The Day I Tried to Live is a song by the Grunge band Soundgarden. Written by frontman Chris Cornell, The Day I Tried to Live was released in April 18, 1994 as the second single from the band’s fourth studio album, Superunknown (1994). The song was included on Soundgarden‘s 1997 greatest hits album, A-Sides. The Day I Tried to Live was released as a single album in 1994, but was rather underpromoted when compared to Spoonman or Black Hole Sun from the same album. The song peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number 25 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. Outside the United States, the single was released in Spain and the United Kingdom. In Canada, “The Day I Tried to Live” charted on the Alternative Top 30 chart where it peaked at number 27 and stayed there for two weeks.
Chris Cornell on The Day I Tried to Live:
It’s about trying to step out of being patterned and closed off and reclusive, which I’ve always had a problem with. It’s about attempting to be normal and just go out and be around other people and hang out. I have a tendency to sometimes be pretty closed off and not see people for long periods of time and not call anyone. It’s actually, in a way, a hopeful song. Especially the lines “One more time around Might do it”, which is basically saying, ‘I tried today to understand and belong and get along with other people, and I failed, but I’ll probably try again tomorrow.’ A lot of people misinterpreted that song as a suicide note song. Taking the word “live” too literally. The Day I Tried to Live means more like the day I actually tried to open up myself and experience everything that’s going on around me as opposed to blowing it all off and hiding in a cave.
Tracklist:
- The Day I Tried to Live
- Like Suicide (acoustic)
- Kickstand (live): Recorded on August 20, 1993 at Jones Beach Amphitheater in Wantagh, New York.
The music video for The Day I Tried to Live was directed by Matt Mahurin. The video features a man apparently dressed as a hospital patient floating around a bedroom and appearing alone and dazed in various city scenes. It also features the band performing the song in a boiler room. After the first chorus, the band members are shown with their instruments ablaze. The video was released in April 1994. The video is available on the CD ROM Alive in the Superunknown.
Soundgarden
Chris Cornell: lead vocals
Kim Thayil: lead guitar
Ben Shepherd: bass
Matt Cameron: drums
Chris Cornell (July 20, 1964 – May 18, 2017).
