In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
I got up feeling so down
I got off being sold out
I've kept the movie rolling
But the story's getting old now, oh yeah
I just looked in the mirror
And things aren't looking so good
I'm looking California and feeling Minnesota, oh yeah
(So now you know) who gets mystified
(So now you know) who gets mystified
Show me the power child
I'd like to say
That I'm down on my knees today
Yeah, it gives me the butterflies, gives me away
'Til I'm up on my feet again
Hey, I'm feeling
Oh, I'm feeling outshined, outshined, outshined, outshined
Oh yeah
Yeah
Someone let the dogs out
They'll show you where the truth is
The grass is always greener
Where the dogs are shitting, oh yeah
Well, I'm feeling that I'm sober
Even though I'm drinking
Well, I can't get any lower
Still I feel I'm sinking
(So now you know) who gets mystified
(So now you know) who gets mystified
Show me the power child
I'd like to say
That I'm down on my knees today
Yeah, it gives me the butterflies, gives me away
'Til I'm up on my feet again
I'm feeling
Oh, I'm feeling outshined, outshined, outshined, outshined
Oh yeah, ooh
Outshined, oh-oh
Oh-oh, oh
(So now you know) who gets mystified
Show me the power child
I'd like to say
That I'm down on my knees today
Yeah, it gives me butterflies, gives me away
'Til I'm up on my feet again
Oh, I'm feeling
Oh, I'm feeling
Show me the power child
I'd like to say
That I'm down on my knees today
And yeah, it gives me the butterflies, gives me away
'Til I'm up on my feet again
Oh, I'm feeling
Oh, I'm feeling
Outshined, outshined, outshined, outshined
I got off being sold out
I've kept the movie rolling
But the story's getting old now, oh yeah
I just looked in the mirror
And things aren't looking so good
I'm looking California and feeling Minnesota, oh yeah
(So now you know) who gets mystified
(So now you know) who gets mystified
Show me the power child
I'd like to say
That I'm down on my knees today
Yeah, it gives me the butterflies, gives me away
'Til I'm up on my feet again
Hey, I'm feeling
Oh, I'm feeling outshined, outshined, outshined, outshined
Oh yeah
Yeah
Someone let the dogs out
They'll show you where the truth is
The grass is always greener
Where the dogs are shitting, oh yeah
Well, I'm feeling that I'm sober
Even though I'm drinking
Well, I can't get any lower
Still I feel I'm sinking
(So now you know) who gets mystified
(So now you know) who gets mystified
Show me the power child
I'd like to say
That I'm down on my knees today
Yeah, it gives me the butterflies, gives me away
'Til I'm up on my feet again
I'm feeling
Oh, I'm feeling outshined, outshined, outshined, outshined
Oh yeah, ooh
Outshined, oh-oh
Oh-oh, oh
(So now you know) who gets mystified
Show me the power child
I'd like to say
That I'm down on my knees today
Yeah, it gives me butterflies, gives me away
'Til I'm up on my feet again
Oh, I'm feeling
Oh, I'm feeling
Show me the power child
I'd like to say
That I'm down on my knees today
And yeah, it gives me the butterflies, gives me away
'Til I'm up on my feet again
Oh, I'm feeling
Oh, I'm feeling
Outshined, outshined, outshined, outshined
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Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
n an interview, Cornell said, "I've never really been biographical in my lyrics, so when I wrote a line like "I'm looking California and feeling Minnesota" from "Outshined", it just felt refreshing."Cornell on the song: I don't know how everyone else feels but I definitely go through periods of extreme self-confidence, feeling like I can do anything. Perhaps a fan will sense that, like in a performance, and the hero image creeps out. But then someone will say something, however insignificant, or I'll get something in my head and, all of a sudden, I'm plummeting in the opposite direction, I'm a piece of shit, and I really can't do anything about it. That's where "Outshined" comes from, and why I'll never consider myself a hero.
