Burden In My Hand

"Burden in My Hand" is a song by the American rock band Soundgarden. Written by frontman Chris Cornell, "Burden in My Hand" was released on September 18, 1996 as the second single from the band's fifth studio album, Down on the Upside (1996). The song topped the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, where it spent a total of five weeks at number one. The song was included on Soundgarden's 1997 greatest hits album, A-Sides. The lyrics of 'Burden in My Hand' suggest the song is about a man who murders a woman he is in a relationship with and leaves her in the desert, not without regret. Some fans believe the lyrics are 'deeper' than the surface and indicative of something such as drug abuse or an abusive relationship; however, guitarist Kim Thayil called the song "the "Hey Joe" of the '90s."

[Verse 1] Follow me into the desert As thirsty as you are Crack a smile and cut your mouth And drown in alcohol Cause down below the truth is lying Beneath the riverbed So quench yourself and drink the water That flows below her head [Pre-Chorus] Oh no, there she goes Out in the sunshine The sun is mine The sun is mine [Chorus] I shot my love today, would you cry for me I lost my head again, would you lie for me [Verse 2] Close your eyes and bow your head I need a little sympathy Cause fear is strong and love's for everyone Who isn't me So kill your health and kill yourself And kill everything you love And if you live you can fall to pieces And suffer with my ghost [Chorus] I shot my love today, would you cry for me I lost my head again, would you lie for me I left her in the sand just a burden in my hand I lost my head again, would you cry for me [Bridge] It's just a burden in my hand It's just an anchor on my heart It's just a tumour in my head And I'm in the dark [Verse 3] So follow me into the desert As desperate as you are Where the moon is glued to a picture of heaven And all the little pigs have God [Pre-Chorus] Oh no, there she goes Out in the sunshine The sun is mine The sun is mine [Chorus] I shot my love today, would you cry for me, yeah I lost my head again, would you lie for me I left her in the sand just a burden in my hand I lost my head again, would you cry for me Yeah, would you cry for me