Alice In Chains: Man in the Box Meaning
Song Released: 1991
Man in the Box Lyrics
Buried in my shit
Won’t you come and save me, save me
Chorus
Feed my eyes, can you sew them shut?
Jesus christ, deny your maker
He who tries, will be wasted
Feed my eyes now you’ve sewn them shut
I’m the dog who...
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In case you haven't figured out the nature of the music, or indeed, the entertainment industry, I recommend you attempt to understand why so many in that field die or appear to go nuts. This song is an unanswered appeal for help. Pete Ham of Badfinger committed suicide and wrote this on his note: "I will not be allowed to love and trust everybody. This is better." It also included an accusatory blast toward Badfinger's business manager, Stan Polley: "P.S. Stan Polley is a soulless bastard. I will take him with me." Check out the website Vigilant Citizen.
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i see it differently i guess. great song. Im the man in the box, this is him in the world, buried in my shit, fighting an up hill battle with sin and worldly things, problems. won't you come and save me, save me? asking Jesus to save him. Feed my eyes, can you sew them shut? i think he is asking Jesus to feed him the light, the Bible references light as holy and darkness as evil. light salvation. notice there are 2 singers i believe when the 2nd singer asks can you sew them shut its a question reference to staying away from the light for good, always being in the darkness by sewing them shut. he says, he who tries (2nd singer)-will be wasted. he is trying, asking Jesus to save him again, with conviction-notice his strong voice in the chorus.the (2nd singer) will be wasted, is satan telling him Jesus won't save him he is wasting his time, not worthy. last one. feed my eyes, notice his voice not quite as intense, trying once more to be saved, now you've sewn them shut, he didn't get saved, remaining in darkness. could also be a reference to the past as if he is looking back on it. im the dog that gets beat, meaning he tries to do good but he is a product of his environment, so to speak, reference to sin, he is the dog as Jesus his master. shove my nose in shit. punishing him for sinning. then its the same over again.
pay attention to his voice intensity throughout the song and listen to the 2 singers as it references 2 people or 1 person 1 being. thanks Just my .02 -
The world medias drama propaganda and the churchs "churchiness" offer no lasting relief from the pain of abuse. Just more rules and overconsumption. Insisting upon the blind sheep to reject messianic revelation for continual hope for a new jesus according to "their" plan.
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to be honest I didn't read every one of the things written here, but I always took it to be sorta about censorship, AND in a sarcastic way attacking religion..
but then again I am an atheist so I don't get religion, and think of all the people that are religious as the "man in the box" -
I met a guy who was the guitar tech for the Seattle band Grunttruck who also got a record deal at the same time as all the grunge bands. He told me story of a guy who won the state lottery and got a hotel room and bought insane amounts of drugs,and for a year did nothing but party. He was the man in the box, Lane Staley bought drugs off of this dude,with the way he died it makes sense.
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Analyze the lyrics and then watch the official video... this song is about veal? hardly... that is the politically correct message of someone with an agenda. This song is screaming of a man's person struggles with his own personal demons (...something he wants to be saved from personally) The video shows an ominous figure walking around in "grim reaper" robes.. This is classic good vs. evil as is evidenced in the chorus with a call and response between the lead singer and the back-up vocals... his cry for help and his personal demons telling him he has no hope. Veal, yeah right... the man in the box is trapped and looking for a way out. He feels frustrated and like a victim in the second verse referencing himself to a dog being beaten... while calling for help, his personal demons tell him he has no hope (Jesus Christ....deny your maker...) and even if he tries he will return to his vices trapping him right back in the box... watch the official video... this is a metaphoric scream for help in the midst of hopelessness, covered with some ridiculous story of veal to cover something darker and deeper while also making a political statement that would make for cause celeb... this is 101...
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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No one shoves their beliefs down everyone's throats more than anti Christians. Most politicians, Hollywood, the liberal media, most college professors, most music etc all hate Christianity and force those beliefs down Christians throats. As far as Christians saying believe What we believe or go to hell? Newsflash, we didn't come up with that, Jesus did. Jesus said himself he is he way the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through him. We didn't write that and we didn't say that, We just believe it. If you don't, you don't have a problem with us you have a problem with Christ. Either way it doesn't change the truth. Jesus is Lord. You can acknowledge it now or you will acknowledge it agaisnt your will when you die.
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Song to me means that maybe he was abused and tortured as a kid so he prays to god for help. Or it may mean he wants to be free from all his sins in life.
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Before I say this...I want everyone to know this is only my opinion....but I think that Jesus is feeding him information so as it is said by someone else on here but I also think that he is thinking or at least the ''information'' that is given from Jesus christ is to say he is denying his maker, God or Jehovah or whoever and he is tryin to tell the listener not to follow these lies because he will be wasted and well....this may sound insane but there it is...belive it or not but oh well...
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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I agree that the chorus is a struggle between Christ and Satan (an excellent use of creative lyrical work!) and that the singer is basically desperate for any kind of salvation, and is grasping for anything he can get. As for you, Shikkie, I believe you've sewn your eyes shut
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I have a VERY literal interpretation...Does anyone remember the man who was kidnapped, held captive for ransom, while being chained inside a wooden box? He was in this box while in a storage warehouse. I saw this on a Investigative Reports awhile back. He was not released in time and died in the box. He was not allowed to even get out to defecate.
I do however understand the other interpretations, just a thought. -
First, I'd like to respond to Shikkie. You obviously don't know anything about "Christianity" simply by the comments that you made. You are simply choosing to believe the lies that someone else has told you to believe without checking it out for yourself. This is rather obvious to anyone that does understand what Christianity really is, (not religion).
Secondly, Man in the Box is exactly what it says. It talks of a man that is frustrated with his own life, tries religion, and fails therefore frustrating him even more, so he blames God. He never takes the time to get to know Jesus Christ as his Savior, so he wants to blame Jesus rather that the one who is really at fault.....HIMSELF. Who is the one that committed the sin? Who is the one that has to pay for the sin? God's Word says in Romans 6:23, "For the wages (payment) of sin is death (separation, NOT annihilation), but the gift of God is eternal life (being freed from the "box") through Jesus Christ our Lord. So, one can either "TRY" religion, stay "stuck in the box", or accept the Gift of God which is Jesus Christ. I, for one, choose to "Live outside the Box".
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