As a former heroin junkie myself, i have a different point of view to this song than some might- Ok, I think it's very generalized to say "it's about depression", and few people on this site got it right, at least in my opinion that is. Smolten Grove hit the points on the head, though. It makes perfect sense that it is about drug addiction- to ANY drug, but I think it may be heroin specifically, for a number of reasons. First of all, the point in time of this being written/released, it was a big epidemic, but especially in the grunge and rock scene! Think Kurt, Layne, Andrew Wood (Mother Love Bone frontman), Scott Weiland, and MANY others! More rockstars than not, at that point in time! Heroin IS black (on the west-coast, it is..) so I can't help but wonder if it is almost to be taken LITERAL...Fell on BLACK days. People even CALL heroin "black" out here, so..And in a way it IS about depression, but more a more specific kind- addiction IS depressing! So yes. Also, Chris was very close to/and once was roommates with Andrew Wood, who died in 1995 from a heroin overdose, as did many other more high-profile rockstars that were acquaintances and friends. So it could be written from their point of view, or maybe Chris himself had delved into using it at some points..And I think what brings this point home is "I want to know, if this could be my fate"..because once you NEED a drug, especially a drug like heroin, you start to feel like it is inescapable no matter how bad you want to get away from it, and you can often end up feeling defeated enough that you just resignedly accept that this is how things are now and always will be, that this was your fate, you made your bed and will now have to lie in it forever. I know I felt that way, and I know most people do, sooner or later. You just reach that point where you can't help yourself, so you feel like it is fated.
This is a special song to me. It came on the car radio when I was on my way home after a month alone in a spectacular fire lookout, back in 89 or 94 or whenever this song was new. A month alone always makes one sensitive. I was stunned, listening to this song. I was in tears. And then I couldn't find out who or what it was, not for months. I had listened to one of Soundgarden's early albums and I wasn't impressed; I'm still not, with their early work. It just isn't there yet. They're amateurish. So...
This is a special song to me. It came on the car radio when I was on my way home after a month alone in a spectacular fire lookout, back in 89 or 94 or whenever this song was new. A month alone always makes one sensitive. I was stunned, listening to this song. I was in tears. And then I couldn't find out who or what it was, not for months. I had listened to one of Soundgarden's early albums and I wasn't impressed; I'm still not, with their early work. It just isn't there yet. They're amateurish. So eventually I found out, and got the next two albums, and love them.
So when I first came to this thread and read it, I couldn't believe that no one but me hears the first stanza tell how things used to be fine, and "now I'm doing time," and no one but me thinks, "This is a convict singing." You know, as in "doing time?" That's where the expression comes from. Does anyone out there know that? Unable to fly? Hands tied?
Well, one person got it, he was reminded of when he was arrested, but wasn't clear that that's what the song is about.
So then I had to ask myself if it made any difference: either way, prison is being used as a metaphor for a bad time, so does it matter? My way, Chris Cornell who was never in prison is singing a song for millions of listeners who were never in prison, and he chooses to use prison as a metaphor which will help make it more vivid for us to think about depression.
Everyone else is just hearing the everyday cliche "doing time," which is most often used to say that a person is bored with their life and vaguely supposes that something may come along sooner or later to engage them fully in their own life. It hints at a bit of self-pity for a person who is merely unengaged in their life to use an expression originally used by convicts to describe prison terms. But the rest of the song offers plenty to convey the idea of deep failure and depression.
Still, I think it's more dramatic and poetic to hear a prisoner regretting a life fallen on black days, and its his own fault for having harmed others. And he remembers his early promise, his potential for good. The anguished chorus, How would I know that this could be my fate?
PS. I've never understood "Sure don't mind the change." What change? The change in his life that the whole rest of the song describes is tragic for him.
Very good explanation. So very true in my own mind. My wife loves this song, I on the other hand can no longer listen to it because of what it reminds me of. It among other bands like it remind me to much of the days i wanted to end it all. Actually just got into an argument about this band because she came in all hyped up because her friend is going to see them in NYC tonight and I don't care.
