In 1984 he formed the band Soundgarden with bassist Hiro Yamamoto. Throughout the late 1980s and 90s, Soundgarden experienced major success as one of the major grunge bands (along with groups such as Alice in Chains, Nirvana, and Pearl Jam).
In 1990, Chris Cornell worked together with the (then) Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron, and Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament and Mike McCready (who would later form Pearl Jam) in a project named Temple of the Dog. They wrote a 10 song album as a tribute to Andrew Wood, the singer of Mother Love Bone who had died the year before of a heroin overdose.
In 1997 Soundgarden split at the zenith of their popularity due to tensions in the group and Chris began a solo career. He released the sucessful album Euphoria Morning. Out of this album came the single Can't Change Me.
When Zack De La Rocha left Rage Against The Machine in 2001, Chris Cornell joined the instrumentalists of Rage Against the Machine to form the band Audioslave.
In 2006 Chris recorded a theme song for the James Bond 007 movie, "Casino Royale", titled You Know My Name, which is used as the opening song.
In the fall of 2006, Cornell started recording his second solo album Carry On, with producer Steve Lillywhite. Among some fellow artists who are expected to accompany him on his second solo release is friend and legendary musician Gary Lucas, who has contributed acoustic guitar to some of the tracks. Cornell has stated that he is always writing, and that there are some songs that he was not able to put into an Audioslave album. Carry On was released in the summer of 2007.
On February 15, 2007, Chris Cornell issued a statement that he was leaving Audioslave, shortly after Tom Morello, Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk reunited with their former vocalist Zack de la Rocha to reform Rage Against the Machine.
Chris Cornell released his third solo album, Scream, with American rapper and record producer Timbaland on February 3rd, 2009. This album was a critical failure, and sold poorly. It is rumored that he is going to try and "De-Timbalandize" the tracks.
On January 1st, 2010, Chris Cornell announced the reunion of Soundgarden after a 12 year hiatus.
Chris Cornell was extremely revered among the music listeners for his powerful multi-octave singing and gritty, soulful vocal style. He was a baritone with an ability to sing extremely high in the tenor range, as well as in the lower register of a baritone voice. He showcased this in various songs, most notably the studio and the demo versions of "Beyond the Wheel", where he can be heard spanning three octaves. He has also experimented with various different vocal styles, ranging from light falsetto to brutal screams and chants.
On May 17, 2017, Cornell died in Detroit after performing at a show with Soundgarden. He committed suicide by hanging himself in his hotel room. Footage of his final concert was posted to YouTube.
Safe and Sound
Chris Cornell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you will wake up
Without the feeling that half the world
Has gone insane
You'll open your eyes
Reading your paper, a drink from your cup
No one was burning down the town
I've never seen but I believe
In a promised land
Why can't we pull this together
One and all, now and forever
Why can't we pull this together
We can say we finally found a world around us
Safe and sound
Think of a place
Where you could believe in whatever you want
Not keep it secret
Have to risk your life just to be yourself
A place where you'll walk safely
No matter your color or age
More than the greed of you and me
Decides the fate of the day
I've never seen but I believe
In a promised land
Why can't we pull this together
One and all, now and forever
Why can't we pull this together
We can say we finally found a world around us
Safe and sound
I'd rather see you setting free
Than watch the curtains coming down
Think of a life you won't take a breath
From somebody else
One where you're seeking
More than yourself
Why can't we pull this together
One and all, now and forever
Why can't we pull this together
We can say we finally found a world us
Safe and sound
Why can't we pull this together
(Pull this together)
One and all, now and forever
(Now and forever)
Why can't we pull this together
We can say we finally found a world around us
Safe and sound
I'd rather see you setting free
Than watch the curtains coming down
The song "Safe and Sound" by Chris Cornell is a powerful call for unity and a better world. The opening lines paint a picture of a world gone insane, where chaos seems to have taken over. The call to action comes in the form of a question: "Why can't we pull this together?" Cornell is urging the listener to take steps to unite and create a safer, more peaceful world.
The song speaks to the need for a place where people can believe in whatever they want and be themselves without fear of persecution or harm. Cornell stresses the importance of equality, stating that "no matter your color or age, more than the greed of you and me decides the fate of the day." The chorus repeats the idea of a "promised land," a place where people can live in safety and harmony.
The song ends with the line "I'd rather see you setting free than watch the curtains coming down." This powerful statement is a call to action for the listener to take steps towards making the world a safer and more equitable place for everyone.
Line by Line Meaning
Think of a time when morning will come
Imagine a future time when morning will arrive
And you will wake up
And you'll arise from your sleep
Without the feeling that half the world
Without the perception that a large portion of the world
Has gone insane
Has become mentally unstable
You'll open your eyes
You'll uncover your eyes
Reading your paper, a drink from your cup
Reading your newspaper while you take a sip from your beverage
No one was burning down the town
No individual was setting buildings on fire in the town
While you were sleeping
During the time when you were unconscious
I've never seen but I believe
Although I haven't witnessed it, I have faith
In a promised land
In a land guaranteed to be favorable
Why can't we pull this together
Why is it difficult for humanity to collaborate
One and all, now and forever
Every person, regardless of differences, at this moment and for eternity
We can say we finally found a world around us
We can declare that we have ultimately discovered a world that surrounds us
Safe and sound
Protected and secure
Think of a place
Consider a location
Where you could believe in whatever you want
Where you can have faith in anything you choose
Not keep it secret
Not hide it from others
Have to risk your life just to be yourself
Not face danger just to be true to oneself
A place where you'll walk safely
A location where you can stroll without fear
No matter your color or age
Regardless of your skin tone or years lived
More than the greed of you and me
More than the avarice of individuals
Decides the fate of the day
Determines the course of the day
I'd rather see you setting free
I'd prefer to witness you freeing yourself
Than watch the curtains coming down
Rather than seeing the curtains falling
Think of a life you won't take a breath
Reflect on living without relying on someone else
From somebody else
From another person
One where you're seeking
One in which you're pursuing
More than yourself
More than your own interests
We can say we finally found a world us
We can proclaim that we've ultimately discovered a world for ourselves
Why can't we pull this together
Why is it so difficult for us to collaborate
(Pull this together)
(Work together)
(Now and forever)
(From this instant until the end of time)
Lyrics © HIPGNOSIS SONGS GROUP, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: CHRIS CORNELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind