Black Hole Sun

Infobox Single
Name = Black Hole Sun


Artist = Soundgarden
from Album = Superunknown
B-side = "Like Suicide" (acoustic) / "Kickstand" (live)
Released = 1994
Format = CD single, Cassette, Vinyl
Recorded = July 1993 – September 1993 at Bad Animals Studio, Seattle, Washington
Genre = Grunge
Length = 5:18
Label = A&M
Writer = Chris Cornell
Producer = Michael Beinhorn, Soundgarden
Certification =
Last single = "The Day I Tried to Live" (1994)
This single = "Black Hole Sun" (1994)
Next single = "My Wave" (1994)Extra tracklisting
Album = Superunknown
Type = studio
prev_track = "Head Down"
prev_no = Track 6
this_track = "Black Hole Sun"
track_no = Track 7
next_track = "Spoonman"
next_no = Track 8Audiosample
Upper caption = Audio sample
Audio file = BlackHoleSun.OGG"Black Hole Sun" is a song by the American rock band Soundgarden, released in 1994 as the third single from the band's fourth studio album, "Superunknown" (1994). It is arguably the band's most recognizable and most popular song. The song topped the "Billboard" Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. It would later appear on the band's greatest hits album "A-Sides" and the 2007 Chris Cornell compilation "The Roads We Choose - A Retrospective".

Origin and recording

The song was written by frontman Chris Cornell. Cornell said that he wrote the song in about 15 minutes. [http://web.stargate.net/soundgarden/articles/kerr_3-1-97.shtml "Gardener's Question Time"] . "Kerrang!". March 1, 1997.] Cornell came up with the song while using a Leslie speaker. Guitarist Kim Thayil said that the Leslie speaker was perfect for the song as "it's very Beatlesque and has a distinctive sound." [Gilbert, Jeff. [http://web.stargate.net/soundgarden/articles/guitarworld_5-94.shtml "Sleepless in Seattle"] . "Guitar World". May 1994.] The song was performed in drop D tuning. Drummer Matt Cameron called the song "a huge departure."Clay, Jennifer. [http://web.stargate.net/soundgarden/articles/rip_6-96.shtml "Soundgarden: Painting Beautiful Pictures"] . "RIP Magazine". June 1996.]

Lyrics

Cornell stated, "It's just sort of a surreal dreamscape, a weird, play-with-the-title kind of song." [ [http://web.stargate.net/soundgarden/articles/rip_4-94.shtml "Soundgarden: The Badass Seed"] . "Rip Magazine". April 1994.] He also said that "lyrically it's probably the closest to me just playing with words for words' sake, of anything I've written. I guess it worked for a lot of people who heard it, but I have no idea how you'd begin to take that one literally." [Crisafulli, Chuck. [http://web.stargate.net/soundgarden/articles/request_6-96.shtml "Rogues Gallery"] . "Request". June 1996.] In another interview he elaborated further, stating, "It's funny because hits are usually sort of congruent, sort of an identifiable lyric idea, and that song pretty much had none. The chorus lyric is kind of beautiful and easy to remember. Other than that, I sure didn't have an understanding of it after I wrote it. I was just sucked in by the music and I was painting a picture with the lyrics. There was no real idea to get across." Commenting upon how the song was misinterpreted as being positive, Cornell said, "No one seems to get this, but "Black Hole Sun" is sad. But because the melody is really pretty, everyone thinks it's almost chipper, which is ridiculous." [True, Everett. [http://web.stargate.net/soundgarden/articles/mm_3-19-94.shtml "Journey into the Superunknown"] . "Melody Maker". March 19, 1994.] When asked about the line, "Times are gone for honest men", Cornell said:

It's really difficult for a person to create their own life and their own freedom. It's going to become more and more difficult, and it's going to create more and more disillusioned people who become dishonest and angry and are willing to fuck the next guy to get what they want. There's so much stepping on the backs of other people in our profession. We've been so lucky that we've never had to do that. Part of it was because of our own tenacity, and part of it was because we were lucky. [Foege, Alec. [http://web.stargate.net/soundgarden/articles/rs_1-12-95.shtml "The End of Innocence"] . "Rolling Stone". January 12, 1995.]

