For some reason I had a "memory" that this song was inspired by a novel but that's probably wrong.
It's based on Kim's personal experiences and according to him, "it's about a life-and-death match between an individual and a less specifically defined entity" - KERRANG!, March 16, 1996. The lyrics suggest that the voice in the song is the victor in the end, presumably due to their ambition, creativity, resourcefulness, and heart, all of which the machine lacks.
The machine is probably a metaphor. Kim stated that "It's not about computers" - CMJ New Music Monthly, July 1996.
In any case, this is one of Soundgarden's most interesting songs.
For some reason I had a "memory" that this song was inspired by a novel but that's probably wrong.
It's based on Kim's personal experiences and according to him, "it's about a life-and-death match between an individual and a less specifically defined entity" - KERRANG!, March 16, 1996. The lyrics suggest that the voice in the song is the victor in the end, presumably due to their ambition, creativity, resourcefulness, and heart, all of which the machine lacks.
The machine is probably a metaphor. Kim stated that "It's not about computers" - CMJ New Music Monthly, July 1996.
In any case, this is one of Soundgarden's most interesting songs.