River of Deceit

I've been listening to a lot of bands that formed - and disappeared rather quickly - during the grunge era. One such band is Mad Season. 


Mad Season was a side project of Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready; a band he formed after going to rehab and becoming sober. Mike approached Layne Staley of Alice in Chains and asked him to join the band as lead singer and front man. McCready had hoped that being around a sober bunch would inspire Staley to get clean himself... unfortunately, the plan didn't work. 


However, during their time together, Mad Season recorded the album Above. Writing the songs on the album Staley quoted as being a "spiritual journey". That evidence is clear on the song "River of Deceit". I have a certain relationship to this tune, and I thought I would share it in hopes that I could revive some of Staley's most honest and beautiful work. 

River of Deceit - Mad Season - YouTube Video


My pain is self-chosen
At least, so The Prophet says
I could either burn
Or cut off my pride and buy some time
A head full of lies is the weight, tied to my waist

The River of Deceit pulls down, oh oh
The only direction we flow is down
Down, oh down
Down, oh down
Down, oh down
Down, oh down

My pain is self-chosen
At least I believe it to be
I could either drown
Or pull off my skin and swim to the shore
Now I can grow a beautiful shell for all to see

The River of Deceit pulls down, yeah
The only direction we flow is down
Down, oh down
Down, oh down
Down, oh down
Down, oh down

The pain is self-chosen, yeah
Our pain is self-chosen