Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 198… Read Full Bio ↴Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and rhythm guitarist Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil (both of whom are the only members to appear in every incarnation of the band), and bassist Hiro Yamamoto. Matt Cameron became the band's full-time drummer in 1986, while bassist Ben Shepherd became a permanent replacement for Yamamoto in 1990. The band dissolved in 1997 and re-formed in 2010. Following Cornell's death in 2017 and a year of uncertainty of the band's future, Thayil declared in October 2018 that the band was finished; they did, however, reunite in January 2019 for a one-off concert in tribute to Cornell.

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)

Somewhere
Soundgarden Lyrics

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I wish a wish I dream to dream
I try to try and I live to live
And die to die and I cry to cry
But I know why

I wish to wish and I dream to dream
I try to try and I live to live
But die to die and I cry to cry

But I know why

Somewhere in my dreams
Are those who should
Still the willow weeps
On roses for the dead
In laughs of love

From the likes of her
To time of me
Like to moon to earth
And the sky to sea
?Only were no longer
Allowed to be, to be

Somewhere in the dreams
Things that should
Live in all the keeps
Echo all the worlds
In laughs of love

For times that pass my life
I'll search for the sky
That she wonders by

Somewhere in the dreams
Skies hold
Still the willow weeps
On roses for her bed
In laughs of love

Somewhere in the dreams
Skies hold
Still the willow weeps

On roses for her bed
In laughs of love

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Soundgarden's song "Somewhere" are laden with desperation and sorrow. The opening lines of the song, "I wish a wish I dream to dream, I try to try, and I live to live, and die to die, and I cry to cry, but I know why," speak to the idea that the singer is experiencing a sense of helplessness. He is trying his best to live his life, but he is also resigned to his fate, knowing that he is ultimately powerless to change his circumstances.

The chorus of the song speaks to the idea of unfulfilled dreams and lost opportunities. The singer wishes and dreams, but he is also acutely aware that his dreams will most likely never come true. The line "somewhere in my dreams are those who should" speaks to a sense of longing for something that is unattainable. The image of the willow weeping on roses for the dead is particularly haunting, as it conveys a sense of sadness and loss.

The rest of the song speaks to the idea of searching for something that may never be found. The singer speaks of searching for the sky that "she wonders by," indicating that he is searching for someone or something that is no longer there. The line "echo all the worlds in laughs of love" is particularly poignant, as it conveys a sense of longing for a love that can never be reclaimed.

Overall, "Somewhere" is a song that speaks to the theme of loss and longing. The lyrics are raw and emotional, painting a picture of a person who is struggling to come to terms with the fact that some things may never be found again.

Line by Line Meaning

I wish a wish I dream to dream
I yearn for my desires and aspirations to come true

I try to try and I live to live
I put in the effort to live a fulfilling life

And die to die and I cry to cry
I experience the struggle of mortality and emotional pain

But I know why
But I understand the reasons for my experiences

Somewhere in my dreams
Within my subconscious, I find a place

Are those who should
Where those who belong, reside

Still the willow weeps
The mournful tree continues to shed tears

On roses for the dead
Onto flowers signifying loss and grief

In laughs of love
With joyful memories that fill the heart

From the likes of her
From the kind of person she was

To time of me
Through the moments of my life