Man in the Box – English Lyrics

• By: Alice In Chains

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the raw emotion and distinctive sound of Alice in Chains with "Man in the Box." This powerful song offers a unique vocal style, featuring Layne Staley's haunting delivery and impressive harmonies, making it an excellent piece to explore the nuances of English rock vocabulary and emotional expression. Its lyrics, layered with metaphors about confinement and societal pressures, provide a rich context for understanding deeper meanings within English songwriting.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
save /seɪv/ A2	verb - to rescue from danger or harm
feed /fiːd/ A2	verb - to give food to someone or something
sew /soʊ/ B2	verb - to join two pieces of fabric with a needle and thread
deny /dɪˈnaɪ/ B1	verb - to declare that something is not true
try /traɪ/ A2	verb - to attempt to do something
wasted /ˈweɪstɪd/ C1	adjective - completely exhausted or destroyed
shut /ʃʌt/ A2	verb - to close something
maker /ˈmeɪkər/ B2	noun - a person or thing that creates or produces something
man /mæn/ A1	noun - an adult male human
dog /dɒg/ A1	noun - a domesticated carnivorous mammal
nose /noʊz/ A2	noun - the part of the face that contains the nostrils and is used for breathing and smelling

Key Grammar Structures

• Won't you come and save me

  ➔ Contruction with 'won't you' for offering or inviting

  ➔ 'Won't you' is a contraction of 'will not you' and is used to make polite offers or invitations.

• Can you sew them shut

  ➔ Use of 'can' for making a request or asking permission

  ➔ 'Can' is a modal verb used to express ability, requests, or permission.

• He who tries will be wasted

  ➔ Use of the relative clause 'He who tries' to specify a person and modal verb 'will' for future tense

  ➔ 'He who tries' is a relative clause describing a person, with 'he' as the subject, and 'will' is a modal verb indicating the future tense.

• Feed my eyes

  ➔ Imperative mood used as a command or plea

  ➔ The phrase 'Feed my eyes' is in the imperative mood, expressing a command or urgent request.

• Deny your maker

  ➔ Use of the verb 'Deny' + noun phrase to express refusal or rejection

  ➔ 'Deny' is a verb that means to refuse to accept or to declare something as false.

• Sewn them shut

  ➔ Use of the past participle 'sewn' in passive voice, combined with 'them shut' for a completed action

  ➔ 'Sewn' is the past participle form of 'sew', used in passive constructions to indicate something has been stitched closed.