Ok here we go. I was asked to put together my Top 10 Chris Cornell songs of all time. This was next to impossible. He was in multiple bands plus solo work! To condense that into a Top 10 was ridiculous. The amount of songs I had to leave off the list sucked. He is the greatest rock vocalist of all time. I did my best. Here it is...
- Say Hello To Heaven - So much more poignant now. Might not have been number 1 before he died but when I listen to it now, it makes me cry. His vocals on it are gorgeous.
- Fell On Black Days - Hard to pick my favorite Soundgarden song, but I went with the one I enjoy every time I hear it. Very emotional.
- Heaven's Dead - This one might be controversial. It's my favorite Audioslave song ever. I played it for my wife a long time ago. Its such an awesome rock love song. If yo don't know it, get to know it.
- Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart/Nothing Compares 2 You (tie) - This is a bit of a cheat. I know it. But I had to. I needed to get some of Chris's solo work in there. One of his last hits was Broken Heart. I really fell in love with it. But his version of Nothing Compares 2 You is off the charts. I had to include both.
- Like a Stone - Another classic Audioslave song. It won a Grammy for best Hard Rock song. It deserved it.
- Show Me How to Live - I love Tom Morello's guitar work on this song. But is all about Chris and what he does. The end note when he changes the pitch and the effect he does is off the charts.
- Hunger Strike - This would be higher on the list but its tough because its very much an Eddie Vedder song as it is Chris'. They are two of my favorites but to just say this is a Chris Cornell song would be misleading. So its in there but only at 7. One of my favorite song ever though.
- Outshined - Earlier Soundgarden. You give me the lyric "I'm looking California and feeling Minnesota" I'll take it all day. I think we've all been there.
- I Am The Highway - This suffers from the same fate as Black Hole Sun. I've heard it too many times. But his melodic tone in this is beautiful. It would probably be higher on the list if I took a break from it and came back to it.
- Black Hole Sun - I know this is gonna cause a lot of issues. Probably Soundgarden's biggest hit. But being in rock radio for 20 years, I've heard it a lot. So the fatigue is real. Doesn't mean I don't like it, just means I've heard it too many times. But it still makes the list.
Whew! That was impossible. The songs left off are incredible. I had Spoonman, My Wave, Gasoline, Cochise, Rusty Cage, Blow Up the Outside World, Pretty Noose, Be Yourself, all in there at one point, but had to narrow it down. Which song would I take off? I can't. The bottom line is, the world is not as cool as when Chris was on it. I miss him and it's why I think about him every day.