ALICE IN CHAINS - ROOSTER | REACTION

[@teensymom1420]

This is about Jerry Cantrell's father whose code name was Rooster when he was in Vietnam. Snuff meant they tried their best to kill his . Gloria was Jerry's mom's name and they are talking about Jerry when it says "Gloria sent me pictures of by boy". Jerry said that he and his dad didn't always see eye to eye and that even when he asked his dad about the war he would never want to talk about it. His dad did see them do this song live and was in tears to know that his son had understood what he went through.

[@drcornelius8275]

I doubt it was any "code name" and was instead a nickname his fellow soldiers gave the hick from farm country.

[@leighsaldivar4439]

That’s a beautiful story. I’m glad his dad got to see it.

[@crazydale1000]

I was a door gunner on choppers in Vietnam. This song always resonates with me.

[@757optim]

Crew Chief here. Clear left. Welcome home.

[@mistymichelle9957]

Thank you both so much for your service. I'm the proud daughter of a retired Huey pilot. 💙 from Texas.

[@zach6808]

Thank you for your service my friend

[@zach6808]

@@757optim appreciate your service 🙏

[@757optim]

@@mistymichelle9957 Hueys forever. 170th AHC. Welcome home to your Dad.

[@mariannematus6703]

Love Alice In Chains. His dad's nickname was Rooster and he made it back home from the war. So many good one by them. "Man In a Box", "Would?" "Them Bones"

[@davidstenton4365]

*Chod and Dee* { *THIS ONE IS DEEPLY PERSONAL FOR ME* } I lost my brother in Vietnam, Late November of 65, right at the beginning of the "Rolling Thunder" campaign. Very early on in terms of forward military involvement as opposed to just advisors, etc. Although he was 17 years older than me it effected myself and other brother *PROFOUNDLY* ! Not just his loss but how my mother changed in the way she raised us and much more. I'm writing this before as I've heard this countless times and it's incredibly powerful and moving. Others here will explain but it's in essence the guitarist Jerry Cantrell's song. . ...... R.I.P. Layne Staley the amazing singer.! You all take care..... *David* .....

[@ididthisonpulpous6526]

I feel awful for you man. Three of my uncles served in 'Nam and it affected them all. I think time has pushed some of the trauma of that war into memory, but it is hard to understate what how much affected multiple generations. For many of the survivors of the war the stuff the injuries you couldn't see tore them apart. Two of my uncles that served are gone now and the one that is left spent almost 30 years tumbling after the war. I hope that you only have the good memories of your brother now.

[@davidstenton4365]

@@ididthisonpulpous6526 Thank You brother.!

[@clarkordmandy5719]

Sorry for your loss and God bless your brother and family for the sacrifice he made 🙏 ❤

[@davidstenton4365]

@@clarkordmandy5719 Thank you brother for your thoughtful words.

[@mistymichelle9957]

I love that Alice In Chains can convey every aspect of the story. In Rooster the instruments are so swampy, I can almost picture the atmosphere of Vietnam. Add Layne & Jerry's masterful harmonies & the pain and anguish Jerry's dad must have felt becomes visceral. Thank you for reacting to this. Maybe Dee should hear "Would?" or "Them Bones" next. 💙 from Texas.

[@garylagstrom3864]

My dad was a Vietnam Vet and Army Green was indeed no safe bet! RIP DAD ❤

[@tamibrandt]

