4/20/02 by Pearl Jam

Album: Lost Dogs (2003)

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This song is about Layne Staley of Alice in Chains. He died of a drug overdose on April 5, 2002, but it wasn't until April 20 (4/20/02) that his remains were found and Eddie Vedder learned of his death. Like Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains came out of the early '90s Seattle music scene. Staley played with Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready in a side project called Mad Season.
Eddie Vedder wrote and recorded the song in the studio while the band was recording their Riot Act album the day he learned of Staley's death. He's the only one to play on it, just his voice and a guitar in a ukulele tuning.
The song wasn't included on the 2002 Riot Act album but appears on the 2003 Lost Dogs compilation, where it's a hidden track. It starts about six minutes after the song "Bee Girl."

Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready offered his thoughts in the book Twenty: "I think the reason it's hidden is because he [Vedder] wouldn't want it to be exploitative. I think he wants it to be hidden so you have to find it and think about it."

Comments: 12

Justin from Neoga, IlThis song starts exactly 4:20:02 after the end of Bee Girl
John from Norwalk, CtStaley certainly did have "the voice." He could hit the highest of the high notes and the lowest of the lows. Most posers try to sound tortured. Cobain and Staley were tortured, and it came through in their lyrics and voices. Chris Cornell, Ed Vedder and Staley came up together in Seattle and were good friends as they used to play concerts together in Seattle and get drunk.

I'd rank the 4 grunge Seattle bands as follows:

1- PJ
2- Nirvana
3- Alice in Chains
distant 4, though pretty good- Soundgarden
Dylan from Port Orange, FlFor anybody here who likes NASCAR, that date was also the date of the biggest crash in NASCAR history. ( modern era )
Amanda from Scranton, PaOk Yes some of you are correct Layne did die on April 5th 2002. His body was found on april 19th 2002. His body was so decomposed that he had to be identified by his dental records.as for the song Eddie wrote it the day HE found out about Laynes death. The song is all about layne
Cameron from Seward,pa, PaLayne Staley and Kurt Cobain are both esitmated to have died on April 5, Staley in 2002 and Cobain in 1994, This Is ESTIMATED though. I think is kind of odd but cool
Will from Schoharie, NyI read this was supposed to be directed at poseurs like Scott Stapp and Scott Weiland, who Eddie thought imitated Lane's vocal style.
Which is weird, because I think they sound a lot more like Eddie than Lane.
AnonymousLayne died of a speedball ; similar in nature to the one's that took Belushi and River Phoenix. Yeah , I'd say he had gotten past pot. Nice of Eddie to come up with the tune...and a good one to boot. Layne's death was a tragic waste. I mean this dude had "the voice". ps - Cobain: 4/5/94 Layne: 4/5/02
Mia from Wellston, Miif he died on april 5th...i think thats when kurt cobain died too...
John from Raleigh, Nc"must people don't OD on pot." No, most people don't OD on pot because it's impossible to overdose on pot.
James from Alden, Nyyeah 4/20 is Pot day, but Layne was so far beyond pot that the significient is pointless.

Must people don't OD on pot, they OD on the harder stuff.
Marlon from Nyc, Ny4/20 is Pot day or something....right?
Chetan from Bangalore, IndiaIt's a really cool song....!! Once i had the Lost Dogs CD cassette running and almost fell asleep. Heard it then...! Where had you hidden this, Ed?

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