I Stay Away (4:14)

Jerry Cantrell:

“That was the first time we’d written with Mike Inez, which makes this another special song. The whole Jar of Flies EP proved to both us and the fans what a talented and valid part of the band Mike was. He plays the nastiest, darkest shit but he’s got the sweetest heart in the world.”

The track is notably softer than Alice in Chains’s previous recordings on both Facelift and Dirt; however, despite the bright opening guitar riff and verse, the song’s pre-chorus suddenly detours into dark, sludgy electric guitar and a haunting vocal harmony. The chorus then reintroduces the upbeat tones with powerfully long-drawn vocals and anxious violins. A hard rock electric guitar solo then plays amidst the bright acoustic section.

“I Stay Away” also uses a great deal of instrumentation that Alice in Chains had previously not attempted, including horns and string instruments. It also effectively demonstrates the harmony between vocalist Layne Staley and guitarist Jerry Cantrell.