Guitarist Jerry Cantrell wrote ROOSTER about his father's experiences in Vietnam and when Jerry saw his dad in the audience at one of their shows when AIC opened for Iggy Pop, and Jerry asked Layne (and the guys) to play ROOSTER and they did. It was the first time Jerry's dad heard Jerry's music and knew that his son understood him through that song. It brought Jerry and his dad closer together. And Layne had a vital part in that reunion. (Meanwhile Layne's own biological father was an opportunist). Jerry's dad was nicknamed Rooster when he was a kid and his hairstyle resembled that of a rooster comb. Although, maybe he used rooster as a call sign during his military career. But he didn't earn the nickname in the military, he had the nickname back when he was a kid. Jerry Cantrell, Sr had multiple tours in Vietnam and like most Vietnam vets, he didn't talk about it. The most he ever said about it was at the beginning of the official video for ROOSTER which he agreed to be a part of after hearing the song. Like all kids who hate their parents, Jerry Cantrell was no different. He was staying in a small guest room in Chris Cornell's house (Cornell was married to AIC manager Susan Silver) and the guest room had a tiny window. He was staying there and thought about what his dad may have experienced and wrote the lyrics. They demoed ROOSTER and WOULD? when they spent two days working on the acoustic songs for the SAP EP. The songs on SAP and those two songs were demoed using the money Cameron Crowe gave them for recording WOULD? for the SINGLES movie. Layne sang the hell out of WOULD? and ROOSTER. The harmony in the beginning and end on the album is Ann Wilson of Heart, but Layne does the harmonies on the official video and live versions perfectly. The Unplugged show in 1996 is so heartbreaking to watch because he was deep in his heroin addiction (and yes, I know he was doing other drugs on top of Heroin). His liver was damaged from the years of drug use. He was just high enough to do the show so he didn't get dope sick and chase away withdrawal symptoms. He was such a ghost of himself during Unplugged. (Of course, Jerry had food poisoning) All Jerry saw when he looked over at Layne was his best friend was going to die soon due to the path Layne had taken with his life. That show was filmed in April, 1996, premiered in May 1996. They did four shows with KISS in June-July 1996, after which Layne survived an overdose and became a recluse. After that, it was a six-year-long slow suicide. With Unplugged... Sean Kinney (drummer) and Mike Inez (bass player) argued with Jerry about whether Layne could even pull off the high notes in some of the songs in his condition, which is why Jerry gave them that “I told you so” smirk after Layne hit that long, high note in DOWN IN A HOLE. He did the same thing again when Layne hit a high note in ROOSTER. Layne was one of the few singers who was always better live than studio version. The fact that Sean and Mike didn’t have any confidence that Layne could do the show and Jerry being the only one that knew deep in his heart that Layne could do it because Layne had done so many things against the odds over the years no matter how high he was at the time. When Jerry needed him to be there where it counted, Layne always pulled through. Knowing how he sang ROOSTER in Tilburg, The Netherlands, in 1993 when his “yeahs” and screams were so loud and high I’m surprised the rafters didn’t come crashing down around him and then watch him sing the same song so low-key on Unplugged knowing he could do to the song what he did in Tilburg is heartbreaking. Knowing he initially sang the hell out of WOULD? on the official video and album and seeing the end of WOULD? on Unplugged . . . and knowing how deep into his addiction he had gotten by that point is heartbreaking. The entire show was a success because Layne DID have a powerful performance despite his condition. He proved to his cynical bandmates that he could still sing the high notes and he pulled it all off beautifully while the same four guys (Metallica) who had mocked him for his addiction sidelining Alice In Chains from ever doing extended tours back in 1994 sat in the front row. The mistakes he made screwing up SLUDGE FACTORY (and I think he screwed up GOT ME WRONG once or twice, but Toby Wright didn’t keep that in editing) were endearing, at least to me. They didn’t take away from the performance, it added something to the performance that, had it been removed after everyone had seen it, wouldn’t have made the show what it was. That line "they spit on me in my homeland." TV News anchor Walter Kronkite basically told the American public that we lost the war and between that and the college kids (who went to college to escape being drafted into the military) would protest the soldiers coming home. They would do protest rallies at the airports and protest the returning soldiers by spitting at them, throwing urine and other stuff on them. An uncle of mine drove a supply truck in Vietnam (to this day he won't talk about his experience). A family friend of ours said that he and his buddies came home, saw the protesters at the airport, and re-enlisted because it was safer in Vietnam than in the US with the protesters. At least in Vietnam, they knew who the enemy was. I'm NOT saying Vietnam was anything the US should have ever been in. I'm just relating stories of people I know who served there. Layne's story is more tragic and haunting because you can actually watch and hear him deteriorate over the 12-year span: from the mild use of drugs in 1990 all the way through 1996 when he was deep into a heroin addiction to dropping to 90 pounds by 1998 to 86 pounds when he died in 2002. Layne kept his humor and wit even to the end of his life. Layne was so much more than his drug addiction. He stacked his own vocals with melodies and harmonies underneath. He was able to come up with lyrics and harmonies off the top of his head. He knew that Jerry Cantrell was playing with the wrong people and gave him contact info for Sean Kinney and found out Sean Kinney was dating original bass player Mike Starr's sister. He wrote the lyrics for the original songs he sang on Mad Season's Above album and drew the cover art for that album. Layne was a genius in his own right. He was able to figure things out in a snap off the top of his head. Layne just had his demons. At the age of 34, he looked more like an 80 year old man. He knew he screwed up, between the drugs and his own depression and then his former fiancee dying, Layne just couldn't find a way to dig himself out of his own mess and at the end with his teeth problems and organs failing on him, he gave up trying. He lost sight of who his true friends were and who was using him. He was never going to give up the drugs. Instead, he tried to attain the same high he felt the first time he did drugs and could never achieve it. Layne encouraged Jerry to sing more, after all, they were Jerry's lyrics he should sing them. Vice-versa, Jerry encouraged Layne to play the guitar which is how you get Layne playing guitar on HATE TO FEEL and ANGRY CHAIR as well as I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING on the Mad Season above album. Jerry encouraged him on the guitar and was proud that Layne grew as a guitarist. Though, Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine taught Layne more chords than ANGRY CHAIR and HATE TO FEEL. The friendship between Jerry and Layne was unbreakable. Jerry NEVER once thought of replacing Layne as the singer while Layne was still alive. He always wanted Layne to sing whenever he had AIC do something. If there were ever cosmic soulmates ... Layne and Jerry would be it. (And by that I mean, they were Sympatico with each other. The way they sang together was a perfect pitch where two voices make one. What you hear and see between Jerry and Layne was a genuine friendship. They looked after each other. When one had problems with a song, the other picked up the slack. They were a team. Jerry was doing a solo concert in Charlotte, NC when he heard that Layne was found two weeks after he died and Jerry was trying to get through the concert and crying. He did shows between the time he found out about Layne until Layne's funeral because if he had taken a break then, he didn't think he'd want to continue anything later after the mourning period. Layne had done so much for Jerry, giving him a place to live, money, clothes, food, guitars and gear, a band. But getting a front-row seat to watch what had happened to Layne over the years, Jerry had to watch his best friend deteriorate in a span of 12 years (1990-2002), and Jerry couldn't do anything about it. Jerry had talked himself blue in the face but Layne didn't want help. Alice In Chains was a band, but they were also a family. They had internal issues just like any family. When Layne died, it was like losing a loved one, a family member, you don't think of the fights you had with the person who died. You defend their memory. There is a reason Jerry wrote NO EXCUSES about Layne and the line "You, my friend, I will defend / And if we change, well, I'll love you anyway." "My grandmother and mother were such huge losses, but I got Layne, the guys, and I got this.” - Jerry Cantrell, Kerrang! (December 1, 2018) “Jerry really loved Layne [Staley]. They had a bond I haven't seen before,” Jerry’s former manager Bill Siddons, April 19, 2002 (the day Layne was found two weeks after he died).

[@robbob5302]

Difference between Layne and Jerry was, Jerry had a decent father.

[@Nordic1972]

My Dad did two tours in Vietnam, and volunteered for both of them. He loved his country. When he came home he was never the same. And he told me about people spitting on him when he was in his uniform in the states here. Nice welcome home. Va ended up taking so much from him. Because he became an alcoholic and got into a lot of trouble. Made him feel like he didn't mean a thing.

[@johncampbell756]

The Rooster was Jerry's dad, who fought in Vietnam. He never talked about the war. He wrote this from what he thought would be his father's perspective. It made his father cry. It's a very straightforward story of a soldier in Vietnam who is lucky enough to survive. Though he added the part where dome soldiers were spit on when they returned.

[@nickface55]

I am also a combat vet but my fighting came later. I joined the army in 1975 and do you know how we knew if someone was lying? They talked about the war. The old soldiers who actually saw fierce action never talked about it. I had an old sergeant who couldn't sleep when we trained, he was quiet and unassuming, when he put on his class A's his medals told the story, 2 purple hearts, a silver star and so on. So how do I know that Jerry was telling the truth, his dad never talked about it.

[@johncampbell756]

@@nickface55 Because there was plenty of documentation about the war. Good and bad. Plus, his father's reaction to the song.

[@Reddog7937]

The Rooster was a nickname Jerry Cantrell’s dad had when he was younger. Given to him by Jerry Grandfather. The name stuck and he was call the Rooster. He went to war in Vietnam. Hence “ they come to snuff the Rooster.” Great tribute song to his dad . Jerry and his mom left a while after his Dad came home. He wasn’t the same and Jerry wrote the song while staying with Chris Cornell. Jerry said he thought about his dad a lot and why he returned that way, since he never talked about the war. He wrote the song and years later when it became a hit Jerry asked his dad ( who was proud of his son for understanding) did I get it right? His dad said it’s dead on.

[@elkuchito]

Everytime you listen to this song, lay down and close your eyes.

[@wayneguess7946]

Rooster, was his dads nickname! To snuff, is to kill!

[@luissalinas6938]

Jerry Cantrell's dad nickname was Rooster 🐓 ; (thank you for your service , Rooster) love this song.

