10 Worst Hard Rock Lyrics Of The '90s

Throughout the entire grunge scene, most bands held Soundgarden in the highest regard. While the band definitely didn't have the typical punk hallmarks like their contemporaries in Mudhoney or Nirvana, their massive metal sound made them fit right at home with their fellow Seattlites. Though it would take a while for them to break the mainstream, Superunknown helped them reach the top of the rock heap by combining Black Sabbath with the Beatles.

"Spoonman" is normally seen as one of the greatest tracks from the album, but the lyrics are a bit too out there even by grunge standards. From a foundational standpoint, the song is a nice slice of Zeppelin-flavored hard rock, with Chris Cornell absolutely wailing, but the powerful aspect is kind of cheapened when you realize it's just about spoons. Yeah...aside from the silly song title, the actual meaning behind the lyrics is actually in reference to a local Seattle street performer who was known for playing the spoons.

This could be seen as a sweet ode to the place where Cornell and co. grew up, but the song's tone fluctuates between asking our esteemed "Spoonman" for either spiritual salvation or some peace and quiet depending on what part of the song you're in. There's a lot to love about "Spoonman" on principle, but once you've looked at the lyrics once, you don't necessarily need to revisit them.