Ty Cobb is a song by Soundgarden. Featuring lyrics written by frontman Chris Cornell and music written by bassist Ben Shepherd, Ty Cobb was released in April 1997 as the fourth single from the band’s fifth studio album, Down on the Upside (1996). The song was included on Soundgarden‘s 1997 greatest hits album, A-Sides.
Cornell and Shepherd play mandolin and mandola on the track. Chris Cornell on the song:
“Well, Ben actually had the idea that he wanted to hear mandolin on that song, and so we called some people and they brought like, these older mandolins down for us to try, ’cause they thought they were really great, and then we picked them up and just played ’em, and that was about it, the first time we ever played them”.
The song begins with a quiet, 22-second intro before acquiring a frenetic pace throughout the rest of the song.
Guitarist Kim Thayil said:
“‘Ty Cobb’ sounds like it may fall apart at any second but it remains intact. That is an element that a lot of rock bands neglected. But punk rock has always had that element of barely being able to hold on to the steering wheel.”
Ty Cobb was originally titled “Hot Rod Death Toll”, but the lyrics reminded Shepherd of the infamous baseball player Ty Cobb. He broke many records and still holds the all-time career batting average record (.366), but acquired a reputation for racism, violence, and alcoholism, largely due to now-discredited books and articles by controversial writer Al Stump.
Although Ty Cobb did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100, the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, or the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart as the first three singles from Down on the Upside did, its B-side, Rhinosaur, also from the album, did chart on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart at number 19.
Tracklist:
- Ty Cobb
- Rhinosaur
- Big Dumb Sex
- Rhinosaur (The Straw That Broke the Rhino’s Back remix)
Soundgarden
Chris Cornell: lead vocals, rhythm guitar; mandolin and mandola
Kim Thayil: lead guitar
Ben Shepherd: bass guitar, backing vocals; mandolin, mandola
Matt Cameron: drums, percussion
Chris Cornell (July 20, 1964 – May 18, 2017).
