The sole appearance from English musician Graham Parker is his fourth studio album. The 1979 release has the lofty distinction of being voted the 1979 Album of the Year on The Village Voice’s Pazz and Jop Critics Poll. Fun fact, the Rumors, Parker’s backing band, recorded all of the horn parts of The Clash’s album London Calling.
Sara
To start out on a positive note, I didn’t get physically ill while listening to this. Other than that I couldn’t stand it. Graham Parker seems like the kind of guy who would derive far too much self-esteem from his ability to work Austin Powers quotes into everyday scenarios.
I don’t know where to start here but I guess the song I disliked least was ‘Waiting for UFOs.’ The lyrics are stupid but the music was ok. I have to add that it’s also one of the last songs, so I may have confused relief that it was ending with affection for the song.
Other than that I don’t have anything to add here. This felt like I was listening to any album by any band and I have no idea why it’s on here.
Steve
This was an interesting choice for the list. The new artists on this list have been extremely hit or miss for me. This is a Billy Fuccilo Hugh miss for me. This was literally background music, and the entire time I listened to it I was constantly looking for anything else to take my attention away from it. Again, why is this shit on the list, Rolling Stone, WHY!!!!
The sole list appearance from Chris Cornell and Soundgarden is their fourth studio album. The 1994 release is the band’s most commercially successful album. Two of the album’s singles won Grammy Awards and the album was nominated for a Best Rock Album Grammy, but lost to Voodoo Lounge by The Rolling Stones.
Sara
Great to be back in the grunge scene for the first time in quite a while on this list!Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Screaming Trees are the trio that I spent the most time loving, but Soundgarden is right up there (as are Alice in Chains and Mudhoney). This is without question Soundgarden’s best and most experimental album, and most of my favorite songs by them appear on ‘Superunknown.’
That starts with track 2, ‘My Wave.’ The message of this song is great. He’s basically saying ‘do whatever you’ve gotta do, but keep it out of my sunshine.’It brings to mind those toxic friends we all have or had whose emotions and feelings need to be validated.It’s not enough for them to dislike someone—they need us to jump in and dislike that person too.They’re in a bad mood so they want us to be in a bad mood. I’ve tried to squeeze most of those relationships out of my life or at least keep those people at arms’ length b/c, as much as they want to be miserable, I’m not going to let it mess up 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
I’m really loving Soundgarden more listening to this. It’s been a while since I’ve really paid attention to just them.‘Spoonman,’ which is really the song that got the band on the map beyond the grunge label, has a very interesting story.When ‘Singles,’ which is one of the best movies ever, was filming, Pearl Jam bassist was tasked with coming up with a name for the fictional band that would appear in the film. ‘Citizen Dick’ ended up being the name, but Chris Cornell took it upon himself to write songs for the other prospective band names on the list. ‘Spoonman’ was one of the rejected names on the list and is named for street performer Artis the Spoonman.Originally from Kodiak, Alaska, Artis was a fixture at Pike Place Market performing with his spoons.He recorded ‘Spoonman’ with Soundgarden and is in the video. Chris Cornell described the song as a pardox between who Artis is and who people perceive him as.
Here’s a brief performance by Artis the Spoonman:
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, yeah Save, oh
Well, all my friends are Indians (All my friends are brown and red) spoonman And all my friends are skeletons (They beat the rhythm with their bones) spoonman Oh, hmm
Spoonman, come together with your hands Save me, I’m together with your plan Save me Save Save me Save me, yeah Save With your
(Come on, come on, come on)
With your hands With your hands Come on, come on, come on, come on Hands
‘The Day I Tried To Live’ is my favorite Soundgarden song and it appears toward the end of this album. To be honest, I think it would be a great way to have closed out the album, but there are a few songs afterward. I always thought it was much darker than it was intended.As Chris Cornell has said, many people interpret it as a song about suicide because of the use of the word ‘live,’ but he meant it in a much less literal sense:
“It’s about trying to step out of being patterned and closed off and reclusive, which I’ve always had a problem with. It’s about attempting to be normal and just go out and be around other people and hang out. I have a tendency to sometimes be pretty closed off and not see people for long periods of time and not call anyone. It’s actually, in a way, a hopeful song. Especially the lines “One more time around/Might do it”, which is basically saying, ‘I tried today to understand and belong and get along with other people, and I failed, but I’ll probably try again tomorrow.’ A lot of people misinterpreted that song as a suicide-note song. Taking the word “live” too literally. “The Day I Tried to Live” means more like the day I actually tried to open up myself and experience everything that’s going on around me as opposed to blowing it all off and hiding in a cave.”
The day I tried to live I stole a thousand beggar’s change And gave it to the rich
The day I tried to win I dangled from the power lines And let the martyrs stretch yeah
Singing, one more time around Might do it One more time around Might make it One more time around Might do it One more time around The day I tried to live
Words would you say Never seem to live up to the ones inside your head The lives we make Never seem to ever get us anywhere but dead
The day I tried to live I wallowed in the blood and mud with all the other pigs
Singing, one more time around Might do it One more time around Might make it One more time around Might do it One more time around The day I tried to live, live
I tried
I woke the same as any other day you know I should have stayed in bed
There are many reasons why this album was nominated for the 1995 Grammy Award for Best Rock Album. The dark lyrics and themes evoke a lot of emotion but leave enough to the imagination for one to apply that darkness to one’s own problems. The songs show a wide-range of diversity and technique, with influences from the Middle East to the Beatles. I particularly like the band’s use of timing.There are many times throughout the album where a song does not follow prescribed timing and Matt Cameron’s drums or Kim Thayil’s guitar throw you a curve ball you weren’t expecting.My only critique would be that a few songs could have been left out (‘Head Down,’ ‘Fresh Tendrils’) that don’t do a lot to add to the experience.
Steve
Oh man, growing up in the 1990’s this was one of my favorite albums. Chris Cornell has done a lot of solo stuff that was OK, and I do enjoy Audioslave, but in my opinion this album is him at his absolute best.
There is not a bad track on this album. I listen to music now, and it is hard to find an album with even a few listenable tracks. The days of throwing in a album and letting it play all day sadly seem to be over. This starts strong right from the first track, “Let Me Drown.”
This is a different kind of love song. This is Chris Cornell submitting to being drowned in another person. This is complete surrender to whatever themystery woman decides to do, whether it is good for Cornell or not.
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, 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, 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
Another song on this album I have always enjoyed is “Fell on Black Days.” This, the fifth single from this album peaked at #4 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. This is a song about life falling apart when everything seems to be going fine; or as Cornell so eloquently puts it “it’s just that you realize one day that everything in your life is FUCKED!”
Whatsoever I’ve feared has Come to life Whatsoever I’ve fought off Became my life Just when everyday Seemed to greet Me with a smile Sunspots have faded And now I’m doing time Cause I fell on Black days
Whomsoever I’ve cured I’ve sickened now Whomsoever I’ve cradled I’ve put you down I’m a search light soul They say but I can’t See it in the night I’m only faking When I get it right Cause I fell on Black days How would I know That this could be my fate
So what you wanted to See good has made you blind And what you wanted to Be yours has made it Mine So don’t you lock up Something that you Wanted to see fly Hands are for shaking No not tying
I sure don’t Mind a change But I fell on black Days How would I know That this could be My fate
While it is not my favorite song on this album, I feel it is necessary for one of us to discuss “Black Hole Sun.” It is easily the band’s most recognizable song, and their best performing single, spending several weeks atop various charts. The sun is about a surreal landscape in Cornell’s head.
In my eyes Indisposed In disguise As no one knows Hides the face Lies the snake And 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
[Chorus:] Black hole sun Won’t you come And wash away the rain? Black hole sun Won’t you come? Won’t you come?
Stuttering Cold and damp Steal the warm wind Tired friend Times are gone For honest men And sometimes Far too long For snakes
In my shoes A walking sleep And my youth I pray to keep Heaven send Hell away No one sings Like you anymore
I am so happy I got the chance to listen to this album again. It really brought me back to a great time in my life musically. I think that the 1990’s produced a lot of amazing music, but unfortunately much of it is not on this list. We have been making a list of albums that didn’t make this list and the mid 1990’s is heavily represented.
I Would Rock 500 Albums 