Soundgarden are associated with grunge, a style of alternative rock that developed in Seattle. After releasing two EPs on the Seattle-based label Sub-Pop in 1987 and 1988, their debut album, Ultramega OK was released on the California-based independent label SST Records in 1989. While the album did not sell well nationally, it gained critical acclaim and was nominated for a Grammy award in 1990. They recorded their second album, Louder Than Love, independently but had signed with major label A&M Records in the interim, and released the album as their major label debut. Unlike their debut, which had failed to chart, Louder Than Love peaked at number 108 on the Billboard 200 album chart. Released the same day as fellow Seattle grunge act Nirvana's album Nevermind, their third album Badmotorfinger would bring Soundgarden to national acclaim for the first time, buoyed by the popularity of the singles "Jesus Christ Pose", "Outshined", and "Rusty Cage", the album would reach number 39 on the Billboard 200 and has been certified double-platinum by the RIAA. Soundgarden was one of the seminal creators of grunge, a style of alternative rock that developed in Seattle, and was the first of a number of grunge bands to sign to the record label Sub Pop. Soundgarden was also one of the first grunge bands to sign to a major label (A&M Records in 1989), though they did not achieve commercial success until they popularized the genre in the early 1990s with Seattle contemporaries Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and Nirvana.
Soundgarden achieved its biggest success with the 1994 album Superunknown, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and yielded the Grammy Award-winning singles "Spoonman" and "Black Hole Sun". In 1996, the band experimented with new sonic textures on their follow-up album Down on the Upside, which debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200 and spawned several hit singles of its own, including "Burden in My Hand" and "Blow Up the Outside World". In 1997, the band broke up due to internal strife over its creative direction and exhaustion from touring. After more than a decade of working on projects and other bands, Soundgarden reunited in 2010, and Republic Records released their sixth and final studio album, King Animal, two years later.
As of 2019, Soundgarden sold more than 14 million records in the United States, and an estimated 30 million worldwide. VH1 ranked Soundgarden at number 14 in their special 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soundgarden
Studio albums
Ultramega OK (1988)
Louder Than Love (1989)
Badmotorfinger (1991)
Superunknown (1994)
Down on the Upside (1996)
King Animal (2012)
Never the Machine Forever
Soundgarden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It won't live if I die
Machine has no heart to give
Heart it takes could be mine
Come on
Come down
Come out from where you hide
Follows me down the river
Shadows me through the sky
A sideways glance in the mirror
Stalemate machine in a tie
Come on
Come down
Come out from where you hide
Get up
Get off
Get on with your life
Forever means all is not seen
Never means forever brings everything
I fashion will and desire
Always I and I survive
Mercurial mind the fire
Fervorous direction and drive
Come on
Come down
Come out from where you hide
Get up
Get off
Get on with your life
Forever means all is not seen
Never means forever brings everything
Get up
Get off
Get on with your life
Now I see myself clearer
Why time I visualize
I spy device in the mirror
Checkmate watch machine die
The lyrics of Soundgarden's "Never The Machine Forever" are ultimately about the tension between man and machine, and the need to overcome it in order to truly be free. The song begins with the acknowledgment that the machine and man cannot exist without each other. If the machine dies, so does man, but if man dies, the machine can continue to function. The machine, however, lacks the heart that man possesses, and in turn, can take away the very heart that man has. The lyrics show that the machine is not only physical but can be mental, such as a mercurial mind that drives a person to keep going.
The chorus "Come on, come down, come out from where you hide" shows that the singer of the song is asking the machine to come out and face him so that they can resolve this conflict. The machine is following the singer and is always present, stalking him. The singer’s desire for freedom is shown by the line "Get up, get off, get on with your life," emphasizing that one must take action in order to take control from the machine.
The final verse implies that the singer has found a way to defeat the machine. He sees himself clearer and realizes that it is through visualization that he can overcome the machine. The machine is ultimately defeated ("checkmate watch machine die"), and the singer is free to live his life. Thus, the song is a powerful critique of the forces of technology and industry that threaten the human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't live when it lives
The machine is so embedded in my life that I can't function without it.
It won't live if I die
The machine is dependent on my existence for its survival.
Machine has no heart to give
The machine lacks the compassion and empathy that comes naturally to humans.
Heart it takes could be mine
The machine requires a part of me, possibly my soul, to operate.
Come on
An invitation to leave the current state of being and move forward.
Come down
Leave the lofty heights and come back to reality and the present moment.
Come out from where you hide
Stop running away from your problems and confront them head-on.
Follows me down the river
The machine is always present, constantly following me and affecting my life.
Shadows me through the sky
The machine has a powerful presence, looming over me and watching everything I do.
A sideways glance in the mirror
A fleeting look at my reflection reveals the machine's influence on my life.
Stalemate machine in a tie
The machine and I are in a deadlock, neither of us able to gain an advantage over the other.
Get up
Rise up and take control of your life.
Get off
Shake off the shackles of the machine's influence and regain your freedom.
Get on with your life
The time for inaction and delay is over - start living your life now.
Forever means all is not seen
Eternity is vast and mysterious, with much hidden beyond our perception.
Never means forever brings everything
The things we deny and try to prevent from happening will eventually manifest in some form.
I fashion will and desire
I create my own goals and ambitions.
Always I and I survive
I am self-reliant and capable of surviving on my own.
Mercurial mind the fire
My mind is constantly changing and adapting, like the flickering flames of a fire.
Fervorous direction and drive
I am driven by a passionate desire to achieve my goals and reach my destination.
Now I see myself clearer
I have gained a newfound clarity and understanding of who I am and what I need to do.
Why time I visualize
By visualizing the future and setting goals, I am able to create a better life for myself.
I spy device in the mirror
I see the machine's presence in my life reflected back at me through the mirror.
Checkmate watch machine die
I have finally gained an advantage over the machine and am now in a position to destroy it.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: KIM A. THAYIL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind