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:I think its about the musicians entitlement to a record company. Kinda like selling your soul to the devil type scenerio. The music industry being this over opressive force where if you dont agree with them, they'll kill you and move on. Now im not going to sound like a conspiracy nut or w/e, but I think the "voices" are a reference of the Illuminati/NWO.If you do research and listen to alot of songs relating to this kind of topic however, You'll see a striking similarity between these songs. Listen to the lyrics of "A New Damage","Limo Wreck", and "Missing" by Soundgarden. I could give you a whole list of songs/music. This type of topic is in Pink Floyd, Queen, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Genesis, Velvet Revolver, ect. Even JFK did a speech on secret societies and how they exist even in todays standards. Musicians tried so hard to expose these people but society today just doesnt want to hear it or are too distracted(A messed up generation). Also they "blown alot of people away" that tried to expose them as well(JFK,John Lennon,MJ) and the list goes on. Its probably why this song only made bootleg status so that AiC didnt risk their asses getting shot.
    Flagged aic4life27on August 29, 2011   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:Like so many Alice In Chains songs, this one appears to be about their record label. The first verse is about getting signed or renewing a contract, and possibly how there was disagreement about this among the label board.

    Second verse: "Mr. Gardner" could be a reference to one of several people who were present in the media in the early 1990s and possibly of interest to members of Alice In Chains: Howard Gardner, the psychologist who developed the multiple intelligences theory, or Booth Gardner, the Democratic governor of the state of Washington. I'm not exactly sure why either of these guys would be of particular interest to the members of AIC or why the lyrics would call Mr. Gardner a coward, but who knows. The band members weren't exactly a bunch of scholars.

    For a whole list of people with the last name Gardner, see Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…

    Putting a number on the television strikes me as something having to do with the sensationalized anti-drug propaganda that was (and still is) fashionable in the media--another topic that seems to have been a favorite of Staley's. Perhaps the number referred to the number of heroin addicts or something like that. "A messed up generation" lends credence to this theory. Bands like Alice In Chains and Nirvana often got blamed for making heroin seem cool.
    Flag Nadaavon June 20, 2011   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:Probably the only song ever to include the line "Put our heads together" that wasn't some retarded teenage pop song :P let me just say this song is epic, probably incorporates some of Layne Staley's funk-rock roots.
    Flag Tig45on April 03, 2011   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:Fear the voices-wow-this one's about trying to help your own psychosis. I believe.
    Flag dark_eyez_666on January 29, 2011   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:@Davewah3, I should point out that 'Rooster' is about Jerry's father serving in Vietnam, so not EVERY song was about themselves. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that very few of their songs are about themselves. So the 'draft' idea is quite plausible. It sounds plausible to me, anyway.
    Flag WhaleAndWaspon October 03, 2010   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:Hmm... the Mr. Gardner line.

    That's gotta be a reference to "Being There," the story about Chance the Gardener (and people mistook his name to be Chauncey Gardner). Everything Chance knew was learned from television.

    Just thought I'd try to clarify that.
    Flag The Honest Liaron September 22, 2009   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:I just see this song as a song about psychosis (hearing voices, being paranoid, delusional). I don't see the supposed media allusion or anything. The chorus flat-out says "fear the voices", and having been psychotic myself once I know what it's like to fear them. One line goes as "so they put your number on the television, Mr. Gardner.....a messed-up generation put the pressure on you, you're a coward". That states the paranoia that people are watching you and are after you, and the delusion that people are pressuring you or doing things to you. I don't get why everyone always looks for these crazy deep meanings, like "OH MY GOD IT'S THE MEDIA" or whatever. It could be that, but c'mon, I doubt it. There ARE some AIC songs that are blunt, y'know.
    Flag X643on November 23, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Damn good ass song and good ass vocals...FINALLY a song thats not about drugs and its still a good one
    Flag Negrumon February 10, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I'm pretty sure they're saying "If you steal our choices we'll blow you away" not "if you still have choices"
    Flag circe.invidiosaon September 23, 2006   Link

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