The song was written by guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell to his girlfriend of seven years, Courtney Clarke. Cantrell also sings lead vocals in the song. In the liner notes of Alice in Chains' 1999 box set 'Music Bank', Cantrell wrote: "Another attempt to reconcile the fact that my life and paths are tearing me apart from the person I love. All the songs I write about her are a way for me to maybe speak to her, express things I could never express."
Ranked #68 on MTV's "Top 100 Videos of 1996".
Jerry Cantrell sings lead vocals in "Heaven Beside You". Before the music video was released, fans believed it was Layne Staley singing the song. The video fixed that mistake.