"Spiderbite" is a song by Jerry Cantrell, which was released in 2002. The song is about a person who becomes addicted to the poison of a spider, which is used as a metaphor for drug addiction. The lyrics describe the experience of being bitten by a spider and feeling the slow poison working inside, causing the person to feel cocooned and trapped. The "Caine spider" represents the drug, which gives the person temporary relief from pain and problems, but ultimately leads to their downfall. The protagonist of the song is described as being young and reckless, picking up the spider in Houston and taking it back to their car. The spider's venom becomes a constant presence in the person's life, like a monkey on their back. The lyrics also touch on the theme of family relationships, with the protagonist feeling like a child who is trying to pay their father back for something. The song ends with the image of the spider slowly digesting its victim, a metaphor for how addiction can consume a person's life. Overall, "Spiderbite" is a cautionary tale about the dangers of addiction and the destructive power of drugs. It portrays addiction as a slow and insidious process, which can take hold of a person's life and slowly destroy them from the inside out.