Very good explanation. So very true in my own mind. My wife loves this song, I on the other hand can no longer listen to it because of what it reminds me of. It among other bands like it remind me to much of the days i wanted to end it all. Actually just got into an argument about this band because she came in all hyped up because her friend is going to see them in NYC tonight and I don't care.
@crushedbyeyeliner sorry 1 more thing, "sure don't mind the change", in my mind, he enjoys his addiction to heroin more than any other drug. (no one sings like you anymore)...
@crushedbyeyeliner sorry 1 more thing, "sure don't mind the change", in my mind, he enjoys his addiction to heroin more than any other drug. (no one sings like you anymore)...
Yeah not about jail. "Hands are for shaking not tying" probably relates to tying off to shoot. But either way, heroin does imprisson you. "How would i know this could be my fate" I feel is saying you don't expect to be an addict when you first try it, you dont think one day its gonna make you so sick, that you'll do anything to fucking get it. Heroin is the worst drug there is, its the devil, I hate it. But that's because I use. You want help until your 3 days in and you just can't do...
Yeah not about jail. "Hands are for shaking not tying" probably relates to tying off to shoot. But either way, heroin does imprisson you. "How would i know this could be my fate" I feel is saying you don't expect to be an addict when you first try it, you dont think one day its gonna make you so sick, that you'll do anything to fucking get it. Heroin is the worst drug there is, its the devil, I hate it. But that's because I use. You want help until your 3 days in and you just can't do it, cuz the pain, or because your being obligated to work or some shit, how you gonna work when walking up 4 steps is a work out ....
@crushedbyeyeliner sure don't mind the change... Refer to slaves and bulldozers.. (laughing everytime I toke).. He went from smoking heroin to shooting up.. Quite a change..
@crushedbyeyeliner sure don't mind the change... Refer to slaves and bulldozers.. (laughing everytime I toke).. He went from smoking heroin to shooting up.. Quite a change..
As a former heroin junkie myself, i have a different point of view to this song than some might- Ok, I think it's very generalized to say "it's about depression", and few people on this site got it right, at least in my opinion that is. Smolten Grove hit the points on the head, though. It makes perfect sense that it is about drug addiction- to ANY drug, but I think it may be heroin specifically, for a number of reasons. First of all, the point in time of this being written/released, it was a big epidemic, but especially in the grunge and rock scene! Think Kurt, Layne, Andrew Wood (Mother Love Bone frontman), Scott Weiland, and MANY others! More rockstars than not, at that point in time! Heroin IS black (on the west-coast, it is..) so I can't help but wonder if it is almost to be taken LITERAL...Fell on BLACK days. People even CALL heroin "black" out here, so..And in a way it IS about depression, but more a more specific kind- addiction IS depressing! So yes. Also, Chris was very close to/and once was roommates with Andrew Wood, who died in 1995 from a heroin overdose, as did many other more high-profile rockstars that were acquaintances and friends. So it could be written from their point of view, or maybe Chris himself had delved into using it at some points..And I think what brings this point home is "I want to know, if this could be my fate"..because once you NEED a drug, especially a drug like heroin, you start to feel like it is inescapable no matter how bad you want to get away from it, and you can often end up feeling defeated enough that you just resignedly accept that this is how things are now and always will be, that this was your fate, you made your bed and will now have to lie in it forever. I know I felt that way, and I know most people do, sooner or later. You just reach that point where you can't help yourself, so you feel like it is fated.
This is a special song to me. It came on the car radio when I was on my way home after a month alone in a spectacular fire lookout, back in 89 or 94 or whenever this song was new. A month alone always makes one sensitive. I was stunned, listening to this song. I was in tears. And then I couldn't find out who or what it was, not for months. I had listened to one of Soundgarden's early albums and I wasn't impressed; I'm still not, with their early work. It just isn't there yet. They're amateurish. So...
This is a special song to me. It came on the car radio when I was on my way home after a month alone in a spectacular fire lookout, back in 89 or 94 or whenever this song was new. A month alone always makes one sensitive. I was stunned, listening to this song. I was in tears. And then I couldn't find out who or what it was, not for months. I had listened to one of Soundgarden's early albums and I wasn't impressed; I'm still not, with their early work. It just isn't there yet. They're amateurish. So eventually I found out, and got the next two albums, and love them.