Release and reception

"Black Hole Sun" was released in the summer of 1994 and became the most successful song from "Superunknown" on the American rock charts and arguably the band's most recognizable and popular song. It appeared on "Billboard" magazine's Hot 100 Airplay chart, reaching the top 30. The following week it debuted on the Top 40 Mainstream, where it peaked at number nine in its eighth week and remained on the chart until its twentieth week. The song peaked at number one on the "Billboard" Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number two on the "Billboard" Modern Rock Tracks chart. In 1995 it won the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song.cite web| url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1995/grammys.htm |title=37th Grammy Awards - 1995
publisher=Rockonthenet.com |accessdate=2007-12-08]

Outside of the United States, the single was released in Australia, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. In Canada, the song reached the top ten on the Canadian Singles Chart. It remained in the top ten for three weeks and became the band's highest charted song in Canada. "Black Hole Sun" reached the UK Top 20 and was the last single from the album which charted in the UK Top 20. The song remains the band's highest charting single in the United Kingdom to date. "Black Hole Sun" debuted at number ten in Australia but quickly descended the chart, however widespread airplay and a promotional visit to Australia stimulated a resurgence of interest in "Superunknown". "Black Hole Sun" would peak at number six on the Australian Singles Chart. "Black Hole Sun" reached the top 30 in Germany, the Netherlands, and New Zealand, and was a top ten success in Australia, France, Ireland, and Latvia. It was a moderate top 20 success in Sweden. The single has sold over 3 million copies worldwide. [cite web | url = http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:gifixqr5ld0e~T1 | title = Soundgarden > Biography | accessdate=2008-08-11 | last = Erlewine | first = Stephen Thomas | work =Allmusic]

Greg Prato of Allmusic called the song "one of the few bright spots" of the summer of 1994 when "the world was still reeling from Nirvana leader Kurt Cobain's suicide the previous April." He said, "The song had a psychedelic edge to it (especially evident in the verse's guitar part), as the composition shifted between sedate melodicism and gargantuan guitar riffs. The lyrics were classic Chris Cornell — lines didn't exactly make sense on paper but did within the song." [Prato, Greg. [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=33:wvfixxqsld0e "Black Hole Sun > Review"] . Allmusic. Retrieved on May 19, 2008.] J.D. Considine of "Rolling Stone" stated, "With its yearning, Lennonesque melody and watery, Harrisonstyle guitar, "Black Hole Sun" is a wonderful exercise in Beatleisms; trouble is, it's not a very good song, offering more in the way of mood and atmosphere than melodic direction." [Consideine, J.D. [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/soundgarden/albums/album/112428/review/5942536/superunknown "Soundgarden: "Superunknown"] . "Rolling Stone". July 31, 1997.] The solo for "Black Hole Sun", performed by Thayil, was ranked number 63 on "Guitar World"'s list of the "100 Greatest Guitar Solos", [http://guitar.about.com/library/bl100greatest.htm "100 Greatest Guitar Solos"] . "Guitar World". 2007.] and number 56 on "Total Guitar"'s list of the "100 Hottest Guitar Solos"."100 Hottest Guitar Solos". "Total Guitar". May 2006.] The song was included on VH1's countdown of the "100 Greatest Songs of the '90s" at number 25.cite web
url = http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/the_greatest/127759/episode_featured_copy.jhtml
publisher = VH1
title = VH1: 100 Greatest Songs of the '90s
accessdate = 2008-08-09]

After the September 11, 2001 attacks, Clear Channel included the song on its list of possibly inappropriate songs.

"Black Hole Sun" is a playable song in the game "Rock Band". The song is also available in the game "".

Music video

than the original. Thayil said that the video was one of the few Soundgarden videos the band was satisfied with. [Maloof, Rich. [http://web.stargate.net/soundgarden/articles/guitar_7-96.shtml "Kim Thayil of Soundgarden: Down on the Upbeat"] . "Guitar Magazine". July 1996.]

The music video for "Black Hole Sun" became a hit on MTV and received the award for Best Metal/Hard Rock Video at the 1994 MTV Video Music Awards. [cite web| url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1994/mtvvmas.htm |title=1994 MTV Video Music Awards |publisher=Rockonthenet.com |accessdate=2008-02-20] In 1995, it received the Clio Award for Alternative Music Video. [cite web| url=http://www.clioawards.com/archive/index.cfm |title=Clio Awards Search Archive |publisher=clioawards.com |accessdate=2008-02-20] The video is available on the CD-ROM "Alive in the Superunknown".

