10 Greatest Hard Rock Songs Of The 1990s
2. Rooster - Alice in Chains
One of the many detractors that comes with the rise of grunge in the '90s was just how mopey it was. Years before people started to complain about the teenagers whining in the days of the emo boom, you also had to worry about the Generation X kids talking about how sad life is and depression to worry about. Each of them may have had good points, but Alice in Chains made sure we knew what pain really felt like on Rooster.
Though the entire Dirt album is indebted more to drug addiction, this song was inspired by Jerry Cantrell's father and his experience living through the terrors of the Vietnam War. Without even looking at the music video, you can practically feel the pain in the performance, with the opening guitars sounding like someone just coming back into consciousness after living through the hellscape of war.
When the guitars finally kick in with the rest of the band, the whole thing feels like a scene ripped straight out of your nightmares, where everyone is closing in on the Rooster with little to no hope for survival. The Rooster might find his way to survive along the way, but given what he's lost to get there, you have to wonder at what cost did you have to pay for your life.