Spoonman

Spoonman Soundgarden Superunknown Supervision Recommended Information Released 1994 Genre Grunge Language English Length 4:13 Source Rock Band 2 also in Unplugged Available September 14, 2008 (RB2) August 28, 2012 (Blitz) Playable in Rock Band 2 Rock Band 3 Rock Band Blitz Difficulty (in Rock Band 2) Band red Basic Pro Guitar 5 5 Bass 5 5 Drums 5 5 Keys NoNo Part NoNo Part Vocals red red Difficulty (in Rock Band Blitz) Band red Basic Pro Guitar 5 5 Bass 5 5 Drums 5 5 Keys NoNo Part NoNo Part Vocals red red

Details Male singer Guitar Solo Bass Solo Drum Solo 2-part Harmonies

"Spoonman" is a song by Soundgarden which is about a street artist named Artis the Spoonman, who played the spoons on the streets of Seattle. Artis is in the song playing the spoons at one point. It is mixed into the background, but it's there. He is also the feature of the video, with the band members opting to have a smaller role. (thanks Willy - Port Hawkesbury, Canada)

Pearl Jam guitarist Jeff Ament came up with the title. Pearl Jam was in the 1992 movie Singles, and Ament made a fake tape as a prop in the movie with names of songs on it that he made up. One of them was "Spoonman," and when Soundgarden lead singer Chris Cornell saw the tape, he liked the title and decided to use it for a song. Ament is credited on the album.

See the Spoonman and learn more in Song Images.

Cornell wrote a rough version during the filming of Singles that can be heard in the movie in a scene where a Citizen Dick poster is being put up on a telephone pole.

Cornell was in the group Temple Of The Dog ("Hunger Strike") with Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard, who went on to form Pearl Jam.

This was the first single from the album, which went on to sell over 5 million copies. The B-side on the single is "Fresh Tendrils."

Soundgarden used this to open many of their live shows between 1996 and 1997.

Bassist Ben Shepard sang backup vocals, like the lines, "They beat the rhythm with their bones." His voice was sent through Fender Twin Reverb. It's his favorite song on the album.

A special remix is included as the B-side on the singles for "Black Hole Sun" and "My Wave."

This song appeared in the Playstation 2 game ATV: Offroad Fury. You are able to listen to it while racing. (thanks, John - Madison, WI)

This won the 1995 Grammy for Best Metal Performance. (thanks, Adrian - Brookings, SD)

Like the Beatles' "All You Need Is Love" and Pink Floyd's "Money," parts of this song are in 7/4 time. Soundgarden frequently used odd time signatures in their songs. (thanks, Adrian - Gettysburg, PA)

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