Sharifu

I heard ‘blah blah blah black hole sun blah blah blah’ says Chris Cornell to Uncut Magazine, reports American Songwriter in an article titled Behind The Meaning of Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden.

“I wrote it in my head driving home from Bear Creek Studio in Woodinville, a 35–40 minute drive from Seattle.” Regarding how the song makes people feel, lead guitarist Kim Thayil said the song “wasn’t safe as milk, but it wasn’t glass in someone’s eye either. It was the spoonful of sugar that helps the medicine go down. Now it’s the ‘Dream On’ of our [Soundgarden’s] set.”

Listening to beautiful songs like that by Chris Cornell, one can only feel a bit sad as to how he and others have left the world. I know this isn’t exactly how it went down, but here’s how it felt - one minute Chris Cornell was lost to his depression and rapidly after, Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington would follow in the same tragic manner. “Black hole sun, black hole sun, won’t you come?”

The song is cryptic but it just makes you feel that hunger for light and love and good, that can sometimes feel impossible to satiate. When I think of losing these two artists, those lyrics really resonate with me. Won’t you come [back]?

“Times are gone for honest men, and sometimes far too long for snakes”

— Chris Cornell, Black Hole Sun

What is the relationship between musicians and mental health issues? Do you need a touch of depression to come up with songs like this? Is writing a sad song just another form of unhealthy rumination?

First, let’s talk about how these lyrics for Black Hole Sun came about, as told on the Howard Stern show. “I loved that guy’s voice, I loved his look, loved the way he played the guitar … and now he’s gone,” Howard would later say of the late rock star…

HOW CHRIS CORNELL WROTE THE LYRICS FOR BLACK HOLE SUN

“I was in my car driving along at 4am when I wrote that song [in my head]…” starts Chris Cornell in the above interview with Howard Stern. “I raced and tried to keep it revolving in my head… I whistled it into a tape recorder just in case I forgot it”

Howard Stern, baffled, asked “so you heard it in your head almost like you were listening to the radio?” Chris just nodded “exactly.”

That’s one interesting way to come up with a song.

Chris Cornell passed on May 18th, 2017. And Chest Bennington passed on July 20th, 2017, just two months after…

All we know is that they were close friends, and that Chester was deeply affected by Cornell’s passing.

Perhaps it is no coincidence that Bennington’s tragic passing came on Cornell’s birthday, July 20th…

Losing a friend

On Instagram, Chester wrote:

“I dreamt about the Beatles last night. I woke up with Rocky Raccoon playing in my head and a concerned look on my wife’s face. She told me my friend had just passed away. Thoughts of you flooded my mind and I wept.” IMDb+3Good Things Guy+3Rolling Out+3
“I’m still weeping, with sadness, as well as gratitude for having shared some very special moments with you and your beautiful family.” Good Things Guy+1
“You have inspired me in many ways you could never have known.” Good Things Guy+1
“I can’t imagine a world without you in it, I pray you find peace in the next life.” IMDb+3News24+3Rolling Out+3

CONFESSION

Music is so beautiful. I don’t think that the people who make the type of music that Chris Cornell made had a choice in their profession - I think they are called to it. I think the lyrics hit them at random moments and they have to get them out, like at 4am while driving, as happened for Cornell. I don’t think he could have done anything else for long.

I mean, just imagine him answering emails in a cubicle - yeah, no way.

At Cornell’s funeral, Chester performed “Hallelujah” - it would be very difficult to not be affected by this loss for Chester and from experience, the few friends I’ve lost to suicide still come to mind from time to time and just leave me with this painful feeling - the kind that makes you hold your breath and push tears away. You wish they could come back, you wish you could’ve said something to help… “black hole sun, won’t you come?”

For Cornell, his pain ended, but for Chester, the pain grew to an unbearable level and in a terrible cycle, he succumbed to it. And what about among the fans? The “Werther” effect states that celebrity suicides can increase the number of suicides that happen among regular folk, some estimates say by 8-18% for 1-2 months. There's a contagion element to this.

In the end you can’t fault anyone for taking that route. It’s just all the more bittersweet when you think of the memories and messages they left us.

Having had thoughts like that myself, I just want to say that it gets better and that sometimes you just need to ride out the feelings and darkness.

There is so much light and beauty in this world. Music is one of those amazing things that make life magical and interesting.

So, if you’re anything like me, and you find yourself listening to a song like “black hole sun” and wondering how something so beautiful can come from someone so troubled - don’t judge.

Just enjoy the gift they left us, pray they found peace, and that you have more courage to face your demons for good…

Lets learn GUITAR together.

Full “Black Hole Sun” lyrics

Lyrics

In my eyes
Indisposed
In disguises no one knows
Hides the face
Lies the snake
And the sun in my disgrace
Boiling heat
Summer stench
Neath the black, the sky looks dead
Call my name
Through the cream
And I'll hear you scream again

Black hole sun
Won't you come
And wash away the rain?
Black hole sun
Won't you come
Won't you come
Won't you come

Stuttering
Cold and damp
Steal the warm wind, tired friend
Times are gone
For honest men
Sometimes, far too long for snakes
In my shoes
Walking sleep
In my youth, I pray to keep
Heaven send
Hell away
No one sings like you anymore

Black hole sun
Won't you come
And wash away the rain?
Black hole sun
Won't you come
Won't you come

Hang my head
Drown my fear
Till you all just disappear

Black hole sun
Won't you come
And wash away the rain?
Black hole sun
Won't you come
Won't you come

Black hole sun
Won't you come
And wash away the rain?
Black hole sun
Won't you come
Won't you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won't you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won't you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won't you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won't you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won't you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won't you come
Won't you come

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Overcast by Chris Cornell's "Black Hole Sun" Song Lyrics

HOW CHRIS CORNELL WROTE THE LYRICS FOR BLACK HOLE SUN

Losing a friend

CONFESSION

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