So when I first came to this thread and read it, I couldn't believe that no one but me hears the first stanza tell how things used to be fine, and "now I'm doing time," and no one but me thinks, "This is a convict singing." You know, as in "doing time?" That's where the expression comes from. Does anyone out there know that? Unable to fly? Hands tied?
Well, one person got it, he was reminded of when he was arrested, but wasn't clear that that's what the song is about.
So then I had to ask myself if it made any difference: either way, prison is being used as a metaphor for a bad time, so does it matter? My way, Chris Cornell who was never in prison is singing a song for millions of listeners who were never in prison, and he chooses to use prison as a metaphor which will help make it more vivid for us to think about depression.
Everyone else is just hearing the everyday cliche "doing time," which is most often used to say that a person is bored with their life and vaguely supposes that something may come along sooner or later to engage them fully in their own life. It hints at a bit of self-pity for a person who is merely unengaged in their life to use an expression originally used by convicts to describe prison terms. But the rest of the song offers plenty to convey the idea of deep failure and depression.
Still, I think it's more dramatic and poetic to hear a prisoner regretting a life fallen on black days, and its his own fault for having harmed others. And he remembers his early promise, his potential for good. The anguished chorus, How would I know that this could be my fate?
PS. I've never understood "Sure don't mind the change." What change? The change in his life that the whole rest of the song describes is tragic for him.
FYI, Andy Wood died in early 1990, and then Mother Love Bone's bassist and guitarist formed Pearl Jam. Not 1995.
FYI, Andy Wood died in early 1990, and then Mother Love Bone's bassist and guitarist formed Pearl Jam. Not 1995.
Very good explanation. So very true in my own mind. My wife loves this song, I on the other hand can no longer listen to it because of what it reminds me of. It among other bands like it remind me to much of the days i wanted to end it all. Actually just got into an argument about this band because she came in all hyped up because her friend is going to see them in NYC tonight and I don't care.
Very good explanation. So very true in my own mind. My wife loves this song, I on the other hand can no longer listen to it because of what it reminds me of. It among other bands like it remind me to much of the days i wanted to end it all. Actually just got into an argument about this band because she came in all hyped up because her friend is going to see them in NYC tonight and I don't care.
@crushedbyeyeliner apply this logic to All soundgarden songs... True
@crushedbyeyeliner apply this logic to All soundgarden songs... True
@crushedbyeyeliner sorry 1 more thing, "sure don't mind the change", in my mind, he enjoys his addiction to heroin more than any other drug. (no one sings like you anymore)...
@crushedbyeyeliner sorry 1 more thing, "sure don't mind the change", in my mind, he enjoys his addiction to heroin more than any other drug. (no one sings like you anymore)...
Yeah not about jail. "Hands are for shaking not tying" probably relates to tying off to shoot. But either way, heroin does imprisson you. "How would i know this could be my fate" I feel is saying you don't expect to be an addict when you first try it, you dont think one day its gonna make you so sick, that you'll do anything to fucking get it. Heroin is the worst drug there is, its the devil, I hate it. But that's because I use. You want help until your 3 days in and you just can't do...
Yeah not about jail. "Hands are for shaking not tying" probably relates to tying off to shoot. But either way, heroin does imprisson you. "How would i know this could be my fate" I feel is saying you don't expect to be an addict when you first try it, you dont think one day its gonna make you so sick, that you'll do anything to fucking get it. Heroin is the worst drug there is, its the devil, I hate it. But that's because I use. You want help until your 3 days in and you just can't do it, cuz the pain, or because your being obligated to work or some shit, how you gonna work when walking up 4 steps is a work out ....
@crushedbyeyeliner sure don't mind the change... Refer to slaves and bulldozers.. (laughing everytime I toke).. He went from smoking heroin to shooting up.. Quite a change..
@crushedbyeyeliner sure don't mind the change... Refer to slaves and bulldozers.. (laughing everytime I toke).. He went from smoking heroin to shooting up.. Quite a change..