And these bands and songs, I will talk about today...
Hunger Strike (1991)
"I don't mind stealing bread from the mouths of decadence"... what could he be talking about here? What does decadence mean? Beauty. And what is he talking about? My perception is that this man was saying he wouldn't mind being close to those who are decadent. Well, who was he talking about? My guess: he was in love with people, in love with life, and seeking a way to not be in pain. How did he do this? He reached for his higher self, to find contentment. He was a worldly man, with many vices such as women and drugs (started at age 13). What can we say about the man, except that he wanted so badly to be a part of something great... he was and is in his fans and family's hearts.
Call Me A dog (1991)
"You call me a dog, well that's fair enough
'Cause it ain't no use to pretend you're wrong
When you call me out, I can't hide anymore
I have no disguise, you can see through"
What does Cornell mean here when he is saying he is called a dog? He is saying his mask that he wears can be seen through. He was in love with the person he attributes this song to. He can no longer hide his addiction. He might have even been more forthcoming than that, spent time in a mental hospital to overcome his addiction. Being in a place like this is a prison. He couldn't overcome his addiction, thus he ended up committing suicide by hanging.
Black Hole Sun (2014)
"Hides the face, lies the snake
In the sun, in my disgrace
Boiling heat, summer stench
'Neath the black the sky looks dead
Call my name through the cream
And I'll hear you scream again
"Black hole sun
Won't you come
And wash away the rain
Black hole sun
Won't you come
Won't you come (won't you come)"... It is obvious to anyone who met Cornell that the man was a riveting man. Somewhat obsessed with escaping this earth and going back to where he came from. Almost wishing death upon himself, almost like a type of Armageddon. I too, have wished for a nuclear bomb, of course, I felt no longer that the earth had gone to anything good. So much for humanity. SO much for the fate of our country and that of others, drop the fucking bomb, right? What the heck was I thinking? (mass destruction from a virus) who knew?
That which is learned only through deep observation of oneself.