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.
moonchild
Chris Cornell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lonesome as gold in a poor man's smile
See how the moon is full
Follow the push and pull
Follow the ebb and flow in the breathing tide
Come on moonchild, you're so far away tonight
The door is falling open and we're flying wild
Cat on the road, down in the living night
See how the black dog grins
In the diamond light
We're dreaming and we're real
We're broken and we're healed
Give in to what you feel over what you see
Come on moonchild, you're so far away tonight
The door is falling open and we're flying wild
Come on moon flower
You're so far away from now
You could bloom forever in the hour
And when if is only yes and no
And now becomes too soon
I know you'll be alright if you only
Come away to the moon
Come away to the moon
In the blue shine
Come on moonchild, you're so far away tonight
The door is falling open and we're flying wild
Come on moon flower
You're so far away from now
You could bloom forever in the hour
The lyrics of Chris Cornell's song "Moonchild" depict a strong sense of existentialism and a desire for liberation. The song opens with the invitation to "open your arms to the lonely shine," referring to the moon's light as a metaphor for hope and comfort for those who are lonely. The line "lonesome as gold in a poor man's smile" is somewhat paradoxical as it creates an image of someone who is poor yet smiling, suggesting that even those who appear happy may be in need of emotional support at times. The next few lines speak of the moon's power to influence the tides, encouraging the listener to follow the natural flow of life.
The chorus invites the "moonchild" to come away and fly wild, acknowledging the distance between the subject and the singer while encouraging them to break free from their constraints. The following verses introduce a cat and a black dog, both of which are common symbols in literature associated with mystery and the unknown. The lines "we're dreaming and we're real, we're broken and we're healed" suggest that the moonchild is living in a state of duality where they are partially awake and partially in a dream-like trance. The final stanza encourages the moonchild to come away to the moon and embrace the ambiguity of existence.
Overall, "Moonchild" is an introspective song that urges the listener to embrace their emotions, live in the moment, and surrender themselves to the unknown.
Line by Line Meaning
Open your arms to the lonely shine
Embrace the solitary beauty
Lonesome as gold in a poor man's smile
The feeling of being alone is as valuable as gold to those who have little
See how the moon is full
Observe the roundness of the moon
Follow the push and pull
Pay attention to the forces that move things
Follow the ebb and flow in the breathing tide
Track the regular rise and fall of the ocean's waters
Come on moonchild, you're so far away tonight
Join the rest of us, even if you're feeling distant
The door is falling open and we're flying wild
Opportunity is presenting itself and we're embracing it wildly
Cat on the road, down in the living night
A feline is roaming the dark streets
See how the black dog grins
Notice the happy expression of the black dog
In the diamond light
Illuminated by a sparkling light
We're dreaming and we're real
Living in a state of both imagination and reality
We're broken and we're healed
Both damaged and repaired
Give in to what you feel over what you see
Trust your instincts and emotions more than your observations
Come on moon flower
Hey, person who thrives in the light of the moon
You're so far away from now
You're not living in the present moment
You could bloom forever in the hour
You have the potential to forever shine brightly in a fleeting time
And when if is only yes and no
When the only options are positive and negative
And now becomes too soon
When 'now' passes too quickly
I know you'll be alright if you only
I'm confident you'll be okay if you
Come away to the moon
Leave your current situation and go towards the moon
In the blue shine
In the blue-toned light
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CHRIS CORNELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind