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)
Superunknown
Soundgarden Lyrics
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It doesn't make you blind
Yea, if this doesn't make you feel
It doesn't mean you've died
Where the river's high
Where the river's high
Well you don't have to hide
And if you don't want to believe
Well you don't have to try to feel alive, yea
Alive in the superunknown
Alive in the superunknown
Alive in the superunknown
First it steals your mind and then it steals your
If this doesn't make you free
It doesn't mean you're tied
If this doesn't take you down
It doesn't mean you're high
If this doesn't make you smile
Yea, you don't have to cry
If this isn't making sense
Yea, it doesn't make it lies, oh
Alive in the superunknown
Alive in the superunknown
Alive in the superunknown
First it steals your mind and then it steals your soul, oh
Get yourself afraid
Get yourself alone
Get yourself contained
Get yourself control, control
Yeah, oh, yeah
Oh, oh
(Alive in the superunknown)
First it steals your mind and then it steals your
First it steals your mind and then it steals your
First it steals your mind and then it steals your soul
The song Superunknown by Soundgarden is a deep and thought-provoking reflection on the concept of identity, freedom, and control. The lyrics delve into the idea that our perceptions of reality can be deceiving and that our understanding of ourselves and the world around us is constantly evolving. The opening lines suggest that what we see is not always a reflection of reality and that our experiences do not necessarily define us. The repetition of the line "Alive in the superunknown" conveys a sense of rediscovery of self and the idea of breaking free from perceived limitations.
The song also explores the idea of control and the search for a sense of freedom. The verses suggest that we do not always have to hide or conform to societal norms and expectations to be seen or heard. The lines "Get yourself contained, get yourself control" highlight the idea that control can be empowering, but it can also be restricting. The overall message of the song is that our sense of self and our understanding of the world is constantly shifting and evolving, and it is up to us to embrace the fluidity of our identities and experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
If this isn't what you see
Just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it's not there
It doesn't make you blind
Not seeing something doesn't mean you're unaware
Yea, if this doesn't make you feel
Just because you don't feel something, doesn't mean it's not affecting you
It doesn't mean you've died
Lack of emotional response doesn't equate to death
Where the river's high
A place of danger or recklessness where anything can happen
If you don't want to be seen
You have the right to privacy or anonymity if desired
Well you don't have to hide
But you don't have to hide if you don't want to
And if you don't want to believe
You don't have to believe in the same thing as everyone else
Well you don't have to try to feel alive, yea
But you don't have to fake emotions to fit in with others or prove your existence
Alive in the superunknown
Existing in an unknown, mysterious state of being
First it steals your mind and then it steals your
The superunknown takes over your thoughts and eventually consumes your entire being
If this doesn't make you free
Freedom doesn't always come from external factors
It doesn't mean you're tied
Lack of freedom doesn't mean you're necessarily bound or imprisoned
If this doesn't take you down
Just because something doesn't defeat you, doesn't mean it can't affect you
It doesn't mean you're high
Not experiencing a high doesn't mean you're not being affected by something
If this doesn't make you smile
Happiness isn't the only valid emotion
Yea, you don't have to cry
Crying isn't the only way to express sadness
If this isn't making sense
Sometimes things don't make sense or have clear explanations
Yea, it doesn't make it lies, oh
Not understanding something doesn't mean it's untrue
(Alive in the superunknown)
Repeating the idea of existing in an unknown, unexplored state
Get yourself afraid
Sometimes fear can prompt action or awaken an individual
Get yourself alone
Solitude can lead to introspection and self-discovery
Get yourself contained
Taking control of your own life and emotions instead of letting external forces dictate them
Get yourself control, control
Repeating the idea of taking control of one's life and emotions
First it steals your mind and then it steals your
The superunknown takes over your thoughts and eventually consumes your entire being
First it steals your mind and then it steals your
The superunknown takes over your thoughts and eventually consumes your entire being
First it steals your mind and then it steals your soul
The unknown can take hold of both your mind and spirit, leaving you vulnerable
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Chris Cornell, Kim Thayil
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind