For My Sunday Song #336, we are going to examine the song “Show Me How To Live” by Audioslave. The song is off their 2002 debut, self-titled album. The song went to #2 on the Mainstream Rock Chart and actually made the Billboard Hot 100 landing at #67. The song is credited to Brad Wilk, Chris Cornell, Tim Commerford and Tom Morello.

The song has a ton of religious references and I think it deals with the struggles the singer is going through. God created him, but now he doesn’t know how to live and is full of guilt and wants his creator to show him how to live. The lines about him not sleeping and needing a priest to help him leads me to thing there is a lot of guilt that he needs to confess. With the lines “nail in my head/from my creator” makes me believes he feels he is being crucified. It is a really dark song and there is a lot of pain there that needs to be eased.

The song itself is pretty damn heavy with some killer riffs by Tom Morello and a solo that sounds so insane. He accomplishes those sounds by using a phasing, fluttering effect which he achieves by using a combination of tremolo picking the high E-string, using his trademark Dunlop Cry Baby wah pedal and a ring modulator effect (thanks wiki for that info). And listen to the bass and the drums on this one as well. So powerful and so freakin’ dirty and groovy. Cornell’s vocals are freaking sick and you can feel the pain from those lyrics. At the very end of the song he has a cool effect on his voice that he gets by taking his hand and hitting his throat which changes the pitch. No tech for him, just good old fashion self harm.

Give the song a listen and let me know what you think. Audioslave was ran incredible band and I wish we would’ve had more than 3 albums from them. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all have a wonderful and Happy Sunday

“Show Me How To Live”

And with the early dawn
Moving right along, I couldn’t buy an eye-full of sleep
And in the aching night under satellites, I was not received
Built with stolen parts, a telephone in my heart, someone get me a priest, to put my mind to bed
This ringing in my head, is this a cure or is this a disease?

Nail in my head, from my creator
You gave me life, now show me how to live
Nail in my head, from my creator
You gave me life, now show me how to live

And in the after birth, on the quiet earth, let the stains remind you, you thought you made a man
You better think again, before my role defines you

Nail in my head, from my creator
You gave me life, now show me how to live
Nail in my head, from my creator
You gave me life, now show me how to live
And in your waiting hands, I will land, and roll out of my skin
And in your final hours I will stand, ready to begin?
Ready to begin? ready to begin? ready to begin?

Nail in my head, from my creator
You gave me life, now show me how to live
Nail in my head, from my creator
You gave me life, now show me how to live
Show me how to live, show me how to live
Show me how to live, show me how to live

Written by Brad Wilk, Chris Cornell, Tim Commerford and Tom Morello