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Rating:
For all those nostalgic for the early '90s, like me, I dust off this jewel of rare beauty that served to prove that Soundgarden was not just a bastard cross between Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath.
Here the Seattle band adds new and exciting melodic openings to their typically shadowy early atmospheres, with Cornell's voice increasingly affirming itself as an additional instrument, yes, because it really is an instrument in this case: an instrument that holds up excellently against the mighty rhythmic base created by the other three.
Superunknown does not represent the swan song of grunge as it no longer belongs to that scene, but extends to new and unexplored (so to speak) horizons: and here I mention the excellent Black Hole Sun and Fell On Black Days, iconic and non-iconic songs of the album.
But perhaps Cornell's band never belonged to the grunge planet, or at least not entirely.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 Let Me Drown (03:51)
Stretch the bones over my skin
Stretch the skin over my head
I'm going to the holy land
Stretch the marks over my eyes
Burn the candles deep inside
Yeah you know where I'm coming from
Give up to greed, you don't have to feed me
Give up to fate, you don't have to need me
So let it go, let it go, let it go, won't you let it
Drown me in you, drown me in you, drown me in you
Slip down the darkness to the mouth
Damn the water burn the wine
I'm going home for the very last time
So throw it away, you don't have to take me
Make no mistakes I'm what you make me
So let it go, let it go, let it go, won't you let it
Drown me in you, drown me in you, drown me in you
I see you turn around and burning down
The feeling starts to sink
I feel the hurt surround me
Please dissolve me
She's resolved to be
Heal my wounds without a trace
Seal my tomb without my face
I'm going to the lonely place
Give up to greed, you don't have to feed me
Give up to fate, you don't have to need me
So let it go, let it go, let it go, won't you let it
Drown me in you, drown me in you, drown me in you
02 My Wave (05:12)
Take, if you want a slice
If you want a piece
If it feels alright
Break, if you like the sound
If it gets you up
If it brings you down
Share, if it makes you sleep
If it sets you free
If it helps you breathe
Don't come over here
And piss on my gate
Save it just keep it
Off my wave
Cry, if you want to cry
If it helps you see
If it clears your eyes
Hate, if you want to hate
If it keeps you safe
If it makes you brave
Pray, if you want to pray
If you like to kneel
If you like to lay
Don't come over here
And piss on my gate
Save it just keep it
Off my wave
Keep it off my wave
Keep it off my wave
Keep it off my wave
My wave
Cry, if you want to cry
If it helps you see
If it clears your eyes
Hate, if you want to hate
If it keeps you safe
If it makes you brave
Take, if you want a slice
If you want a piece
If it feels alright
Don't come over here
And piss on my gate
Save it just keep it
Off my wave
Keep it off my wave
Keep it off my wave
My wave
04 Mailman (04:25)
Hello don't you know me
I'm the dirt beneath your feet
The most important fool you forgot to see
I've seen how you give it
Now I want you to receive
I'm sure for you would do the same for me
'Cause I know I'm headed for the bottom
I know I'm headed for the bottom
I know I'm headed for the bottom
But I'm riding you all the way
Yeah I'm riding you all the way
I'm riding...
For all of your kisses turned to spit in my face
For all that reminds me which is my place
For all of the times when you made me disappear
This time I'm sure you will know that I'm here
I know I'm headed for the bottom
I know I'm headed for the bottom
I know I'm headed for the bottom
But I'm riding you all the way
Yeah I'm riding you all the way
I'm riding you all the way
I'm riding you all the way
Riding... riding... all the way
My place was beneath you but now I am above
And now I send you a message of love
A simple reminder of what you won't see
A future so holy without me
I know I'm headed for the bottom
I know I'm headed for the bottom
I know I'm headed for the...
But I'm riding you all the way
Yeah I'm riding you all the way
I'm riding you all the way
Oh I'm riding you...
Yes I'm riding you...
I'm riding you...
Yes I'm riding you...
