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

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie Combination

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie CombinationSong Writing

In 1986, a Stephen King novella was made into a movie, with a classic song serving as title, soundtrack and tone.

Modern A Cappella with Peder Karlsson of The Real Group

Modern A Cappella with Peder Karlsson of The Real GroupSong Writing

The leader of the Modern A Cappella movement talks about the genre.

Jeff Trott

Jeff TrottSongwriter Interviews

Sheryl Crow's longtime songwriting partner/guitarist Jeff Trott reveals the stories behind many of the singer's hits, and what its like to be a producer for Leighton Meester and Max Gomez.

Michael Schenker

Michael SchenkerSongwriter Interviews

The Scorpions and UFO guitarist is also a very prolific songwriter - he explains how he writes with his various groups, and why he was so keen to get out of Germany and into England.

Loudon Wainwright III

Loudon Wainwright IIISongwriter Interviews

"Dead Skunk" became a stinker for Loudon when he felt pressure to make another hit - his latest songs deal with mortality, his son Rufus, and picking up poop.

Little Big Town

Little Big TownSongwriter Interviews

"When seeds that you sow grow by the wicked moon/Be sure your sins will find you out/Your past will hunt you down and turn to tell on you."