[@kenrock8692]

This is about Jerry Cantrell's father whose code name was Rooster when he was in Vietnam

[@donstuard2546]

The rooster refers to the emblem of the 101st Airborne Division of the US Army. Their nickname is The Screaming Eagles because their arm patch is a bald eagle. In Vietnam, they were cslled rooster. Jeryy Cantrell's relative was in the 101st. They were greatly respected in that war. So, hence the title of the song. Probably my favorite by them.

[@robbob5302]

Rooster was also a popular brand of snuff used by soldiers in Vietnam.

[@bradgordon3760]

Wrong. This is about Jerry's dad who's nickname growing up was Rooster.

[@atomicpunk520]

@@bradgordon3760 No he is right the 101st Airborne patch looked like a rooster to the VC . Fact

[@jameskuehn19]

One of the greatest rock groups of all time. The vocals and talent of the musicians is unsurpassed. Like Led Zeppelin and the Beatles they will never be replaced.

[@jollyrodgers7272]

AIC did a good music video for this - it's about survival in Vietnam as an Infantryman. First person perspective and referred to as 'Rooster'. Snuff, or snuff out = to kill.

[@neilmartin99]

Should be watched with the official video.

[@daviddow8150]

Jerry Cantrell brings his dad( the Rooster) out on stage at local shows. His dad lives about 30 miles from me.

[@GrimrDirge]

Love Hate Love (live at the Moore) is next, right?

[@Phillphine]

It's more or less stories the guitarist's father told him. His father was in vietnam and his nickname was rooster.

[@Rogueorl]

My second favorite AIC song with its hard hitting guitars and amazing vocals! Thank you for reacting to it.

[@randallcox6573]

I was there as a Marine Sniper. Sometimes I still am.

[@RichardMickle-n6i]

I feel sorry for anyone who loves music and hasn't heard this gorgeous song yet😊

[@philmullineaux5405]

The Rooster, is Jerry's dad. About the Cong trying to kill his dad. The official video has him in it, talking about Vietnam.

[@leighsaldivar4439]

I love this song. Epic

[@lonfowler9843]

His Dad was 101st Airborne. The patch on their uniform is of a Bald Eagle- which Vietnam had none of. So the Vietnamese named them after the only birds they had-chickens. Hence Rooster, Chicken Man, etc.

[@benjaminjohnson8010]

Fyi the rooster was his father's nick name in Vietnam this song was his dads story of what he and his buddies went through in Vietnam and how he escaped death to make it back home.

[@beverlyvereb1662]

Watch the official video that goes with this song.

[@cluneyc]

"Is it a morning song" hahahaha

[@mikennem9077]

My dad Was in Vietnam and he told me that the folks over there saW the eagle on the uniforms of soldiers and not knoWing about the eagle they began calling it a rooster so it Was a common name (maybe a slight dig also) for an American soldier over there.

[@leighsaldivar4439]

This song was about his dad in Vietnam. Or grandpa. Sorry don’t remember which one. They called him the rooster.

[@serfillustrated4018]

Junkhead is my favorite song on this album. Alot of music has glorified drugs and ive always thought they were cliché/corny. Junkhead is a REAL song about drugs.

[@ryanwoolsey6972]

You should show her ‘Love Hate Love’ live at the Moore & Pretty much the entire ‘MTV Unplugged’ album. If y’all don’t have time for that, may I suggest: ‘Nutshell’- ‘Down in a Hole’- ‘Sludge Factory’- ‘Got me Wrong’- ‘Over Now’- All off the Unplugged album, to get her started into their catalog. Their live stuff is better than the studio version 95% of the time…:) I’ll be here for it all bro

[@robertherring9277]

Had grandfathers in WW2 and a dad that was in Nam. GenX has had an interesting perspective.

[@HBFTimmahh]

Snuff the Rooster. Rooster was the Guitarists Dads Nickname. Who was a Sniper in Nam. Thus Snuff the Rooster was saying the North Vietcong come to kill him. This was a deep song when it came out. And it still is.

[@teensymom1420]

Definitely my favorite AIC song.

[@bethkelly5480]

Watch the video Chod and Dee. It’s so very intense. Jerry’s Dad was in it present age when it was filmed

[@TheStefan6969]

🤘🤘 Such a meaningful song important to Jerry in particular but yes definitely love it!!! 😉❤✌

[@arnoldcox9128]

Such a great song

[@leighsaldivar4439]

You need to react to the video. It really tells the story.

[@jennhen2675]

I was thinking the same thing.

[@barbmurray8557]

It needs no reaction. Says it all

[@leighsaldivar4439]

@@barbmurray8557 huh? The video is very good.

