Mad Seasons [Abandoned Story]

73. Black Hole Sun

Black Hole Sun was written by Chris and released by A&M Records as the third single from the band's fourth studio album, Superunknown, in 1994. Considered the band's signature song, it topped the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, where it remained for seven weeks at number one.

Although it peaked at number two on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, Black Hole Sun went on to become the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks number one single of 1994. Worldwide, the single reached the top 10 in Australia, Canada, France and Ireland, while in Iceland it reached number one.

In 2014, Chris explained the song's origins to Uncut Magazine.

"I wrote it in my head on the way home from Bear Creek Studio in Woodinville, a 35-40 minute drive from Seattle. It was born out of something a newscaster said on TV that I misheard. I heard "blah blah blah black hole sun blah blah blah". I thought it would make a great song title, but what would it sound like? It all came together, pretty much the whole arrangement, including the guitar solo that's played underneath the riff. I spent a lot of time running these melodies around in my head so I wouldn't forget them.

I went home and whistled the whole thing into a Dictaphone. The next day, I transposed it into the real world, making a few key changes in the verse to make the melodies more interesting. Then I wrote the lyrics and it was the same thing, a stream of consciousness based on the feeling the chorus and title inspired in me."

He said he wrote the song in around 15 minutes and used a Gretsch guitar to write the song.

"I wrote the song thinking the band wouldn't like it, then it became the biggest hit of the summer."

Chris came up with the idea for the song using a Leslie speaker. Kim Thayil said the Model 16 speaker was perfect for the song because it was very Beatlesque and had a distinctive sound. It ended up changing the song completely. The guitarist said the song wasn't as safe as milk, but it wasn't glass in anyone's eye either. It was the spoonful of sugar that helps take the medicine go down.

"Now it's the 'Dream On' of our set."

The song was performed in a slightly high D tuning, similar to the tuning used on the band's first single, Hunted Down. Drummer Matt Cameron called the song a "huge change" and credited producer Michael Beinhorn and sound engineer Brendan O'Brien.
During an appearance on The Pods & Sods Network in July 2017, Beinhorn detailed the Superunknown recording process and shared his reaction to first hearing Black Hole Sun.

"I think for the rest of my entire life, until my last breath, I'll never forget how I felt when they started playing that song. From the very first notes, I felt like I'd been struck by a thunderclap. I was completely stunned. What the hell is this? I'm getting goose bumps just thinking about it now."

Black Hole Sun has been described as grunge, psychedelic rock, alternative rock, mixed with hard rock and stoner rock. As for the song's lyrics, Chris said it was just a kind of surreal dreamscape, a weird song that plays with the title. Just like the video, which takes you to a very strange and eerie parallel universe but intrigues you at the same time. He also said that lyrically, it's probably the closest he's written to himself, playing with words for the sake of words.

"I suppose it worked for a lot of people who heard it, but I have no idea how it could be taken literally."

In another interview, he elaborated further, saying it was funny because hits are usually congruent, with an identifiable lyrical idea, and this song had virtually none.

"The lyrics of the chorus are beautiful and easy to remember. As for the rest, I didn't understand the song after I'd written it. I was just sucked into the music and painting a picture with the lyrics. There was no real idea to get across."