Black Hole Sun

The song nearly overwhelmed Michael Beinhorn. One week before he’d first heard the demo, the record producer attended the open-casket funeral of a close relative, and from the opening verse, the lyrics transported him back to a place of mourning. Each time he heard it, the feeling became more visceral than the last.Boiling heat, summer stench’Neath the black the sky looks deadCall my name through the creamAnd I’ll hear you scream againNaturally, Beinhorn began to wonder what the hell the anthem’s author was thinking about when he wrote it. So he asked him.

Soundgarden lead singer Chris Cornell’s response was simple: “Well, they’re just some words.”That’s the contradictory beauty of “Black Hole Sun.” Soundgarden’s biggest, most enduring hit is deeply affecting. It’s also an inscrutable mishmash of clever phrases. The band’s late frontman never claimed it was anything but the latter. “Chris didn’t really like to have to do exposition on his lyrics,” lead guitarist Kim Thayil said in a recent interview.The song is iridescent. Depending on your perspective, the colors change. It can be unsettling, uplifting, soothing, even scary.

Or all of those at once. It’s a five-minute-and-18-second psychedelic journey—bifurcated and then ripped in half by a Thayil solo—that hardly resembles anything else in the Seattle band’s catalog.“The best music has periods of tension and release,” Beinhorn said. “And ‘Black Hole Sun’ is almost all tension.

Song: Black Hole Sun Album: Superunknown (1994) Soundgarden is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by lead singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil,.

But it keeps dragging you along with it.”That incongruity helped make it a mid-concert fan favorite. “There was just something about the sound of that song,” said former MTV VJ and programmer Matt Pinfield, who over the last three decades has grown close to the members of Soundgarden.

“Even if it went on for six minutes you never felt like it was that long. It just had this incredible build.” Thayil saw it as the group’s “Dream On” or “Stairway to Heaven.” In other words, he said, “one where they hold up their lighters.”A quarter-century since its release, and two years after Cornell’s death, it remains as bizarrely evocative as ever. “‘Black Hole Sun,’” Beinhorn said. “You hear the words and you see it in your mind. It doesn’t matter who you are. You know what it looks like.”Beinhorn can still remember the tape arriving in the mail.

By then he had convinced Soundgarden’s members to work with him on their follow-up to, which a few weeks ago named the second-best grunge album ever, behind only Nirvana’s. (Both hit stores on September 24, 1991.)The producer, who had collaborated with Red Hot Chili Peppers, Violent Femmes, and Soul Asylum, said that he recorded two songs with the quartet as a tryout. “I wasn’t sure that we clicked,” Beinhorn recalled. “But somehow I guess we did.” The band then sent him a lengthy demo. “We had about a third of a record there,” he said. “And I was like, ‘We can’t go into a recording studio with this.’”Over the next several months, Cornell sent Beinhorn more demos. “They were starting to not be so great,” Beinhorn said.

“I realized that we had to have a conversation before we ended up with a record that no one would be particularly happy with.” When they talked, the producer sensed that Cornell was feeling some pressure to create the kind of ear-plug-required music that made Soundgarden famous. After all, this was a band that sold T-shirts emblazoned with the phraseCornell “was very self-conscious about what he was doing,” Beinhorn said.

“I asked him what music he liked, what was really influencing him. And he said the Beatles and Cream. And I was like, ‘Write a song that sounds like the Beatles and Cream.’ And he thought about that and he was like, ‘Whoa.’”Soon a package came for Beinhorn. Enclosed was a fateful four-song recording Cornell put together himself.

The first track was The last was “Black Hole Sun.” In 2014, bassist Ben Shepherd that he “equated it with Stevie Wonder, that level of songwriting. Huge.”Initially, Thayil was skeptical. “I didn’t orient myself toward radio and so I may have been a little bit more resistant because it was not necessarily friendly to my style of playing guitar until you get to the solo,” Thayil said.

“When you get to the solo it’s like, ‘OK, OK. I’ll do that.’” He was encouraged when original Soundgarden bassist visited his old group in the studio at Seattle’s. Yamamoto listened to an early version of “Black Hole Sun” and immediately identified its potential.

“When he was done,” Thayil said, “he just said, without hesitation, ‘That’s your hit right there. That’s the song.’”But sonically, “Black Hole Sun” didn’t exactly seem like a radio-friendly unit shifter. It blared, like a church organ on acid. To achieve that strange effect during recording, the band used a speaker. The idea to try the device, which Thayil said Soundgarden had experimented with during the making of Badmotorfinger, was Cornell’s. The Beatles had employed it on multiple occasions, including the LSD-infused“It makes it very dreamlike and surreal,” Beinhorn said.

“It’s very strange. It raises the hairs up on your neck.” At the time, “Black Hole Sun” as being “reminiscent of the Beatles’ glue-sniffing period.”When it came time for Cornell to record the vocals for “Black Hole Sun,” Beinhorn wanted him to tinker with the phrasing more than usual. For inspiration, he asked the singer to listen to Frank Sinatra’s “I Get Along Without You Very Well” and “Only the Lonely.” On those songs, Beinhorn pointed out, the legendary crooner “soars so far over these incredible arrangements. Sinatra, he could surpass all that just because of how well he could perform. He didn’t just sing the melody. He performed.” Beinhorn said that bringing up Ol’ Blue Eyes amused Cornell.

He chuckled a little at the suggestion.“But then I noticed some of these performances were changing quite a bit,” the producer said. “You can actually hear it on ‘Black Hole Sun’ because he really is performing. You listen to it—it’s all there. You can really hear him starting to play around with the words and sculpt more.”. “I was like, ‘Write a song that sounds like the Beatles and Cream.’ And he thought about that and he was like, ‘Whoa.’” —Producer Michael BeinhornStill, the question remained: What exactly was “Black Hole Sun” about?

Over the years, Cornell tried to explain. In, he said that the vivid title was taken from a misheard news report. “I heard ‘Blah blah blah black hole sun blah blah blah,’” he said. In 1996, that “lyrically it’s probably the closest to me just playing with words for words’ sake, of anything I’ve written.” In 1994, Cornell that the song was not a happy one. The band approved of the video. For Soundgarden, that was rare. “‘Black Hole Sun’ was the first time that we didn’t have to make any adjustments and we didn’t have to send it back and say, ‘You’re missing this lyrical idea here ’” Thayil said.

“We were like, ‘OK! No complaints.’ And we like complaining.”In 1994, MTV added “Black Hole Sun” to its rotation. “It was just so freaky for young people seeing that,” Pinfield said. “It was very much a horror show type experience It was disturbing in a beautiful way.”Mere months after the death of Kurt Cobain, who always toed the line between bleak and droll, it seemed appropriate that a heavy Seattle band’s winkingly apocalyptic song had become ubiquitous.

In fact, that year “Black Hole Sun” atop the mainstream rock chart.At first, Cornell would play the song at shows solo on an acoustic guitar, before it eventually became a full-band live staple. Thayil says he only truly started to enjoy performing it during this decade, after the group reunited following a. In Detroit on, just hours before Cornell took his own life, the band tore through for the final time.By then, Superunknown had long since become Soundgarden’s album. And by now, the Grammy-winning “Black Hole Sun” has been streamed more than 205 million times on Spotify. The official video has almost. “It’s one of the most memorable videos of that year and that era,” Pinfield said.A perfectly strange mix of artists have covered the song, including.

Cornell by lounge singers and crooner. An eerie player piano take on even pops up in of Westworld.“The song is kind of like a piano song,” Thayil said. “The part at the intro sounds more piano-like than guitar-like although it’s performed on guitar.”More than anything, though, “Black Hole Sun” showcases Cornell’s quaking voice. It makes a trippy song even more intoxicating. “I think if you kind of laid it out, you’d say, ‘Well, this is just difficult to listen to,’” Beinhorn said. “But he somehow created something that was not only easy to listen to, but it actually pulls you in and drags you along.

And it didn’t let you take your attention away from what’s happening.”While shooting the “Black Hole Sun” video, Greenhalgh said that the members of Soundgarden were miming playing their instruments. But Cornell wasn’t lip-syncing. From a few feet away, Greenhalgh remembered, the frontman’s voice “really pierces through.” The director had no clue what the song was actually about, but it didn’t matter. If Cornell was singing them, they were more than just some words.is a writer in Washington, D.C. Email him at.

General CommentI know I new to the site, but damn.do some research before you assumeI pulled this from an article, 'Regarding 'Black Hole Sun', Cornell stated, 'It's just sort of a surreal dreamscape, a weird, play-with-the-title kind of song.' 5 He also said that 'lyrically it's probably the closest to me just playing with words for words' sake, of anything I've written. I guess it worked for a lot of people who heard it, but I have no idea how you'd begin to take that one literally.'

6 In another interview he elaborated further, stating, 'It's funny because hits are usually sort of congruent, sort of an identifiable lyric idea, and that song pretty much had none. The chorus lyric is kind of beautiful and easy to remember. Other than that, I sure didn't have an understanding of it after I wrote it. I was just sucked in by the music and I was painting a picture with the lyrics.

There was no real idea to get across.' 4 Commenting upon how the song was misinterpreted as being positive, Cornell said, 'No one seems to get this, but 'Black Hole Sun' is sad. But because the melody is really pretty, everyone thinks it's almost chipper, which is ridiculous.' 7 When asked about the line, 'Times are gone for honest men,' Cornell said:It's really difficult for a person to create their own life and their own freedom.

It's going to become more and more difficult, and it's going to create more and more disillusioned people who become dishonest and angry and are willing to fuck the next guy to get what they want. There's so much stepping on the backs of other people in our profession. We've been so lucky that we've never had to do that. Part of it was because of our own tenacity, and part of it was because we were lucky.8. I want to start off with sometimes we do not make art but rather it happens to us in a subconscious level.I know he said the lyrics were bs in one part but there were reflection thoughts as well that I looked up as well. I can't copy and paste the first one but it was on wiki. It said something likeIt's really difficult for people to create their own life and their own freedom and it's going to create more disillusioned people.It goes on but check wiki if you don't believe me.Here's another thing I found.Cornell reflected on the song's lyrical content to Uncut: 'What's interesting to me is the combination of a black hole and a sun,' he said.

'A black hole is a billion times larger than a sun, it's a void, a giant circle of nothing, and then you have the sun, the giver of all life. It was this combination of bright and dark, this sense of hope and underlying moodiness.' 'I even liked the way the words looked written down,' Cornell added. 'I liken it to Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd, where there's a happy veneer over something dark. It's not something I can do on purpose but occasionally it will happen by accident.' He wouldn't tell the truth about it, because it's about his 'disgrace' he says this in the first verse.Black hole = point of a needle when viewed head on.Sun = the high from heroin.Snake = syringe (obvious metaphor) note that it gets mentioned twice the first time it's in his eyes (like a proper hardcore junkie, shooting into his eye) that's why it's the black hole sun.

Second time it gets mentioned, he's talking about withdrawal (time is far too long for snakes = too long between hits)The high from heroin washes away the rain, heroin takes his emotional pain away.Research other Chris Cornell songs on this site, heroin comes up far too often to be ignored. He grew up in a heroin epidemic, he lost friends to it (all my friends are skeletons, spoonman).Accept it.But it doesn't mean the song is awesome.It is truly an amazing piece of art. I don’t know, the content seemed to be explicitly clear to me — the world gets us down; especially for those of us in the privileged countries who can see how shitty humanity is to itself.To me, a black hole sun is one that starts the world over again.

One that obliterated humanity’s sins (in both an individual and human-encompassing level) by destroying it all.However, I really appreciate your references, since it seems to imply that there’s an added meaning to the destruction: the world is being wished into destruction such that a better one can take its place. I wouldn’t have considered that meaning of the song without your comment; so thank you.Granted, ultimately, it’s a condemnation of humanity. One that Chris recently confirmed through his own actions. (May he RIP.). General CommentIt's just sort of a surreal dreamscape, a weird, play-with-the-title kind of song.

He also that 'lyrically it's probably the closest to me just playing with words for words' sake, of anything written. I guess it worked for a lot of people who heard it, but I have no idea how you'd begin to take that one literally.

'It's funny because hits are usually sort of congruent, sort of an identifiable lyric idea, and that song pretty much had none. The chorus lyric is kind of beautiful and easy to remember. Other than that, I sure didn't have an understanding of it I was just sucked in by the music and I was painting a picture with the lyrics. There was no real idea to get across.'

The song was misinterpreted as being positive, No one seems to get this, but 'Black Hole Sun' is sad. But because the melody is really pretty, everyone thinks it's almost chipper, which is ridiculous.

This is true, what he says 'times are gone for honest man but sometimes way to far for snakes' means honest hard working middle class n poor, our time to live free are gone.were all slaves because the occults have been working so long at world domination that they now have it! They control it all n will make you act as they want.for papers money, drugs, alcohol, gambling, crime, war n much more.for that fake paper money u have has no value the banks pull out today, guess what?

You have nothing they got everything. So the dream state he mentions is the state we are in. We're so brainwashed over matiralism bullshit we dont need were like zombies, were no aware of our own were like a sleepwalking state of mind resembling sleep.snakes meanning dirty business man had far too long to work thri magic.now we belong to them enslaved mentally, willing protect our masters!!!

N the rest of the song clearly if you cant see this msg as ppl are sutch zombies you see how they live their life as advertiside on tv n magasine. What to eat, what to wear. Why do u think 40 50 60 70 80 90s up to now every decade a new era of fashion and the way ppl acted n danced even all and mainly dressed.every one acted the same did the same looked the same.because they can changed the masses like little dolls, puppets really witch conset nor realection. The show you how much power they have over you and you dont even see it. My InterpretationI've always thought that this song is a reference to suicide. The verses are a little vague, but the chorus is a tell tale sign to me that this song might be, or at least can be, about suicide.The first lines describe how the character hides his sadness.

