Rhinosaur
Soundgarden Lyrics


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Standing with my enemy
Hung on my horns
With haste and reverie
Killing with charm

Only happy when you hurt
Only deadly in a swarm
Only healthy in the dirt
Only empty in your arms

I play, I'm sick and tame
Drawing the hordes
I'll wait, and show the lame
The meaning of harm
The skull beneath my feet
Like feathers in sand
I graze among the graves
A feeling of peace

Only bending when you break
Only feeding when you're cold
Only healing when you ache
Only feeling when you don't

Only bending when you break
Only feeding when you're cold




Only healing when you ache
Only feeling when you don't

Overall Meaning

In Soundgarden's song "Rhinosaur," the lyrics describe the singer's complex relationship with their own destructive tendencies. The first verse sets the tone by describing an enemy hung on the singer's horns, implying some sort of violent confrontation. The next line, "With haste and reverie/ Killing with charm," indicates that the singer takes pleasure in this violence and is likely a charismatic, charming person who can sway others to their violent whims.


The chorus reinforces this idea, with the lines "Only happy when you hurt/ Only deadly in a swarm/ Only healthy in the dirt/ Only empty in your arms." These lines articulate the idea that violence is the only thing that brings the singer true happiness and fulfillment, and they are only able to thrive in the midst of chaos and destruction. The second verse continues this theme, with the singer describing how they draw others in to their violent world, waiting to show them the "meaning of harm."


The final lines of the song, "Only bending when you break/ Only feeding when you're cold/ Only healing when you ache/ Only feeling when you don't," bring the whole song full circle. The singer is only able to feel alive and fulfilled when others are suffering, and they are only able to connect with their own emotions when they are inflicting pain on others. Soundgarden's "Rhinosaur" is a haunting exploration of the human capacity for violence and the darker side of human nature.


Line by Line Meaning

Standing with my enemy
Being in close proximity with someone with whom I share a deep hatred


Hung on my horns
Feeling stuck in a difficult situation or feeling overwhelmed by one's problems


With haste and reverie
Acting impulsively and with great enthusiasm


Killing with charm
Fooling or tricking others with one's charm or charisma


Only happy when you hurt
Deriving pleasure from others' pain or suffering


Only deadly in a swarm
Being most dangerous when in a group or with the support of others


Only healthy in the dirt
Feeling most alive and fulfilled when one is connected to nature or the earth


Only empty in your arms
Feeling emotionally unfulfilled when with someone who was supposed to bring happiness


I play, I'm sick and tame
Putting up a facade of being harmless or innocent while secretly being unwell or dangerous


Drawing the hordes
Attracting a large number of people, often for negative reasons


I'll wait, and show the lame
Being patient and biding one's time until the right moment to reveal one's true abilities or intentions


The meaning of harm
The true purpose or intention to cause damage or hurt


The skull beneath my feet
Using death or violence as a means of control or domination


Like feathers in sand
Feeling light or unburdened amid a dangerous or unstable situation


I graze among the graves
Being at ease or comfortable in places associated with death or despair


A feeling of peace
Experiencing a sense of calm or tranquility despite one's inner turmoil or darkness


Only bending when you break
Being flexible or adaptable only when one is pushed to the brink or faced with a major challenge


Only feeding when you're cold
Being supportive or empathetic only when it is to one's advantage or when one can gain something from it


Only healing when you ache
Providing comfort or help only when one is in emotional pain or in need of physical care


Only feeling when you don't
Being numb or disconnected from one's emotions or feelings until one is forced to confront them




Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHRISTOPHER J. CORNELL, MATTHEW D. CAMERON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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