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Spoonman
Soundgarden
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- Album
- Superunknown (20th Anniversary)
- Released
- 1994
- Genres
- grunge, post-grunge, hard rock
- Length
- 4:07
- Tempo
- 93 BPM
- Label
- A&M
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About this song
Spoonman was the lead single from Soundgarden's album Superunknown. It began as one of several songs Chris Cornell wrote for the 1992 film Singles, where an acoustic version appears in the background of a scene. Cornell later developed a full version for the band's next album.
What it's about
The song is an ode to a street performer who plays spoons, though Cornell had not met the real Seattle street artist Artis the Spoonman when he wrote it. Cornell said it expresses support for a man who stands on a street corner and plays spoons with great energy.
Fun facts
- Sampled in 2 other songs, like “Confusion Vol. 4 - A Confusing Return by Ph0ton”.
- Covered 7 times, including “Spoonman (2010) by Vitamin String Quartet”.
- Written by Chris Cornell.
- Produced by Michael Beinhorn and Soundgarden.
- Recorded at Bad Animals Studio in Seattle.