The band released its only album, the self-titled Temple of the Dog, in April 1991 through A&M Records. The recording sessions took place in November and December 1990 at London Bridge Studios, in Seattle, Washington with producer Rakesh "Rick" Parashar. Although earning praise from music critics at the time of its release, the album was not widely recognized until 1992, when Vedder, Ament, Gossard, and McCready had their breakthrough with Pearl Jam. Cameron would later join Pearl Jam, serving as drummer since 1998.
The band toured in 2016 in celebration of the 25th anniversary of their self-titled album.
Temple of the Dog was started by Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell, who had been a roommate of Andrew Wood, the lead singer of Malfunkshun and Mother Love Bone. Wood died on March 19, 1990, of a heroin overdose, the day Cornell got back from a tour. As he went on to tour Europe a few days later, he started writing songs in tribute to his late friend. The result was two songs, "Reach Down" and "Say Hello 2 Heaven", which he recorded as soon as he returned home from touring.
The recorded material was slow and melodic, musically different from the aggressive rock music of Soundgarden. Cornell approached Wood's former bandmates, Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament—who were still figuring out how to continue without Mother Love Bone—with the intention of releasing the songs as a single. Ament described the collaboration as "a really good thing at the time" for Gossard and him that put them into a "band situation where we could play and make music." The band's lineup was completed by the addition of Soundgarden (and later Pearl Jam) drummer Matt Cameron and future Pearl Jam lead guitarist Mike McCready. They named themselves Temple of the Dog, a reference to a line in the lyrics of the Mother Love Bone song "Man of Golden Words".
Say Hello 2 Heaven
Temple of the Dog Lyrics
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Take me from this place
And the long-winded curses
I hear in my head
The words never listen
And teachers, oh they never learn
My warmth from the candle
He came from an island
Then he died from the street
And he hurt so bad like a soul breakin'
But he never said nothin' to me, yeah
A'say hello to heaven, heaven, heaven
Say hello to heaven, heaven, heaven, yeah
New like a baby, lost like a prayer
The sky was your playground
But the cold girl was your bed
Ooh, I said, poor Stargazer
She's got no tears in her eyes
But fool like a whisper
She knows that love heals all wounds with time
Now it seem like too much love is
Never enough, yeah, you better
Seek out another road 'cause this one has ended abrupt, oh
Say hello to heaven, heaven, heaven
Say hello to heaven, heaven, heaven, yeah
Say hello to heaven, heaven, heaven, oh oh
(Heaven)
(Heaven)
(Heaven)
I, I never wanted
To write these words down for you
With the pages of phrases
Of things we'll never do
Yea, so I blow out, out the candle and I put you to bed
Since you can't say to me now
How the dog broke your bone
There's just one thing left to be said
Say hello to heaven, heaven, heaven
Say hello to heaven, heaven, heaven
Say hello to heaven, heaven, heaven, yeah
Say hello to heaven, to heaven, yeah yeah oh oh
The song "Say Hello 2 Heaven" by Temple of the Dog is a tribute to Andrew Wood, the lead singer of the band Mother Love Bone, who passed away from a heroin overdose in 1990. The song is a haunting and melancholic exploration of grief and loss, as well as a celebration of life and the enduring power of love.
The opening lines of the song, "Please, mother mercy, take me from this place, and the long-winded curses I hear in my head," speak to the sense of isolation and despair that can accompany grief. The singer is consumed by thoughts of the past and haunted by the memory of a loved one who has passed away.
The song's chorus, "Say hello to heaven," is a powerful and poignant lyric that serves as a reminder that even in death, our loved ones are never truly gone. The singer encourages the listener to greet their loved one in heaven and to take comfort in the knowledge that they are at peace.
One of the most striking lines in the song is "New like a baby, lost like a prayer, the sky was your playground, but the cold girl was your bed." This lyric paints a vivid picture of a life that was full of possibility and potential but ultimately cut short by tragedy. The reference to the "cold girl" suggests a sense of loneliness and alienation, which adds to the overall sense of sadness and heartbreak that pervades the song.
Overall, "Say Hello 2 Heaven" is a deeply moving and powerful song that captures the essence of grief and loss in a way that is both honest and compassionate.
Line by Line Meaning
Please, mother mercy
Begging for mercy from a higher power
Take me from this place
Wanting to escape from a difficult situation
And the long-winded curses
Negative thoughts that won't go away
I hear in my head
Mental anguish and distress
The words never listen
Feeling unheard and misunderstood
And teachers, oh they never learn
Frustration with authority figures who don't understand
My warmth from the candle
Finding comfort in something small and simple
Though I feel too cold to burn
Feeling emotionally numb or closed off
He came from an island
Referencing the origins of a lost loved one
Then he died from the street
Reflecting on the tragedy of a sudden loss
And he hurt so bad like a soul breakin'
Describing the intensity of emotional pain
But he never said nothin' to me, yeah
Regretting a lack of communication before it's too late
Say hello to heaven, heaven, heaven
Wishing a final farewell to the departed soul
New like a baby, lost like a prayer
Feeling vulnerable and uncertain in a difficult time
The sky was your playground
Remembering happier times and childhood innocence
But the cold girl was your bed
Reconciling positive and negative memories of the past
Ooh, I said, poor Stargazer
Expressing sympathy for another lost soul
She's got no tears in her eyes
Not showing emotions outwardly despite internal pain
But fool like a whisper
Realizing the importance of love and connection in healing
She knows that love heals all wounds with time
Having faith in the healing power of love
Now it seem like too much love is
Feeling overwhelmed by emotion and loss
Never enough, yeah, you better
Acknowledging the inadequacy of words in moments of grief
Seek out another road 'cause this one has ended abrupt, oh
Accepting the need to move on and find closure
I, I never wanted
Expressing reluctance to confront difficult feelings
To write these words down for you
Finding it hard to articulate complex emotions
With the pages of phrases
Struggling to find the right words to say
Of things we'll never do
Mourning unfulfilled dreams and lost possibilities
Yea, so I blow out, out the candle and I put you to bed
Saying a final goodbye to the departed loved one
Since you can't say to me now
Missing the opportunity for closure and communication
How the dog broke your bone
Reference to a painful memory or unresolved issue
There's just one thing left to be said
Finding closure through sharing final thoughts and feelings
Say hello to heaven, heaven, heaven
A final farewell to the departed loved one
Say hello to heaven, heaven, heaven
Continuing to find peace and closure in saying goodbye
Say hello to heaven, heaven, heaven, yeah
Finding comfort and hope in the idea of an afterlife
Say hello to heaven, to heaven, yeah yeah oh oh
Finalizing the message of saying goodbye to a loved one
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Chris Cornell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind