Drawing Flies

Soundgarden

Sitting here like uninvited company
Wallowing in my own obscenities
I share a cigarette with negativity
Sitting here like wet ashes
With x's in my eyes and drawing flies

Bathed in perspiration drowned my enemies
Used my inspiration for a guillotine
I fire a loaded mental cannon to the page

Leaning on the pedestal that holds my self denial
Firing the pistol that shoots my holy pride
Sitting here like wet ashes
With x's in my eyes, and drawing flies

I'll say hey, what you yelling
About, conditions, permission, mirrored self affliction
Hey, what you yellin' about sadist's
Co-addiction, perfect analogies
Hey, what you yellin' about conditions
Permission mirrored self affliction

Leaning on the pedestal that holds my self denial
Firing the pistol that shoots my holy pride
Sitting here like wet ashes with x's in my eyes
And drawing flies (flies)

Sitting here like uninvited company
Wallowing in my own obscenities
Share a cigarette with negativity
Leaning on the pedestal that holds my self denial
Firing the pistol that shoots my holy pride
Sitting here like wet ashes
With x's in my eyes and drawing flies

(Flies)


Lyrics submitted by jt, edited by azkm

Drawing Flies Lyrics as written by Cornell Cameron

Lyrics © HIPGNOSIS SONGS GROUP, Peermusic Publishing

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Drawing Flies song meanings
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17 Comments

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  • +1
    General CommentMy brother read all about his favourite bands when he was in high school, including Soundgarden. He told me a while back that this song was written by Cornell when he was out in a cabin by himself trying to write songs, and ended up going almost insane. He said this was the last song he wrote. So you know, it is a crazy song, kinda sounds like he's just going insane and writing what he's doing and thinking about.

    "Used my inspiration for a guillotine, I fire a loaded mental cannon to the page"
    Yep, seems like he just put his insanity on paper.
    sneaky jellyfishon January 02, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General CommentTruly an artist's burden.
    Nightflyon March 08, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Commentwierd i always thought the song was about something along those lines
    i mean he is'sitting here' so i would think he is concetrating on something he has x's in his eyes so i am sure he tired
    i love it
    he is'drawing' so it really suggests he is busy writing down what he is thinking
    'inspiration for a guillotine' etc'
    ThayilBeGodon December 25, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Commenthow cool is the trumpet in the background
    ThayilBeGodon December 25, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Commentwriters block, and he is feeling insecure "Leaning on the pedestal that holds my self denial"
    about his own lyrical ability...
    and i love the bit where it seems like he is attacking himself and what he does.

    "Hey what you yellin' about
    Conditions, permission, mirrored self-affliction
    Hey what you yellin' about
    Sadists' co-addiction, perfect analogies
    Hey what you yellin' about
    Conditions, permission, mirrored self-affliction"
    etc
    i always hated the idea of writing a song about writers block until i realised that was what this is about,
    ThayilBeGodon January 07, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentIsn't it ironic that a song about having nothing to write about could be such a lyrical masterpiece? Genius.
    AntiPop245on January 16, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Commentsneaky... was definitely not the last song he wrote...
    Soungarden released numerous albums after badmotorfinger, chris cornell wrote a solo album, and now even after Soundgarden broke up he is still writing with the instrumentalists from rage against the machine (new band Audioslave), Chris Cornell is not hospitalized for mental instability. But yes it is a fantastic song and should be read to fit yourself, it shouldnt mean the same thing to two people. And it is a well written song relating a struggle of the mind
    AncientRhythmon April 13, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentMaybe sneaky jellyfish meant The last song he wrote IN THE CABIN, not wrote period.
    Topchrison August 05, 2006   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning"Sitting here like wet ashes with X's in my eyes
    And drawing flies"

    This part is clearly referring to death, wet ashes = gray skin, X's in the eyes = cartoon symbol for death, and drawing flies = the flies coming to lay their eggs, in his body.

    "Sitting here like uninvited company
    Wallowing in my own obscenities
    I share a cigarette with negativity"

    Uninvited company could mean he felt unwanted, in the way, and could be talking about how he felt as a part of the band?.

    Wallowing is his own obscenities, fairly obvious, hes thinking about his flaws and such.

    And sharing the third line, hes aware that he is being negative about his abbilities, and himself as a person.
    Shimigami777on April 01, 2009   Link
  • 0
    My InterpretationI don't like to give a meaning for songs because I think everyone should interpret songs the way they want to, but to me this song is about the grunge movement in general:
    "Sitting here like uninvited company
    Wallowing in my own obscenities
    I share a cigarette with negativity
    Sitting here like wet ashes with X's in my eyes
    And drawing flies"
    I think that is about the way the grunge movement is kind of about being dirty and the line :drawing flies" means that he is so dirty that flies are attracted.

    I also think that the chorus could be about writers' block.
    DIYPunk79on May 13, 2009   Link

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