And with the early dawn moving right along
Couldn't buy an eyeful of sleep
And in the aching night under satellites
I was not received

Built with stolen parts, a telephone in my heart
Someone get me a priest
To put my mind to bed, this ringing in my head
Is this a cure or is this a disease?

Nail in my hand from my creator
You gave me life, now show me how to live
Nail in my hand from my creator
You gave me life, now show me how to live

And in the afterbirth, on the quiet earth
Let the stains remind you
You thought you made a man, you better think again
Before my role defines you

Nail in my hand from my creator
You gave me life, now show me how to live
Nail in my hand from my creator
You gave me life, now show me how to live

And in your waiting hands, I will land
And roll out of my skin
And in your final hours, I will stand
Ready to begin

Ready to begin
Ready to begin
Ready to begin

Nail in my hand from my creator
You gave me life, now show me how to live
Nail in my hand from my creator
You gave me life, now show me how to live

Show me how to live
Show me how to live
Show me how to live
Show me how to live


Lyrics submitted by ruben, edited by Razgreez, Snowdog2112Rob, Grim_Poet

Show Me How to Live Lyrics as written by Chris Cornell Brad Wilk

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Hipgnosis Songs Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Show Me How to Live song meanings
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116 Comments

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  • +10
    General Comment

    It has nothing to do with god or religion. Seriously guys? No one caught on that this entire song is a giant reference to Mary Shelly's Frankenstein?

    'I was not received - but with stolen parts' is a reference to Frankenstein's "monster" not being created by traditional means ('received' is a colloquialism for childbirth), but instead being created from various body parts stolen from dead bodies. Hence "but with stolen parts".

    'Nail in my head from my creator' is a reference to the procedure by which Victor Frankenstein's "monster" was created.

    'You gave me a life, now show me how to live' is a reference to what the "monster" tells Frankenstein. The monster resents Frankenstein for creating and then immediately abandoning him. Never showing him what to do with his life or how to deal with the people that fear him.

    'Is this a cure, or is this a disease' is a reference to Frankenstein's motives. He created the "monster" in hopes of finding a 'cure' for death. But instead all it brought was unimaginable horrors and grief. For the monster, Frankenstein, and the town's people it turned out to be more 'disease' than cure.

    'You thought you made a man - You better think again' is a reference again to Frankenstein's initial expectations for what he was creating. And then subsequent fear and horror. 'before my role defines you' is a reference to the way Frankenstein's life, once normal and wholesome, becomes defined by the existence of the "monster", to whom, after losing everything he loves, he follows all the way to the north pole.

    'Somebody get me a priest' is a reference to the "monster's" struggle with whether or not he has a soul. Whether he is worthy of happiness and life, or if he should be doomed to torment.

    'And in your final hours - I will stand - Ready to begin' is a reference to the "monster's" reaction upon finding his creator dead. Because he thinks of Frankenstein - his creator - as his father, he immolates himself with his father's burning body on a pyre, now sorrowful and angry at himself for all the grief he selfishly caused his father. He dies with him, ironically ready to begin his life as it should be. Which is to say, finally dead.

    rufsketch1on September 13, 2011   Link
  • +6
    General Comment

    Just because Chris Cornell wouldn't define himself as a Catholic or a Christian doesn't mean he can't sing a song with strong Christ-related references in it to question why he is on earth and why God created him. I know next to nothing about him or the bands he's been in, but I do know that seeking purpose in life is pretty much universal and if you've been immersed in a religious setting as a child that stuff stays with you in some way, even if you rebel.

    "Show me how to live" is a great thing to say to God, actually.

    jenbebeon April 24, 2005   Link
  • +5
    General Comment

    Classic song,like most Audioslave songs it is a deep as you want it to be,but it sure is a great song.

    Razormasticatoron June 29, 2003   Link
  • +5
    General Comment

    Read Frankenstein, please. It's all there. The Modern Prometheus and the responsibility that comes when we try to play the role of god, using science or any other means.

    MagnusonParkon October 20, 2011   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    This is probably my favorite Audioslave song... Doesnt this song just make you wanna run wild? Or is that just me

    Darkstar Battalionon May 05, 2004   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    I was born with birth defects and was sent home the day I was born on the condition I would die quickly. 9 days later I turned blue, but instead of letting me die my mother demanded that they save me. What a mistake, I had to live with a colostomy as a child and had numerous invasive procedures done to me. I relate to this song a lot, especially the built with stolen parts part. This song came on today and word for word I relate to it. I always felt like a monster in a way, even though they removed my colostomy, the memories of the horror of it remain. Darkest comment I ever posted, luckily nobody knows who I am here.

    brokentelephone78on September 08, 2016   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    to me this song has always been associated with the fact that we as humans have no idea what our true purpose in life is. A lot of these lines refer to our creator, so i think he's kind of directly asking to be told what our purpose is. I dunno, that's just what i've always thought about this song. great song.

    Pushit117on May 11, 2004   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    Ohhhh! Scratch that! I just remembered my olllld thoughts on this song. Its about Jesus! I think its about a human view of Jesus as a man with human thoughts and emotions.

    1) Jesus is a drifter...a vagabond who moves with the early dawn

    2) In the most difficult trials of Jesus (temptation by the devil, crucifixion), his prayers (satellites) are not answered by God (he is not recieved)

    3) The telephone in the heart and ringing in the head signify Jesus' sort of 'direct line' to God and to man...something he can't turn off even when he wants to (wouldn't that drive you crazy?)

    4) The chorus is Jesus begging God for direction in life (Jesus was sort of plopped on earth without a manual)

    5) The bit about the afterbirth represents all time after the crucifixion on earth when Christianity is born (as a big scary force). God's creation of Jesus as a man is changed by the religion and instead of the mouthpiece of the New Covenant, Jesus becomes the Deity Himself.

    6) The "final hours bit is like above, but about the death of Jesus. Then its about all time after the crucifixion (in heaven) when at armageddon, Jesus is ready to begin the new kingdom.

    Just my take...

    fortheloveon June 30, 2004   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    It seemingly has something to do with stigmata with the line "Nail in my hand"

    Zlpemplehon May 19, 2004   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    like previous posters had mentioned imdb.com/title/tt0067927/

    fractured_sanityon September 30, 2005   Link

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