Thursday morning brought the tragic news that rocker Chris Cornell died at the age of 52. The grunge man put out plenty of solo work, as well as making prominent music with Audioslave and Soundgarden. As people remember him and define his legacy, let's take a look at the five greatest Songs of his career.
5. 'You Know My Name'
This is the only song from his solo career that charted on the Billboard Hot 100. It was used as the theme for 2006's James Bond film, "Casino Royale." It received praise as fitting in well in the context of the Bond film, with its minimalist production showcasing the new, gritty approach to the film franchise.
Ironically, Cornell stated a distaste for some of the recent franchise films before writing the song.
4. 'Hunger Strike'
"Hunger Strike" was the most popular song from Temple of the Dog's only studio album back in 1991. It peaked on the Mainstream Rock chart at No. 4. Cornell duets with Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam, with stories of the latter simply walking up to a mic while waiting for something else to end and owning some low notes, giving Cornell the idea to include him on the track.
3. 'Black Rain'
This was the most successful track from the Soundgarden era. It peaked at No. 96 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was originally recorded almost 20 years before the final version of it was released.
In between, Cornell shortened the song and the chorus was changed, among other things. The verse is interesting, as it's in the unusual 9/8 time signature. It went on to be nominated for "Best Hard Rock Performance" at the Grammy Awards.
2. 'Like a Stone'
The second single from Audioslave's eponymous album, "Like a Stone" was one of the group's most popular songs.
While there has been some confusion about what the song's lyrics mean, Cornell stated that it has to do with passing along to the afterlife. It's a very sad track, with some believing it was written to honor the late Alice in Chains singer Layne Staley, an idea that has been refuted.
1. 'Be Yourself'
A perfect message as we celebrate the life of Chris Cornell.
This Audioslave song is the band's most well-known track of all-time. The song was inspired by the frontman's own life, adding meaning to the track. It reached the top of the Modern Rock Tracks chart just before Green Day's "Holiday" rocked the genre, and the top of the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart right after Green Day's "Boulevard of Broken Dreams."