[@tammywhatever8602]

Please check out Rain When I Die, Angry Chair & Down In A Hole!! Basically, anything off of the DIRT album... 😁

[@pitchfork78ify]

I was a sophmore in high school when this came out. Looking back on alot of the songs from the grunge era, I realized I never really paid attention to the lyrics from them. The older I got, I started looking into the back stories to alot of these songs and they are some really dark deep subjects. The Pearl Jam "Jeremy" song you two reacted to is definitely one of them. A lot of smart lyrics. I believe this song was about a conversation the lead singer was having with a Vietnam veteran about his experiences in that war. I would recommend some more reactions to the band "Rush" :-)

[@helenespaulding7562]

Jerry Cantrell’s father

[@anthonyguadagnino2681]

Gotta see the official video

[@srt8rocketship241]

Love Hate Love live is so damn good. Gotta check that out folks.

[@philmullineaux5405]

U should have done the official video, because his pop is in it.

[@christopherglock7239]

The actual video shows the vet in naum.

[@clintonlujan1452]

Grove to the roostet

[@kathyembley455]

This reaction from you touched a nerve. I’m so sorry for you friend, I just block it out. I think it’s called PTSD. It will catch up with you, even the next generation feels the pain.

[@billieyoung497]

guys....do same band......love hate love live....trust me on this one please,you will love that song to pieces..trust me.

[@jenniferandrews1917]

Snuff the Rooster means kill the man nicknamed Rooster.

[@flyoverme7412]

Vietnam was hell... All wars are hell... All Wars Are Banksters WARS!

[@utubernow1]

Alice in Chains - "Over Now" please, thanks.

[@ThumperKJFK]

RIP Layne your voice and lyrics cut deep to the meaning of this song. Chad and Dee try and pull up the MTV Live Unplugged with ALICE IN CHAINS. and take a box of kleenex. "DOWN IN A HOLE" kzbin.info/www/bejne/pIiuYZ6nn7WGjKs

[@PontiacSunfires]

God she’s unbelievably beautiful im at a loss for words fuck

[@philmullineaux5405]

I say Layne Staley and Cornell, the two best voices in all of music, the last 40 years, and they both died way too soon.

[@bangmon1000]

😊👍

[@2199SPUDMAN]

How could you look up all that other stuff and not look up the fact that this about Jerry Cantrell's father? :-)

[@jonthomson8392]

👍👍👍👍

[@jebaker6942]

You should watch the video ,it shows what the lyrics mean. Deep

[@dilandilanjoao4310]

Hi there. Nothing related to this vídeo. If you are a bass player/lover you have to listen to JACO PASTORIUS. He's from jazz world , ... PLEASE check it out. You probably heard the name " WEATHER REPORT " .there's some epic solos & also with Johny Mitchell live . it's a BIG jazz/fusion name., specialy on the 70s. Don't need to react. You deserve to listen this. Eddie Van Halen would play bass like him. ☯️✌ take care

[@russburton8517]

I still want you to do Gov't Mule.

[@toreloaded2711]

Do all the unplugged songs please.

[@Brandi6666]

Not chris cornell singing. But yeh chris had a beautiful voice

[@kidpoker007]

Should have watched the official video

[@Straydogger]

Chris Cornell isn't the singer. Layne Staley was the singer.

[@lyricglass2411]

If ya don’t know it’s Vietnam.

[@barbmurray8557]

Jerry Cantrell cut you in a great song 🎵

[@cmccracken5976]

Jerry moved in with Layne Staley

[@ThEmB0nEz]

Alice in Chains - Would?

[@Gothmog8ap]

Mourning not morning

[@dancewalkertarot]

:D

[@Vexelpops1]

why mute the mics? you afraid of going over the music? but this is a reaction video and that is the point. I mean if someone wants to hear the song uninterrupted it's there on youtube

[@ryanpoloski4322]

Jerry moved in with layne

[@dougthePogingguitarist]

can you do a reaction to Seven Lonley Streets by Atomic Rooster

[@philmullineaux5405]

The official video is much better.

[@johnsmathers190]

Jerry's dad was called rooster when he was a kid, because he had a cow lick & his hair stuck up, & his hair was red.

[@nonidiot8704]

How about some Dylan for her? Maybe Jokerman as you have not done that great song yet .kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z4m2p6Z8nNuKqJI

[@Gothmog8ap]

And no Chris Cornell is not the voice. Layne Staley is the voice....

[@kidpoker007]

Why wouldn't u watch the video that tells the story

[@peterwalsh2470]

does anyone not like Alice in Chains?