Meaning of "Brush Away" by Alice In Chains

"Brush Away" delves into themes of conformity, societal pressure, and the struggle for individuality. The narrator feels overwhelmed by the aggression and demands of others, expressing a longing for escape. Their frustration is evident in lines like "My aggression is where you stake your claim" and "My conception, a joke? Or latest craze?" These lines suggest feelings of being controlled and objectified, as if their identity and emotions have become commodities for others to manipulate.

The narrator questions the validity and worth of societal standards, wondering if their own beliefs and individuality are seen as a joke or simply another passing trend. This reflects a broader critique of conformity and the pressure to conform in society. The constant need for external validation is also highlighted through the lines "My intention, can I arrive at eight, lie and dream some, surprise you guys I'm late." Here, the narrator is caught in a cycle of trying to meet societal expectations, even resorting to deceit, just to please others. It exposes the emptiness and futility of conforming to societal norms.

Despite the desire to break free, the narrator finds themselves unable to fully escape. In the lines "I try to get away, and yet I stick around, so fall and crawl away, and brush away loose ground," there is a sense of being trapped or entangled in the expectations and demands of others. The act of brushing away loose ground symbolizes a determined effort to shed the burdens and expectations placed upon them, but it is also a struggle. The loose ground represents the weight of societal pressures that the narrator wants to release themselves from.

Overall, "Brush Away" speaks to the internal conflict between conforming to societal standards and the desire for individuality and freedom. It highlights the suffocating nature of external pressures and the struggle to maintain a sense of self in the face of conformity.