I'm riding you all the way
05 Superunknown (05:06)
If this isn't what you see
It doesn't make you blind
If this doesn't make you feel
It doesn't mean you've died
Where the river's high
Where the river's high
If you don't want to be seen
You don't have to hide
If you don't want to believe
You don't have to try
To feel alive
Alive in the superunknown
First it steals your mind
And then it steals your
If this doesn't make you free
It doesn't mean you're tied
If this doesn't take you down
It doesn't mean you're high
If this doesn't make you smile
You don't have to cry
If this isn't making sense
It doesn't make it lies
Alive in the superunknown
First it steals your mind
And then it steals your soul
Get yourself afraid
Get yourself alone
Get yourself contained
Get yourself control
Alive in the superunknown
First it steals your mind
And then it steals your... soul
06 Head Down (06:08)
I see that smile
I see that smile
I see that smile on your face
We hear you cry
We hear you wail
I see that smile on your face
We see you laugh
We see you dance
We take that away every day
We see you cry
We turn your head
Then we slap your face
Bow down, bow down
Bow down to live your life
Head down, head down
Head down hide that smile
Head high, head high
Head high you’ve got to smile
Head high, head high
Head high you’ve got to smile
I see you try, I see you fail
Some things will never change
We hear you cry, we hear you wail
We steal that smile on your face
Bow down, bow down
Bow down to live your life
Head down, head down
Head down hide that smile
Head high, head high
Head high you’ve got to smile
Head high, head high
Head high like a song you like
07 Black Hole Sun (05:18)
In my eyes
Indisposed
In disguise as no one knows
Hides the face
Lies the snake
The sun in my disgrace
Boiling heat
Summer stench
'Neath the black the sky looks dead
Call my name through the cream
And I'll hear you scream again
Black hole sun
Won't you come
And wash away the rain
Black hole sun
Won't you come
Won't you come
Won't you come
Stuttering
Cold and damp
Steal the warm wind tired friend
Times are gone for honest men
Sometimes far too long for snakes
In my shoes
Walking sleep
In my youth I pray to keep
Heaven send hell away
No one sings like you anymore
Black hole sun
Won't you come
And wash away the rain
Black hole sun
Won't you come
Won't you come
Black hole sun
Won't you come
And wash away the rain
Black hole sun
Won't you come
Won't you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won't you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won't you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won't you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Hang my head
Drown my fear
Till you all just disappear
Black hole sun
Won't you come
And wash away the rain
Black hole sun
Won't you come
Won't you come
Black hole sun
Won't you come
And wash away the rain
Black hole sun
Won't you come
Won't you come (Black hole sun, Black hole sun)
Won't you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won't you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won't you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won't you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won't you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won't you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
08 Spoonman (04:06)
Feel the rhythm with your hands
Steal the rhythm while you can, Spoonman
Speak the rhythm on your own
Speak the rhythm all alone, Spoonman
Spoonman, come together with your hands
Save me, I'm together with your plan
Save me
All my friends are Indians
All my friends are brown and red, Spoonman
All my friends are skeletons
They beat the rhythm with their bones,
Spoonman
Feel the rhythm with your hands
Steal the rhythm while you can, Spoonman
Come on when I get off
Thank you, good night people.
09 Limo Wreck (05:47)
Tears of the feeble, hands of the slaves
Skin of the mothers, mouths of the babes
Building the towers, belongs to the sky
When the whole thing comes crashing down
Dont ask me why
Dont ask me why
Under the shelf, the shelf of the sky
Two eyes two suns, too heavenly blinds
Swallowing rivers, belongs to the sea
When the whole thing washes away
Dont run to me
I'll be going down, for the rest of the slide
While the rest of you harvest the gold
And the wreck of you, is the death of you all
And the wreck of you, is the break and the fall
I'm the wreck of you, I'm the death of you all
I'm the wreck of you, I'm the break and the fall
Under the red, break of the lights
Heros in stretches, inch to the site
Blowing to pieces belong to the wind
When the whole thing blows away
I won't pretend