Live performances

Cornell performed a solo version of the song on his "Euphoria Morning" tour and Live Earth set. It was also performed by Cornell's former band, Audioslave, on its "Out of Exile" tour and during its Live 8 performance. A performance of the song by Cornell can be found on the Audioslave DVD "Live in Cuba", which was filmed at the band's concert in Havana, Cuba. The song was performed by Cornell during the 2008 Projekt Revolution Tour, with Cornell only singing, not playing guitar. This switch was possibly made because Cornell sometimes crowd surfs during the song.

Cover versions

"Black Hole Sun" has been covered by numerous artists. One of the first cover recordings was a jazz version by Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé on the 1997 compilation album, "Lounge-A-Palooza". The singer-songwriter Paul Anka gave "Black Hole Sun" a swing treatment on his 2005 album "Rock Swings". Peter Frampton covered "Black Hole Sun" on his 2006 instrumental album, "Fingerprints". Frampton was joined on the track by Cameron and Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready. A cover was also done by the band Copeland which was featured on the 2006 compilation album "Punk Goes '90s". An instrumental version of the song by The Moog Cookbook appears on the band's 1995 self-titled debut album, performed entirely using vintage analog synthesizers. In 2008, the Brad Mehldau Trio covered "Black Hole Sun" on the band's "Live" album (recorded in late 2006), working the song's verse and chorus melodies into a 23 minute long extemporaneous jazz piece.

In addition to cover versions, "Black Hole Sun" has also inspired a few parodies. "Weird Al" Yankovic parodied the song in 1996 with "The Alternative Polka", a polka medley entirely made up of alternative rock songs, from the 1996 album "Bad Hair Day".

Track listing

;Radio Promo CD
#"Black Hole Sun" (Chris Cornell) – 5:18
#"Black Hole Sun" (edit) (Cornell)

;European/German CD #1
#"Black Hole Sun" (Cornell) – 5:18
#"Like Suicide" (acoustic) (Cornell) – 6:11
#"Kickstand" (live) (Cornell, Kim Thayil) – 1:58

;European CD #2
#"Black Hole Sun" (Cornell) – 5:18
#"Jesus Christ Pose" (live) (Matt Cameron, Cornell, Ben Shepherd, Thayil)
#"My Wave" (live) (Cornell, Thayil)
#"Spoonman" (Steve Fisk remix) (Cornell)

;UK Box Set
#"Black Hole Sun" (Cornell) – 5:18
#"Beyond the Wheel" (live) (Cornell)
#"Fell on Black Days" (live) (Cornell)
#"Birth Ritual" (demo) (Cornell, Cameron, Thayil);Australian/German CD #2
#"Black Hole Sun" (Cornell) – 5:18
#"Jesus Christ Pose" (live) (Cameron, Cornell, Shepherd, Thayil)
#"Beyond the Wheel" (live) (Cornell)

;Promo CD
#"Black Hole Sun" (Cornell) – 5:18
#"Beyond the Wheel" (live) (Cornell)
#"Spoonman" (Steve Fisk remix) (Cornell)

;UK Picture 7", Cassette Single
#"Black Hole Sun" (Cornell) – 5:18
#"My Wave" (live) (Cornell, Thayil)
#"Beyond the Wheel" (live) (Cornell)

;French Promo 12"
#"Black Hole Sun" (Cornell) – 5:18

;Jukebox 7"
#"Black Hole Sun" (Cornell) – 5:18
#"Spoonman" (Cornell) – 4:06

Chart positions

Accolades

The information regarding accolades attributed to "Black Hole Sun" is adapted in part from AcclaimedMusic.net.Cite web|url=http://www.acclaimedmusic.net/061024/S107.htm|title="Black Hole Sun" accolades|accessdate=2008-05-06|publisher=Acclaimed Music]

References

External links

* [http://www.schnittberichte.com/schnittbericht.php?ID=3065 Day and night version of the video compared with many screenshots and German comments]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=33:1cnyxdyb5ozg Allmusic review of "Black Hole Sun"]