Fell on Black Days

Infobox Single
Name = Fell on Black Days


Artist = Soundgarden
from Album = Superunknown
B-side = "Kyle Petty, Son of Richard" / "Fell on Black Days" (video version)
Format = CD single, Vinyl
Released = 1994
Recorded = July 1993 – September 1993 at Bad Animals Studio, Seattle, Washington
Genre = Grunge
Length = 4:42
Label = A&M
Writer = Chris Cornell
Producer = Michael Beinhorn, Soundgarden
Certification =
Last single = "My Wave" (1994)
This single = "Fell on Black Days" (1994)
Next single = "Pretty Noose" (1996)Extra tracklisting
Album = Superunknown
Type = studio
prev_track = "My Wave"
prev_no = Track 2
this_track = "Fell on Black Days"
track_no = Track 3
next_track = "Mailman"
next_no = Track 4"Fell on Black Days" is a song by the American rock band Soundgarden, released in 1994 as the fifth single from the band's fourth studio album, "Superunknown" (1994). The song peaked at number four on the "Billboard" Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. It would later appear on the band's greatest hits album "A-Sides" and the 2007 Chris Cornell compilation "The Roads We Choose - A Retrospective".

Composition

The song was written by frontman Chris Cornell. The time signature of the song is in 6/4. [Rotondi, James. "Alone in the Superunknown." "Guitar Player". June 1994.]

Lyrics

Cornell on the song:

"Fell on Black Days" was like this ongoing fear I've had for years...It's a feeling that everyone gets. You're happy with your life, everything's going well, things are exciting - when all of a sudden you realise you're unhappy in the extreme, to the point of being really, really scared. There's no particular event you can pin the feeling down to, it's just that you realise one day that everything in your life is FUCKED! [True, Everett. [http://web.stargate.net/soundgarden/articles/mm_3-19-94.shtml "Journey into the Superunknown"] . "Melody Maker". March 19, 1994.]

Release and reception

It was released as a single in a large number of different versions, each with different B-sides. Several of the singles featured an original demo version of the song. This demo is completely different from the more familiar version. It features different lyrics and music, with considerably heavier drop-D guitar. Only the chorus contains lyrical similarities to the final version. Soundgarden performed this version live on Pearl Jam's "Self-Pollution" radio broadcast in early 1995.

It appeared on "Billboard" magazine's Hot 100 Airplay chart, peaking at number 54 in its tenth week and remaining on the chart until its twentieth week. The song peaked at number four on the "Billboard" Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number 13 on the "Billboard" Modern Rock Tracks chart.

Outside of the United States, the single was released in Australia and the United Kingdom. In Canada, the song reached the top 70 on the Canadian Singles Chart and remained in the top 70 for two weeks. "Fell on Black Days" reached the top 50 in the Netherlands and in Ireland it was a moderate top 20 success.

After the September 11, 2001 attacks, Clear Channel included the song on its list of possibly inappropriate songs.

Music video

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Live performances

A live version of the song appears on the "Black Hole Sun" and "Fell on Black Days" singles.

In 2005, when Audioslave toured with Seether, Cornell sang "Fell on Black Days" with Shaun Morgan, Seether's lead vocalist.

Cover versions

In 2006, Classic Case did a cover of "Fell on Black Days" on the band's "Black Unicorn" Split EP with "He is Legend".

Track listing

;Radio Promo CD
#"Fell on Black Days" (radio edit) (Chris Cornell)

;Alternate Mix Promo CD
#"Fell on Black Days" (alternate mix) (Cornell)
#"Fell on Black Days" (Cornell) – 4:42

;UK CD #1
#"Fell on Black Days" (Cornell) – 4:42
#"Kyle Petty, Son of Richard" (Cornell, Kim Thayil)
#"Fell on Black Days" (video version) (Cornell) – 5:26

;UK CD #2
#"Fell on Black Days" (Cornell) – 4:42
#"Girl U Want" (Gerald Casale, Mark Mothersbaugh) – 3:29
#"Fell on Black Days" (demo) (Cornell)

;European CD #1
#"Fell on Black Days" (Cornell) – 4:42
#"Motorcycle Loop" (short version) (Thayil)
#"Girl U Want" (Casale, Mothersbaugh) – 3:29
#"Fell on Black Days" (demo) (Cornell)

;European CD #2
#"Fell on Black Days" (Cornell) – 4:42
#"Kyle Petty, Son of Richard" (Cornell, Thayil)
#"Birth Ritual" (Cornell, Matt Cameron, Thayil)
#"Fell on Black Days" (live) (Cornell);European CD #3
#"Fell on Black Days" (Cornell) – 4:42
#"My Wave" (live) (Cornell, Thayil)

;UK/European Picture 7"
#"Fell on Black Days" (Cornell) – 4:42
#"Motorcycle Loop" (Thayil)
#"Kyle Petty, Son of Richard" (Cornell, Thayil)

;Australian CD #1
#"Fell on Black Days" (Cornell) – 4:42
#"Kyle Petty, Son of Richard" (Cornell, Thayil)
#"Fell on Black Days" (demo) (Cornell)
#"Motorcycle Loop" (short version) (Thayil)
#"Fell on Black Days" (live) (Cornell)

;Australian CD #2
#"Fell on Black Days" (Cornell) – 4:42
#"Kyle Petty, Son of Richard" (Cornell, Thayil)

;Jukebox 7"
#"Fell on Black Days" (Cornell) – 4:42
#"My Wave" (Cornell, Thayil) – 5:12

Chart positions

Accolades

References