I'll be going down, for the rest of the slide
While the rest of you harvest the souls
And the wreck of you, is the death of you all
And the wreck of you, is the break and the fall
I'm the wreck of you, I'm the death of you all
I'm the death of you, I'm the break and the fall
Behind the blood red break of the lights
Lies the wreck of you for the rest of your life
And the wreck of you, is the death of you all
And the wreck of you, is the break and the fall
I'm the wreck of you, I'm the death of you all
I'm the death of you, I'm the break and the fall
11 Kickstand (01:34)
KICKSTAND, YOU GOT LOOSE AND I THREW UP
KICKSTAND, YOU GOT THE JUICE TO FILL MY CUP
MY MOTHER SAYS THAT IT'S ALRIGHT
MY MOTHER SAYS THAT'S THE ONLY LIFE
SO DO IT RIGHT
DO IT RIGHT
COME STAND ME UP
COME STAND ME UP
KICKSTAND, I GOT SADDLE MADE OF LEATHER
KICKSTAND, I GOT THE WORDS TO COME TOGETHER
I GOT THE URGE TO RIDE YOUR TRIKE
MY MOTHER SAYS THAT'S THE ONLY LIFE
Lyrics by Chris Cornell
Music by Kim Thayil
12 Fresh Tendrils (04:16)
Long time coming
It seemed to take me through
Long time coming
Many served the few
And long to taste the shame
That bows down before you
Long time coming
It seemed to get me by
Long time coming
It seemed to satisfy
You longed to taste the shame
That everybody tries
Shame shame
Throw yourself away
Give me little bits of
More than I can take
If it sits upon your tongue
Or naked in your eyes
Give me little bits of
More than I can try
Long time coming
It seemed to take me through
Long time coming
Many served the few
And long to taste the shame
That bows down before you
Shame shame
Throw yourself away
Give me little bits of
More than I can take
If it sits upon your tongue
Or naked in your eyes
Give me little bits of
More than I can try
13 4th of July (05:08)
Shower in the dark day
Clean sparks diving down
Cool in the waterway
Where the baptized drown
Naked in the cold sun
Breathing life like fire
Thought i was the only one
But that was just a lie
Cause i heard it in the wind
And i saw it in the sky
And i thought it was the end
And i thought it was the 4th of july
Pale in the flare light
The scared light cracks & disappears
And leads the scorched ones here
And every where no one cares
The fire is spreading
And no one wants to speak about it
Down in the hole
Jesus trys to crack a smile
Beneath another shovel load
And i heard it in the wind
And i saw it in the sky
And i thought it was the end
And i thought it was the 4th of july
Now i'm in control
Now i'm in the fall out
Once asleep but now i stand
And i still remember
Your sweet everything
Light a roman candle
And hold it in your hand
Cause i heard it in the wind
And i saw it in the sky
And i thought it was the end
And i thought it was the 4th of july
14 Half (02:14)
When I hand my love in
I'll be done
A handed glove
Hides the door
Half a chance
Half a chance
We still
Have a chance
Mr. Full, Mr. Have
Kills Mr. Empty Hand
Half a chance
Half a chance
We still
Have a chance
15 Like Suicide (07:01)
Heard it from another room
Eyes were waking up just to fall asleep
Love's like suicide
Dazed out in a garden bed
With a broken neck lays my broken gift
Just like suicide
And my last ditch
Was my last brick
Lent to finish her
Finish her
She lived like a murder
How she'd fly so sweetly
She lived like a murder
But she died
Just like suicide
Bit down on the bullet now
I had a taste so sour
I had to think of something sweet
Love's like suicide
Safe outside my gilded cage
With an ounce of pain
I wield a ton of rage
Just like suicide
With eyes of blood
And bitter blue
How I feel for you
I feel for you
She lived like a murder
How she'd fly so sweetly
She lived like a murder
But she died
Just like suicide
And my last ditch
Was my last brick
Lent to finish her
Finish her
With eyes of blood
And bitter blue
How I feel for you
I feel for you
I feel for you
I feel for you
I feel
I feel for you
She lived like a murder
How she'd fly so sweetly
She lived like a murder
But she died
Just like suicide
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Other reviews
By diamond_darrell
"Let Me Drown" is the first true masterpiece, with a beautiful, dark, and angry riff that suits Chris Cornell's wonderful vocals.
"Mailman" moves me the most, with its slow, sad vibe and a kickass riff showcasing Kim Thayil's best composing skills.
By Gemma
Soundgarden/Cornell brings me luck.
This match will remain engraved in my heart along with the notes of '4th of July'!
By floyd
Superunknown is energetic, badass, dark, convincing.
This CD seems perfect, but in the end (unfortunately) it’s not. Something is missing, it’s true... But anyhow, twelve years have passed, let’s enjoy it to the fullest.