@sepultura1987 this is the real meaning. please up-vote this paragraph
@sepultura1987 Read the book TOTAL FUCKING GODHEAD . CHRIS himself said he looked in the mirror feeling like crap one day and thought looking California and feeling Minnesota. True story. Jibes with what he said about his confidence. Thr real story folks.<br />
I always thought that "where the dogs are shedding" was actually "where the dogs are shitting"
shit me too..."when the dogs are shitting" is so much cooler
I like to think that you guys are right, and Soundgarden is wrong.
@alda It probably was, but to keep it radio-friendly (and since the two words sound so similar), they likely changed the lyrics so that no one could say otherwise
@alda It says shitting though, unless it was changed.
That's part of the art, folks - writing lyrics that sound and mean different things at the same time. Chris Cornell and Scott Weiland the best lyricists of all time.
"I'm looking California And feeling Minnesota"
One of the best lyrics ever.
Great song
No, it's "shedding" according to the lyrics booklet for Batmotorfinger
yeah, but maybe that is so it wil get played on the radio
I've read that this is about Cornell feeling "outshined" by his deceased friend, Andrew Wood (singer of Mother Love Bone). Apparently Andrew was, in Cornell's opinion, a superior lyricist, vocalist and performer and this was a song to perhaps vent a little frustration about it but also maybe as a - somehow - humbling acknowledgement.
Eddie Vedder took the place of Mother Love Bone singer Andrew Wood with Pearl Jam.
Man, I love this song. Cornell's voice is so awesome. I love the way he can hit those notes you thought you'd never hear again. I haven't heard singing like that since Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin. Really awesome song.
Alda's right, it's "shitting". awesome song. i love the music in the chorus.
I fuckin love it when Chris shouts "Show me the power Child" fuck what a lyric and its so catchy and you just go along with Chris and you sympathize with him being outshined i think its from Chris's perspective and this is quite a personal song to him i feel and personally my fav SG song ever in FACT in my top 5 songs EVER!!
(It's about a preacher/priest etc etc losing his faith.)
I got up feeling so down I got off being sold out (Feels like it's all been a lie)
I've kept the movie rolling But the story's getting old now (He keeps up the preaching, but wants evidence, it's getting old to him)
I just looked in the mirror Things aren't looking so good I'm looking California And feeling Minnesota (He looks and see's a warm happy and sunny person, but feels cold like Minnesota)
So now you know, who gets mystified Show me the power child, I'd like to say That I'm down on my knees today (Telling God, so now you know i'm losing my faith, show me this power child you sent to save us, I'll even get down on my knees and pray)
It gives me the butterflies, gives me away Till I'm up on my feet again I'm feeling outshined (He feels a bit of the love of Christ inside, till he is able to stand on his own feet/faith again, he feels "otshined" by God and Christ, They have shown Him enough.)
Someone let the dogs out They'll show you where the truth is (Somebody let the people of sin out, the non-believers, which the bible calls "dogs" and they'll show you the truth so they say)
The grass is always greener Where the dogs are shedding (Because the grass is always better on the other side of the fence, where the dogs sin/play/party. . . they want him to some on over to their side)
I'm feeling that I'm sober Even though I'm drinking I can't get any lower Still I feel I'm sinking (He's falling for it, sin, and has fallen to a new low, as low as you can go, yet he gets lower. . . so he calls out to God to be shown the "power child" that he himself preaches about)
So now you know, who gets mystified Show me the power child, I'd like to say That I'm down on my knees today It gives me the butterflies, gives me away Till I'm up on my feet again I'm feeling outshined
(OR it could be about being jumked out on meth/horse, main lining, puking up, and the dope not taking effect anymore, take your pick :)
If it weren't for this song who knows who my favorite band would've been (probably some emo shit. ugh!!!) . I never really gave a rats ass about Soundgarden till i heard this on the radio, so i went out that night and bought the cd and the rest is history. this is just an all around awesome song. I can't pick a fav. Soundgarden song because there are just too many good ones (from all 3 of their major albums) but, this one really captures all the good qualities of Soundgarden, even Matt Cameron backing vocals and kick ass drum playing.