Like Suicide
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| “Like Suicide” | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Song by Soundgarden | |||||
| Album | Superunknown | ||||
| Released | March 8, 1994 | ||||
| Recorded | July 1993–September 1993 at Bad Animals Studio, Seattle, Washington | ||||
| Genre | Alternative rock, grunge | ||||
| Length | 7:01 | ||||
| Label | A&M | ||||
| Writer | Chris Cornell | ||||
| Producer | Michael Beinhorn, Soundgarden | ||||
| Superunknown track listing | |||||
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"Like Suicide" is a song by the Seattle grunge band Soundgarden. It appears as the last track (or, as the second-last track on international versions) on the band's 1994 album Superunknown.
[edit] Origin and recording
The song was written by frontman Chris Cornell. Kim Thayil said that the song's guitar solo is one of his favorites.[1] In order to greater emphasize the dynamic shift in "Like Suicide", Matt Cameron used two drum kits, the latter having shells both larger in depth and diameter.[2]
The song was recorded as an electric and an acoustic version. The electric version of the song was released on Superunknown and the acoustic version was released on the singles "Black Hole Sun" and "The Day I Tried to Live", and the EP Songs from the Superunknown.
[edit] Lyrical meaning
Frontman Chris Cornell was inspired to write the song when a bird flew into the window at his house. He found the suffering creature and subsequently put the bird out of its misery by hitting it with a brick, hence the lyrics "was my last brick, lent to finish her".
Chris Cornell on the song:
"Like Suicide" was specific once I wrote out the lyrics. I was writing the music to that in my basement when I heard this loud thump from above. I thought someone was trying to break in, so I was going up the stairs to investigate when I heard it again - a loud THUMP! When I got to the door, there was this beautiful female robin writhing on the ground. She'd broken her neck flying into the window. It was obviously broken, flipped back, but she was still breathing. So I went and found this cinder block and smashed her head with it. Then I went back downstairs, and with the title of that song in mind I just wrote about the incident. It seemed opportune - someone, or someone else's misery, can often be a great opportunity for a song."[3]
[edit] References
- ^ "Seattle Supersonic: The Screaming Life & Odd Times of Soundgarden's Kim Thayil". Guitar Player. July 1996.
- ^ Peiken, Matt. "Soundgarden's Matt Cameron: Breaking New Ground". Modern Drummer. June 1994.
- ^ True, Everett. "Journey into the Superunknown". Melody Maker. March 19, 1994.
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