His eyes are indisposed, and the snake (his depression or sadness) is in disguise. It hides behind his eyes, but is omnipresent in his mind.

He's always depressed, but no one knows but him.Now onto the chorus. 'Black Hole Sun'. I've always thought that a Black Hole Sun was referring to the way a gun barrel looks when it goes off. When a gun goes off, there is a black hole in the middle of a ring of fire, which is exactly what a 'Black holed Sun' would look like. 'Won't you come and wash away the rain.' I've always thought that Cornell was asking the Black Hole Sun to come and wash away his sadness, meaning that he wanted to shoot himself to end his pain.I dont know.

It's late at night and I can't sleep so i thought i'd present this theory. I'm a huge Soundgarden fan, and this is one of my favorites. I'd never seen this take on this song before, so these are my thoughts.

' I've always thought that a Black Hole Sun was referring to the way a gun barrel looks when it goes off. A black hole in the middle of a ring of fire. Exactly what a 'Black holed Sun' would look like. Wild wild west 1999 wiki.

Come and wash away his sadness,'WOA! Now that's one deep interpretation.I never really heard it like that myself, as I only half-listened and thought it was somehow the feeling of 'being with a woman' and 'her' dark-hole-sun washing away my loneliness'.But WOW! Yours was way deep - I pictured that shotgun blast in my mind - your thoughts about the lyrics and yes it definitely fits well with the words.I have a theory when it comes to how people interpret song lrics in particular.That most of us simply hear what it is that we're feeling and hearing in our heads you know?Like I've been more of a lonely/missing someone, so for me.the 'black-hole-sun' was about wanting 'her' - wanting her to want me, and being 'with her' - to enter into 'her' black hole sun (so-to-speak) and for her rain to wash me clean of my lonely misery. (i really hope that made some bit of sense!)But were I in a depressed suicidal type of mood or even thinking about someone I had loved who left this world by way or a gun then I have little doubt Your Interpretation would be very much hae been mine as well. For especially songs with imagery, imagery that isn't clearly one thing or another., we tend to fill in those with our own unspoken or deeply felt feelings of the time.if i may ask then.Was the case with you?

- or someone close to you?Or did you come up with your lyrical view and meaning simply because that's what you heard in it - despite having no personal experiences with such deep depression- The later might single-handedly blow that whole theory of mine to crap! But I'd rather know if for the most part whether we all tend to do this. If it's something most of us all do. Or mostly just me.thanks.Peace.

My InterpretationI think the song's meaning is pretty straightforward.The narrator is so tired of humanity that they're longing and hoping for the world to end. Pretty similar to 'Aenema' by Tool.' Times are gone for honest menAnd sometimes far too long for snakes'The 70s, 80s, and 90s are the age when, at least in the United States, capitalism and corporations began to have an influence on every aspect of our daily lives. The good came with the bad, as people stepped all over each other just to get their piece of the pie. Things like honesty and integrity went out the window and the opportunists took over. 'Nice guys finish last' became a mantra for many people.'

In my shoes, a walking sleepAnd my youth I pray to keepHeaven sent hell awayNo one sings like you anymore'The narrator would rather die young than see society and humanity head in the direction that it's going. 'Heaven sent hell away' refers to nature ending society on Earth. 'No one sings like you anymore' seems to refer to how all of the old moral tenets – such a honesty, substance, and compassion – aren't really celebrated anymore.' Hang my head, drown my fearTill you all just disappear'The narrator will wait in despair until the annihilation of the human race.Seems pretty screwed up, but misanthropy is common in a lot of Cornell's writing. He writes a lot of songs about the apocalypse ('New Damage,' '4th of July') but also how he's looking forward to it. 'Limo Wreck' is pretty much about the same thing. Also, 'The Day I Tried To Live' seems to continue the whole theme of being an outsider and not feeling like a part of society.The real question is whether or not there ever was a 'Time for honest men,' unfortunately.

History doesn't seem to indicate that there ever was. You always get the good with the bad. General CommentWhen I hear the song and see the Video clip I cannot help thinking of that feeling when you see the world as dull and superficial. And you see the negetivity in everything, behind every smile.and you miss the good stuff that made you smile though they arent gone, u just don't see 'em at that moment.and what could be better at that moment then a black hole in the sky to wash all that shit away, but there is none.I can't really interpetate every phrase but that's what I feel the song is about.and hey, sometimes when writing the words just fit in with no explenation.