I woke the same as any other day except a voice was in my head. It said seize the day, pay tribute to Soundgarden, honor 25 years of Superunkown and remember Chris Cornell.

March 8, 1994: Pale in the flare light, the scared light cracks and disappears and leads the scorched ones here…to the silver anniversary of a legendary record.

Not so much a departure from the well-versed signatures and layers of Badmotorfinger, but more of an artistic progression, Superunknown contained some of Soundgarden’s most profound and story-telling material.

“His voice was his vision and his words were his peace,” says Vicky Cornell, wife of the late icon, Chris Cornell. Paired with the rhythmic beat of drummer Matt Cameron, the punch of bassist Ben Sheppard and the fiery guitar licks of Kim Thayill, we find Cornell poetic with his words on the journey that is Superunknown.

As the music world celebrates the undeniable resonance of one the most impactful rock records of the past three decades, we crack open the cover here, and dive right into the depths of the riveting lyrics.

Artwork by: Josh Graham/Paul Lorkowski

“Let Me Drown”

Make no mistake, I am what you make me
So let it go, won’t you let it go, won’t you let it go
Won’t you let it, drown me in you

“My Wave”

Share, if it makes you sleep
If it sets you free
If it helps you breathe

Cry, if you want to cry;
If it helps you see
If it clears your eyes

“Fell on Black Days”

So, don’t you lock up something that you wanted to see fly
Hands are for shaking, no, not tying, no, not tying

“Superunknown”

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

“Limo Wreck”

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
Don’t run to me

“The Day I Tried To Live”

I woke the same as any other day
Except a voice was in my head

“Fresh Tendrils”

If it sits upon your tongue
Or naked in your eyes
Give me little bits of
More than I can try

 “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

“Half”

Half a chance
Half a chance
We still
Have a chance

Mr. Full, Mr. Half
Kills Mr. Empty Hand

“Black Hole Sun”

Heaven send hell away no one sings like you anymore…

Check out our 25 years of Superunknown tribute part 1: The Mysterious Beauty of “Black Hole Sun”

 

For more honoring Chris Cornell:
Sunshower: An original tribute
The Resonance of “I Am The Highway”
Chris Cornell 712 – The Sheldon Music Hall
Remembering the Temple of the Dog tour in 10 stunning photos

@JeffGorra
jeffgorra@artistwaves.com