What does friend mean to you?
A word so wrongfully abused
Are you like me, confused
All included but you
Alone…
The sounds of silence often soothe
Shapes and colors shift with mood
Pupils widen and change their hue
Rapid brown avoid clear blue
Why’s it have to be this way
Be this way [5x]
Flowers watched through wide brown eyes bloom
A child sings an unclaimed tune
Innocence spins cold cocoon
Grow to see the pain too soon
Why’s it have to be this way
Be this way [5x]
“At 7 am on a Tuesday, usual August …
Next week I’ll be 28…
I’m still young, it’ll be me…
Off the wall I scrape… you…
I can’t wake, I gotta wake…
To cause this wake, I gotta wake no more…
It causes wake, to drown this hate….
To never really stay, never will…..
You take your plate…
Put me through hell, live, live…
Direct your fate…
You say I can do it so well…
Your expiration date… [2x]
Fate, date, expiration date…
(this was the last time)
Hate…
And don’t fuck with me again…
My own clean slate…
Don’t fuck with me again…
Makes your eyes dilate…
Makes you shake…
Irate…”
Exploring the Depths of Alienation and Reflection
“Frogs” by Alice In Chains is a haunting meditation on isolation, fractured relationships, and the burden of introspection. The song opens with a questioning of friendship, hinting at betrayal and exclusion. The use of sensory imagery—shapes, colors, and shifting moods—evokes a surreal, dreamlike atmosphere, mirroring internal confusion. The lyrics move between childlike innocence and the painful awareness that comes with growing up, reinforcing the inevitable loss of naivety. A spoken word section intensifies the emotional weight, touching on themes of mortality, anger, and the desire for a fresh start. The recurring plea—”Why’s it have to be this way”—expresses a universal longing for understanding amidst personal turmoil.
Song Credits
- Artist: Alice In Chains
- Songwriters: Jerry Cantrell, Layne Staley
- Release Year: 1995
- Label: Columbia Records