ANALYZING THE LYRICS: CHRIS CORNELL

Earler in 2017, before his tragic death, SOUNDGARDEN’s Chris Cornell released a single entitled “The Promise” for the motion picture of the same name. Although Chris said the story in the lyrics dealing with the Armenian genocide, when one now looks at them under a new light since the legendary rocker died in a Detroit hotel room on May 18th, they take on an ominous and deeper meaning. Rocket’s “Latch Theory” proves it’s possible Chris could have been murdered. Taking that into account, the reader will be exposed to the fascinating analysis of a powerful song written by one of the all time great rock performers. As the story goes, the final year of Chris Cornell’s life was allegedly very chaotic at times, yet his beautiful soul still shines through stronger than ever. TMD’s Randy “Rocket” Cody breaks down the lyrics:

“The Promise”

Lyrics By Chris Cornell

If I had nothing to my name
But photographs of you
Rescued from the flames
That is all I would ever need
As long as I can read
What’s written on your face
The strength that shines
Behind your eyes
The hope and light
That will never die

The character in the lyrics, as Chris explained, is a man who dreams of finding the pictures of his late child lost in the genocide. Is Chris actually making a cryptic message to his own kids, acknowledging the spiritual connection he has with them? ‘The strength that shines’. He loved kids. Moreover, by all accounts Chris was a great father. ‘The hope and light that will never die’. He is talking directly about his own children. Is this a secret way of ultimately telling them to hold onto his memory in a positive manner and not a negative one?

‘The hope and light that will never die’.

And one promise you made
One promise that always remains
No matter the price
A promise to survive
Persevere and thrive
As we’ve always done

Notice the line, ‘A promise to survive’, for this is very telling of where the late musician’s mind was truly at during his final year on earth. Chris wanted to ‘persevere and thrive’… he did not want to die. His passion for life is no more evident than in these lyrics he wrote for the world.

And you said
“The poison in a kiss
Is the lie upon the lips”
Truer words were never shared
When I feel
Like lies are all I hear
I pull my memories near
The one thing they can’t take

This is where it gets dark. ‘The poison in a kiss is the lie upon the lips’, possibly speaks to those who betrayed him at the end of his life. Is it his failing marriage which is referenced in the line ‘When I feel like lies are all I hear’, and is Chris directly speaking of his wife Vicky?

And one promise you made
One promise that always remains
No matter the price
A promise to survive
Persevere and thrive
As we’ve always done

TMD Fights For Chris!
The books still open on the table
The bells still ringing in the air
The dreams still clinging to the pillow
The songs still singing in a prayer

Now my soul
Is stretching through the roots
To memories of you
Back through time and space
To carry home
The faces and the names
And these photographs of you
Rescued from the flames

And one promise you made
One promise that always remains
No matter the price
A promise to survive
Persevere and thrive
And dare to rise once more
A promise to survive
Persevere and thrive
And fill the world with life
As we’ve always done

A promise to survive

The line ‘A promise to survive’ is the most important message Chris was sending to himself and his fans. He loved life and was planning on living it to the fullest.

Why wouldn’t he? Did he not have everything to live for?