Turning in circles, slowing down
Pulling against a closing out
Easy to feed off a weaker thing
Harder to say what I really mean
Hollow as a mountain
All tunneled and drilled below
Hollow as a mountain
Crowned with a cold, blue sky
All of your colours turn to grey
Don’t even matter anyway
Bleeding impressions where you were tied
Can’t really say how you lost your mind
Hollow as a mountain
All tunneled and drilled below
Hollow as a mountain
Crowned with a cold
Hollow as a mountain
All tunneled and drilled below
Hollow as a mountain
Crowned with a cold, blue sky
Silence
So loud
Silence
I can’t tell my up from down
Silence
So loud
Silence
I can’t tell my up from down
All of the faces life can show
Withered and ugly the one you know
Hollow as a mountain
All tunneled and drilled below
Hollow as a mountain
Crowned with a cold, blue sky
Silence
So loud
Silence
I can’t tell my up from down
Silence
So loud
Silence
I can’t tell my up from down
Exploring Emptiness: The Depth of “Hollow”
“Hollow” by Alice In Chains is a haunting reflection on inner emptiness and alienation. The lyrics paint a picture of a soul carved out, echoing the image of a hollowed mountain “all tunneled and drilled below.” The recurring reference to silence—”so loud”—intensifies the sense of isolation, suggesting that sometimes, absence is more overwhelming than presence. The song’s imagery of colors fading and impressions bleeding away evokes a loss of self or mental clarity, resonating with anyone who has grappled with numbness or detachment. Ultimately, “Hollow” captures the struggle to understand one’s feelings amid a world that feels cold and indifferent.
Song Credits
Artist: Alice In Chains
Songwriters: Jerry Cantrell, William DuVall
Release Year: 2013
Label: Capitol Records