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)
Nothing To Say
Soundgarden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Someone said my words are out of balance
Nothing to say, you've got nothing to say
Dying words I bury everyday
Nothing to say, I've got nothing to say
Nothing but the one thing
You've got nothing, nothing to say
Big bad word spell it with four letters
Nothing to say, you've got nothing to say
Oh my god, your words are out of balance
Nothing to say, you've got nothing to say
Nothing but the one thing
Nothing
Nothing
You've got nothing, nothing to say
Nothing but the one thing
Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing
The lyrics of Soundgarden's Nothing to Say speak to the feeling of being stuck and unable to express oneself adequately. The repetition of "nothing" emphasizes this idea and creates a sense of emptiness and frustration. The phrase "someone said my words are out of balance" suggests that the singer has been criticized for not communicating effectively, adding to the sense of inadequacy.
The lines "dying words I bury everyday" can be interpreted as a reference to missed opportunities or regrets. The singer feels like they're not living up to their potential or saying what needs to be said. The use of the phrase "big bad word spell it with four letters" is likely a reference to the harshness or vulgarity of the words the singer wishes they could express. This frustration is further highlighted in the lines "oh my god, your words are out of balance," suggesting that the singer is projecting their own sense of inadequacy onto someone else.
Overall, the lyrics of Nothing to Say speak to the universal experience of feeling stuck or unable to communicate clearly. The repetition of "nothing" creates a sense of emptiness and frustration, while the references to missed opportunities and harsh words add depths to the feelings of inadequacy.
Line by Line Meaning
Nothing, nothing, nothing but the one thing
The singer has just one crucial matter to convey, despite suggesting that they have nothing to say.
Someone said my words are out of balance
The singer claims that their credibility has been challenged by an unknown source who criticized their ability to communicate effectively.
Nothing to say, you've got nothing to say
The singer is pointing out the irony that the person they are addressing, who may have previously criticized their words, is now rendered speechless and/or possibly unresponsive.
Dying words I bury everyday
The artist metaphorically buries their own words every day that don't live up to their own standards or reasoning.
Nothing to say, I've got nothing to say
The artist continues to maintain that they have no words for an interlocutor inflicting criticism, either because it has already been expressed or because their mind is preoccupied with greater concerns.
Nothing but the one thing
The singer reiterates that there is only one matter that they wish to communicate among all the things they could potentially say.
Big bad word spell it with four letters
The singer uses an ironic detachment to say that a highly significant or incendiary issue may be expressed with nothing more than a four-letter word.
Oh my god, your words are out of balance
The artist again uses irony to suggest that their critic's arguments are invalid or incoherent, thereby increasing the value of their own words and subsequently contrasting the two speakers' abilities.
Nothing, you've got nothing to say
The artist repeats that their interlocutor is either speechless, uncommunicative, or they have no valid counter-arguments left.
Nothing but the one thing
The artist repeats that they have only one critical point to make or have already made it.
Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing
The song concludes after repeating the theme of having nothing to say because the singer feels they have expressed everything that needs to be said and has nothing to add to that.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: CHRISTOPHER J. CORNELL, KIM A. THAYIL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
RUBEN RIVERA
Someone says my words are out of balance
Nothing to say
Dying words I bury everyday
Nothing to say
You've got nothing to say, nothing to say
BIg bad words spell it with four letters
Nothing to say
Oh my God, your words are out of balance
Nothing to say
Nothing but one thing
You've got nothing, nothing to say
KitCobain
Nothing, nothing, nothing but the one thing
Someone said my words are out of balance
Nothing to say, you've got nothing to say
Dying words I bury everyday
Nothing to say, I've got nothing to say
Nothing but the one thing
You've got nothing, nothing to say
Nothing but the one thing
Big bad word spell it with four letters
Nothing to say, you've got nothing to say
Oh my god, your words are out of balance
Nothing to say, you've got nothing to say
Nothing but the one thing
Nothing
Nothing
You've got nothing, nothing to say
Nothing but the one thing
Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Christopher J. Cornell / Kim A. Thayil
Limits98
Lyrics
Nothing,
Nothing,
Nothing but the one thing
Ooh
Ooh
Ooh
Ooh
Someone said my
Words are out of balance
Nothing to say,
You've got nothing to say
Dying words
I bury everyday
Nothing to say,
I've got nothing to say
Nothing but the one thing
Ooh
Hmm
You've got nothing,
Nothing to say
Nothing but the one thing
Ooh
Big bad word
Spell it with four letters
Nothing to say,
You've got nothing to say
Oh my god,
Your words are out of balance
Nothing to say,
You've got nothing to say
Nothing but the one thing
Ooh
Nothing,
Oh
Nothing
Ooh
You've got nothing,
Nothing to say
Eh
Nothing but the one thing
Ah
Oh
Nothing,
Nothing,
Nothing,
Nothing,
Nothing,
Nothing
Oh
Integra DIY
Someone said my words are out of balance
Nothing to say, you've got nothing to say
Dying words I bury everyday
Nothing to say, I've got nothing to say
Nothing but the one thing
You've got nothing, nothing to say
Nothing but the one thing
Big bad word spell it with four letters
Nothing to say, you've got nothing to say
Oh my God, your words are out of balance
Nothing to say, you've got nothing to say
Nothing but the one thing
Nothing, nothing
You've got nothing, nothing to say
Nothing but the one thing
Michał
'Nothing to say' was my favorite song by Soundgarden for many years. I will never forget you and your music, Chris. RIP Chris Cornell
AerialArtGrunge
Same. <3
carmine
The first song that I heard soundgarden
slowmutant8
My favorite Soundgarden song. Hype!
BubbaZen10
Oddly enough, my favorite was Like Suicide.
Go figure.
BubbaZen10
My actual favorite was Hands All Over. I just said that for effect. God bless and cheers.
Rho Sigma
This song really showed his vocal range. I have this album and still listen to it. Sadly, we lost this great singer and all the songs he wrote were testimonies of his inner pain. But damn, he was awesome.
Thomas Depont
His vocal range is so incredible on this song that the first time I heard it, I was sure it was a Led Zeppelin song
Christopher Reeve's unused wheelchair.
Ozymandias The Misanthrope
Take your meds .
christco120
I was working at a record store in 1994, and a guy came in and asked me for "the Soundgarden album." I said, okay, which one do you mean? And he said, "their album!" I said, "well, they just released their fifth record, is that the one you mean?" He said, "are you serious? I thought this was their first." I said, "oh, no, my friend, far from it. Check this out," and played him this song. He was amazed, said, "is this really the same band?" I said "yep," and he bought Screaming Life/Fopp instead of Superunknown. I was so happy, lol. One of my favorite record store moments ever.