Just Like Heroin (A Little Down)

Template:Song "Just Like Heroin (A Little Down)" is the sixth track on Grey Daze's 1997 sophomore album ...No Sun Today.

Background

The band had their first pre-production sessions for their second studio album in February 1996 with David Knauer. There, they recorded a version of "Just Like Heroin (A Little Down)". The album, however, was shelved due to lack of funds to finish the studio time.

The song was once again recorded live in the studio by David Knauer and Mike Jones during their pre-production session for ...No Sun Today in December. That same month, Knauer was in a bad car accident so he had to move way from the project. The album version was produced by Jones.^[1]

Amends Version (2020)

Grey Daze included "Just Like Heroin (A Little Down)" on their 2020 album Amends, with re-recorded instrumentals and using older takes of Chester's vocals. The song was titled "Just Like Heroin" on the release. The song features guests Jamie Muhoberac, Chris Traynor of Bush, and Esjay Jones. Esjay is uncredited as a guest. It was produced by Chris Traynor, Esjay Jones, and Lucas D'Angelo.

In the Amends track-by-track with Apple Music, Sean said, "Back in the '90s, we were losing guys like Kurt Cobain and Shannon Hoon and Brad [Nowell] from Sublime. It all seemed to be from heroin, and it was bumming us out. One of the lyrics in that song that'll help you kind of understand where we were coming from is 'Just excuses.' It seemed like these guys were just using excuse after excuse to keep using heroin. We kept losing our idols because of that, and it sucked. Chris Traynor plays on this one as well, and it's one of my favourite tracks on the record."^[2]

Versions

Note: Only the date of the very first release of each version is listed.

Title	Album	Length	Recorded	Released	Notes
Just Like Heroin (A Little Down)	...No Sun Today	3:24	1996-1997	May 23, 1997
Just Like Heroin (A Little Down)	...No Sun Today	3:28	2002		Re-mixed by Sean Dowdell. Mislabeled "Just Like Herion". Released on LPAssociation for free download in M4A format on July 2, 2007.
Heroin	Album Pre-Production Live Session		February 18, 1996		Unreleased. Recorded live at David Knauer's studio.
Just Like Heroin	"No Sun Today" Pre-Production Live Session		December 03, 1996		Unreleased. Recorded live at the Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences.
Just Like Heroin	Amends	3:25	2017-2020	June 26, 2020	Featuring Jamie Muhoberac, Chris Traynor of Bush, and Esjay Jones. Esjay is uncredited as a guest. Produced by Chris Traynor of Bush, Esjay Jones, and Lucas D'Angelo.

Live

"Just Like Heroin (A Little Down)" was played live throughout 1996 and 1997.

Personnel

Grey Daze

Guitar: Bobby Benish
Vocals: Chester Bennington
Bass: Mace Beyers
Drums / Backing vocals: Sean Dowdell

Production

This record was recorded and mixed at the Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences, Tempe, AZ (602) 858-9400
Produced by Michael Jones and Grey Daze
Engineered by Michael Jones and Ghery Fimbres
Assisted by Kelly "????" Gabler
Mastered by Andrew Garver at A&M Mastering Studios, Hollywood, CA

Lyrics

Album Version

Just like heroin

It can't be me, bring us to our passage
Show me my new skin, so I can see what I've let in

Standing here, my thoughts
Low and sound hard to understand
No one can ever bring everyone to see

It's my time to fade, dying on the floor
See myself as I am, excuses are just excuses

Just like heroin
Just like heroin, yeah
Just like heroin
Just like heroin

It's my time to fade, dying on the floor
See myself as I am, excuses are just excuses