For My Sunday Song #334, we are going to walk through the song “Loud Love” by Soundgarden. The song is off their 1989 album ‘Louder Than Love’. They hadn’t broke yet here in the states so the song didn’t chart although the album went to #108 on the US Billboard 200 album chart. Now, in the UK the song did chart and reached #87. Not great, but it charted. Fun fact, it is believed that this song was supposed to be on the Wayne’s World soundtrack as it is playing in the background when Wayne meets Casandra. Early listings of the songs had it on their, but it was left off.

The song was written by Chris Cornell. I am not sure what they intended the song to be about, but to me when I look at the lyrics it feels like it is about someone pushing another person to their limits to get them to fight back, to show some emotion and not sit there and take it. They are going to keep at them until the pop and the line “I’ll hammer you until you fight” is a perfect example of that thought. There aren’t a ton of lyrics so no real proof, but that is my gut.

Musically, that guitar piece at the beginning is insane. It is a “feedback melody” is how I’ve seen it described. It is Kim Thayil standing in front of an amp, hitting a note until he gets feedback and then running his fingers up and down the fret. It is almost like the note is breathing. Really cool and what draws me to the song. Chris Cornell really screams out the chorus and lets out a scream towards the end that is pretty killer. Lyrically, there is not a lot to the song, but musically it wraps around those lyrics and drags it out to almost 5 minutes of heavy and thunderous music that paints the scene with a dark brush that feels a little disturbing and I love it.

Give the song a listen and let me know what you think. See if you dig that opening guitar playing by Thayil. Have you ever pushed someone so far just to get a reaction from them? Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed the song. Have a wonderful and Happy Sunday!!

“Loud Love”

There’s no time to keep it low
I’ve been deaf, now I want noise
You stay down, but I won’t be quiet
I’ll hammer on until you fight

Loud love
Loud love
Loud love
Loud love
Hammer on until you fight

If you’ve got some time to kill
Slow resistance wins the war
Well, I know, but that’s no way to go
You can’t resist the louder pull

Loud love
Loud love
Loud love
Loud love
Can’t resist the louder pull, yeah

Well that’s right
I want something to explode
I’ve been deaf
Now I want noise

Loud love
Loud love
Loud love
Loud love

Written by Chris Cornell