Dusty

Album: Down on the Upside (1996)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This contains the lyrics that spawned the title for the album: "I think it's turning back on me, I'm down on the upside."

    The word "Dusty" does not appear in the lyrics, but that's what bass player Ben Shepherd called it when he wrote the music for the song. When lead singer Chris Cornell added the lyrics, he called the song "Down on the Upside," but since Soundgarden doesn't like to name albums after song titles, they decided to use that as the album moniker and keep the song "Dusty."
  • The Techno artist Moby did a remix of this song. His version appears as the B-side for "Blow Up The Outside World." Moby opened for Soundgarden on their 1996 tour.

Comments: 4

  • Man from CalWasn't Superunknown title of song and album?
  • Ryan from Plano, Txthe song sounds a little too upbeat to be about anything as big as the demise of an entire genre that the band is/was a part of
  • Daartist from Long Beach , CaI cant say if find the lyrics so cryptic marcos. The song seems to be fairly clear and simple at explaining that wierd system of karma that everybody seems to notice but nobody can quit predict or explain. Luck and fortune seem to come and go in waves. We all seem to go through our periods of dry spells and frustration..when we cant win for losing..and almost magically ..fortunes seems to change and lifes problems seem to sovled so easily..and i think the song hints at how your attitude has something to do with the change of fortune...daartist LBC CA
  • Marco from Stanfield, United Statesok after reading the lyrics i say that it means that he knew soundgarden was going under because of the different views of the band members. so in the song he says "i think its turning back on me" hes talking about the domise of all other grunge bands like nirvana and now it was happening to soundgarden. and he says "everythings real to me" hes saying mabe that he feels strongly about his view on the matter and that the others are not listening to him.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

British Invasion

British InvasionFact or Fiction

Go beyond The Beatles to see what you know about the British Invasion.

Zakk Wylde

Zakk WyldeSongwriter Interviews

When he was playing Ozzfest with Black Label Society, a kid told Zakk he was the best Ozzy guitarist - Zakk had to correct him.

Don Dokken

Don DokkenSongwriter Interviews

Dokken frontman Don Dokken explains what broke up the band at the height of their success in the late '80s, and talks about the botched surgery that paralyzed his right arm.

Metallica

MetallicaFact or Fiction

Beef with Bon Jovi? An unfortunate Spandex period? See if you can spot the true stories in this Metallica version of Fact or Fiction.

Shaun Morgan of Seether

Shaun Morgan of SeetherSongwriter Interviews

Shaun breaks down the Seether songs, including the one about his brother, the one about Ozzy, and the one that may or may not be about his ex-girlfriend Amy Lee.

Motley Crue

Motley CrueFact or Fiction

Was Dr. Feelgood a dentist? Did the "Crüecifixion" really happen?