Rusty Cage

Infobox Single
Name = Rusty Cage


Caption =
Artist = Soundgarden
from Album = Badmotorfinger
A-side =
B-side = "Big Bottom"/"Earache My Eye" (live)
Released = 1992
Format = CD single, Vinyl
Recorded = March 1991 – April 1991
Genre = Grunge
Length = 4:26
Label = A&M
Writer = Chris Cornell
Producer = Terry Date, Soundgarden
Certification =
Chart position =
Last single = "Outshined" (1991)
This single = "Rusty Cage" (1992)
Next single = "Spoonman" (1994)
Misc =Extra tracklisting
Album = Badmotorfinger
Type = studio
prev_track =
prev_no =
this_track = "Rusty Cage"
track_no = Track 1
next_track = "Outshined"
next_no = Track 2"Rusty Cage" is a song by the American rock band Soundgarden, released in 1992 as the third single from the band's third studio album, "Badmotorfinger" (1991). The song became an instant hit and was released as a single in several different formats. It would later appear on the band's greatest hits album "A-Sides".

Origin and recording

The song was written by frontman Chris Cornell. Guitarist Kim Thayil on the song:

The tuning on that song was pretty nutty. It's recorded with a wah wah in the low position used as a filter. That was the first time we did anything like that. It was Chris' idea; he wanted to get that weird tone that you can't really dial in on an amp. But if you use the wah wah as a filter, it gets an incredibly weird sound. And if you listen to that riff, especially if you've heard the original demos of it, it almost sounds backward.Gilbert, Jeff. [http://web.stargate.net/soundgarden/articles/gschool_5-94.shtml "Primecuts: Kim Thayil"] . "Guitar School". May 1994.]

Composition

On "Rusty Cage" the bottom E string is tuned all the way down to B. [Woodard, Josef. [http://web.stargate.net/soundgarden/articles/musician_3-92.shtml "Soundgarden's Kim Thayil & Chris Cornell"] . "Musician". March 1992.] The song features a striking tempo change towards the end of the song, going from 4/4 time to the unusual meter of 19/8 -- always accompanied by the 'Chris Cornell Stomp' when performed in concert.

Release and reception

Outside of the United States, the single was released in Australia, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The song gained considerable airtime on alternative rock radio stations. "Rusty Cage" appeared on the fictional radio station "Radio X" in the videogame "" and was part of the soundtrack of the bike racing game "Road Rash", which received 3DO's 1994 "Soundtrack of the Year" award. However, these versions are all 1 minute and 43 seconds shorter than the album version. The majority of these versions end as the breakdown at the end of the song comes in. The song is also featured in the racing game, "Burnout Paradise".

Music video

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Live performances

A performance of the song is included on the "Motorvision" home video release. "Rusty Cage" was performed along with a few other Soundgarden songs by Cornell's later band Audioslave.

Cover versions

"Rusty Cage" was covered by Johnny Cash on his 1996 album "Unchained", which won a Grammy Award for Best Country Album. During at least one live performance (early November 1996 at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago), Cornell introduced the song with a dedication to Cash.

Track listing

;Promo CD and 12"
#"Rusty Cage" (edit) (Chris Cornell) – 3:52
#"Rusty Cage" (Cornell) – 4:26

;Promo CD
#"Rusty Cage" (edit) (Cornell) – 3:52
#"Rusty Cage" (Cornell) – 4:26
#"Girl U Want" (Gerald Casale, Mark Mothersbaugh) – 3:29
#"Show Me" (Shepherd)

;UK, German and Australian CD
#"Rusty Cage" (edit) (Cornell) – 3:52
#"Rusty Cage" (Cornell) – 4:26
#"Touch Me" (Fancy) – 2:51
#"Stray Cat Blues" (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards) – 4:46;Etched 12" w/ Poster Sleeve
#"Rusty Cage" (edit) (Cornell) – 3:52
#"Touch Me" (Fancy) – 2:51
#"Show Me" (Shepherd)

;Picture 7" (Limited edition of 5000)
#"Rusty Cage" (Cornell) – 4:26
#"Touch Me" (Fancy) – 2:51

*Also released as an etched green CD in a Digipak (5000 copies), a picture 7" (5000 copies) and a cassette single.

;Etched CD, Digipak
#"Rusty Cage" (edit) (Cornell) – 3:52
#"Big Bottom"/"Earache My Eye" (live) (Spinal Tap)/(Tommy Chong, Gaye DeLorme, Richard Marin)

Chart positions

References