Mother said come home
Father said come home
Sisters said come home
So my friends said come home
I said
Let me be, I’m alright
Can’t you see, I’m just fine
Little skinny, okay
I’m asleep anyway
Then I heard a voice
Said “Son you have a choice”
I then slapped my face
Let me be, I’m okay
I’m awake anyway
It’s too bright over there
I can shift, cannot steer
So I drive them away
For a while, then I stay
Little skinny, okay
I’m awake anyway
Now I have to go home
Do as, when in Rome
Let me be, I’m alright
Can’t you see I’m just fine
Little skinny, okay
I’m asleep anyway
Let me be, I’m okay
I’m awake anyway
Exploring the Depths of “Swing On This” by Alice In Chains
“Swing On This” by Alice In Chains captures the struggle between personal autonomy and the pull of familial and social expectations. The repeated calls to “come home” from various figures in the narrator’s life symbolize the persistent pressure to conform or return to a place of perceived safety. However, the narrator’s response—emphasizing self-sufficiency and a desire to be left alone—suggests an ongoing internal battle for independence. The lyrics’ dreamlike quality, with references to sleep and waking, further blur the lines between reality and introspection, reflecting the confusion and resistance that come with such emotional struggles. Ultimately, the song offers a raw look at the desire to find one’s path despite external pressures.
Song Credits
- Artist: Alice In Chains
- Songwriters: Jerry Cantrell, Layne Staley
- Release Year: 1995
- Label: Columbia Records