Pearl Jam – 4/20/02

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Send "4/20/02" Ringtone to Cell

So all you fools
Who sing just like him
Feel free to do so now
Cuz he's dead

Using, using, using
The using takes toll
Isolation
Just so happy to be one
Sad to, sad to think
Sad to think of him more

Lonesome friend, we all knew
Always hoped you'd pull through

No blame, no blame
No blame, it could be you
Using, you can't grow old using

So sing just like him, fuckers
It won't offend him
Just me
Because he's dead

Send "4/20/02" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by Stoney


4/20/02 song meanings
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  • 0
    General Comment:"Using, using, using
    The using takes toll
    Isolation
    Just so happy to be one
    Sad to, sad to think
    Sad to think of him more"- These are the wrong lyrics to this verse

    "Using, using, using
    The using takes HOLD
    Isolation
    Happy to be one
    Sad to, sad to think
    Sad to think of him ALL ALONE"- These are the right lyrics to this verse.
    Flag MadAlice932on October 18, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:This song is so great. When I listen to it, I just have this image in my head of Eddie sitting in a dark room with his guitar just bleeding this out... I always wondered how Eddie took Layne's death. We all know his reaction to Cobain's death but him and Kurt were never close, like Eddie and Layne.
    Flag Tig45on September 16, 2011   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:There's no rationalizing, breking it down, or trying to find hidden meanings here people......Vedder and the late, beautiful/inspiring Layne Staley were once friends.....many of us just waited for years to hear the news when he would finally be at peace.....for Vedder it was on 4/20/02....along with the rest of us......NO VOICE CAN EVEN COME CLOSE TO THE POWER, BEAUTY, AND PAIN-FILLED SOUL OF MR. Layne Staley!....I was at his original memorial service....along with Vedder, McCready, Cornell,Inez,andCantrell.....you are loved and missed Dark Angel!
    Flag imisslayneon August 05, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:forget godsmack. if it weren't for Alice In Chains, Godsmack would have never existed. Godsmack even said they got the name from the Alice In Chains song "God Smack"
    It pisses me off when a low life band rips off Alice In Chains.
    I agree with Sean Kinney, without Layne Alice In Chains isn't Alice In Chains.
    Flag tenclub07on May 05, 2010   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:April 20th 2002 (4\20\02) was the Day Layne Staley of Alice in Chains was found dead in his apartment. Eddie wrote this song when he heard what happened. It's about all the fuckers who rip off Layne's signature vocal style. Obviously that pissed Eddie off. Pisses me off too.

    R.I.P Layne <3
    Flag diamondnooseon November 16, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:andy wood died in 1990, the temple of the dog album was a tribute to him. layne staleys body was found on april 19 2002 and this song was written the next day when eddie vedder found out which explains the title. and just a fun fact, layne staley died on or close to the same day as kurt cobain, eight years later.
    Flag SludgeGarden13on August 13, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Not quite, Spoonman. The song begins a few seconds after the six-minute mark, or, roughly, four minutes and twenty seconds after Bee Girl cuts off.

    Jag3892, you're probably looking for "I'm Still Here."
    Flag bugmen0ton April 01, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I don't think iTunes entitled the song.

    '4/20/02' came about as a nickname the fans used to identify the song when 'Lost Dogs' came out. I imagine that the band just adopted the title after a while.

    As people have pointed out, the song refers directly to the loss of Layne Staley and the wealth of unconvincing knock-offs who imitate his singing (and indeed life) style.

    I doubt, as many have suggested, that song has a double meaning about isolation or the death of various other late 1980's/ 1990's music figureheads.

    Something that interests me, is that the eponymous date - 4/20/02 contains the number '4/20'.

    4/20 is a number synonymous with drug use communities. It is the date of 'Cannabis Day' in many places.

    Incidentally, I believe the song plays after 'Bee Girl' - when the display on the CD player reads '4:20' (Four minutes and twenty seconds), but this is probably a deliberate reference to the song's name; suggesting that it was Pearl Jam who chose the title in the first place.
    Flag Spoonmanon January 24, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I thought the song was about Kurt Cobain too, but wikipedia said it's about Layne Staley.
    Personally, I haven't heard any singer that sounds even remotely like Layne... Godsmack, to me, doesn't sound like AIC at all. Then again, I've only heard their songs on the radio.
    STP's singer, and that Creed guy, on the other hand, stole Eddie's voice...
    Flag psychic_riveron August 11, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:OK everyone. This song is about layne staley of alice in chains and mad season. eddie wrote this song the day the world found out that layne had died of an OD. layne died on april 5, 2002. Itunes named the song, pearl jam origanaly had it as a hidden track on the second disc of lost dogs.
    Flag casey6492on August 08, 2008   Link

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