39 Meanings
Add Yours
Share
Q&A

Superunknown Lyrics

If this isn't what you see
It doesn't make you blind
If this doesn't make you feel
It doesn't mean you've died
Where the river's high
Where the river's high

If you don't want to be seen
You don't have to hide
If you don't want to believe
You don't have to try
To feel alive

Alive in the superunknown
First it steals your mind
And then it steals your soul

If this doesn't make you free
It doesn't mean you're tied
If this doesn't take you down
It doesn't mean you're high
If this doesn't make you smile
You don't have to cry
If this isn't making sense
It doesn't make it lies

Alive in the superunknown
First it steals your mind
And then it steals your soul

Get yourself afraid
Get yourself alone
Get yourself contained
Get yourself control

Alive in the superunknown

First it steals your mind
And then it steals your... soul
Questions and Answers

Ask specific questions and get answers to unlock more indepth meanings & facts.

39 Meanings

Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.

Cover art for Superunknown lyrics by Soundgarden

I think this song just says that everything you see or feel is what YOU take it to be. It doesnt have to be one thing or the other because it's only an opinion, and not a fact. The trick to it is, you have to remember that just because something doesnt make you cry, that doesnt mean it wont make someone else to just that. Your perception is different from anyone else's, and so you have to sometimes control that; there are more than two sides to everything. If you let just your side control you, you'll be lost in it, let it get a strong enough hold and it becomes all you can think about, then it becomes who you are.

I really am just guessing, but that's what it seems like to me...I tend to ramble a whole lot when I think.

Cover art for Superunknown lyrics by Soundgarden

I agree with most of the earlier comments about the superunknown being life/the universe/perspective.

Why is it that in almost EVERY song there are always those people adamantly thinking it's a reference to drugs???? Open your minds a little, holy shit! Maybe some songs are obviously about drugs, but it's like you pull drug usage from out of your asses sometimes. I'm against the "War on Drugs" because it's all a heaping pile of ignorance and lies. I'm for responsible recreational drug usage, but life and songs are more than just drugs...

And "Supah Dude", this song is in every way contradicting what you think it's about, by your last comment: "If you don't agree with me, you're wrong." Everything is about perspective, there is no objective right or wrong.

Cover art for Superunknown lyrics by Soundgarden

Ive always had trouble trying to interpret the lyrics in this song, because they are pretty vague.

My best guess is that Cornell is reminding us that there is probably a lot more to our existence, but we cant comprehend it for the time being because we are not advanced enough.

Cover art for Superunknown lyrics by Soundgarden

"If this isn't making sense It doesn't make it lies "

Brilliant. I'd think this song is about taking control in general.

Cover art for Superunknown lyrics by Soundgarden

The Superunknown is Life...There are things we don't know--may never know--and we have to accept that fact. Also, some things in life aren't always black and white, either/or: "If this isn't what you see It doesn't make you blind If this doesn't make you feel It doesn't mean you've died"

Cover art for Superunknown lyrics by Soundgarden

The following is nerdy: About the title word... "Super" often means "transcending", supersonic means to transcend the speed of sound... So "superunknown" could mean, what lies beyond the unknown or "above" the unknown. We are all striving to transcend or go beyond/further, but do we even know, just what it is, we're trying to transcend? So maybe the message is, that we have to figure out, where we are, where we stand and so on..., before we can go further, and this perpetual (futile) striving is actually holding us back... Because it isn't grounded in reality. What steals your mind and then your soul could be ambition. The verses speak of making peace with your mind. Don't overthink things...

Cover art for Superunknown lyrics by Soundgarden

I think xvelvetxkissesx is on the right path, although not sure if I agree with the whole control part at the end.

As for why it's called Superunknown I would guess its talking about the universe and life in general. It's all unknown and alot of it does not make anysense and as xvelvetxkissesx said there are many sides/perspectives to everything.

First it steals your mind - nothing makes sense Then it steals your soul - then you die

Cover art for Superunknown lyrics by Soundgarden

The superunknown, as someone said, might be life, or might be some kind of personal world in which you can lock yourself in with drugs... but I think this song is about having your own opinion and living life your own way, without subscribing to any ideals or philosophies.

Cover art for Superunknown lyrics by Soundgarden

Alive In The Superunknown.

The songwriters/composers of this song are fat and happy in the agnostic world and if you don't see things the way they do, it's perfectly OK.

the composers want masses to hear to

My Interpretation
Cover art for Superunknown lyrics by Soundgarden

I think it might be about a bad trip. I been on a few bad trips in my life and this is exactly what happened: Get yourself afraid Get yourself alone Get yourself contained Get yourself control