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5 astonishing vocal tracks that prove Chris Cornell had the greatest voice of his generation
Singer Chris Cornell, who died this Wednesday, was blessed with an astonishing four-octave vocal range. The power of the Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman's voice was no secret among his fans, but it still comes as a shock to hear it without its usual hard-rock accompaniment. In these five tracks, his vocals are laid bare – and the results are astonishing.
1. Spoonman
One of Soundgarden's first mainstream hits, 1994's Spoonman has a complex, broken time-signature (a riff in septuple meter, interrupted by 4/4 breaks). It also features the talents of a spoon-playing Los Angeles street performer called Artis, who ended up starring in their music video. In this punchy alternative version, for the first two-and-a-half minutes we only hear Cornell's vocals and the percussion track (led by Artis on spoons).
2. Billie Jean
Although Cornell was better known for his rough-edged screams, this unplugged Michael Jackson cover shows that that Cornell his voice could also be gentle, even tender. Slowing down the tempo of Jackson's 1982 hit, Cornell twists the tune into something new, giving it a plangent, even mournful sound.
3. Black Hole Sun (isolated vocals)
Soundgarden's biggest hit was also one of their most melodic - a woozy, Beatles-tinged pop number. In guitarist Kim Thayil's words, it was "the spoonful of sugar that helps the medicine go down". But it's also one of Cornell's finest performances. Here heard stripped of Thayil's distorted guitar, the control in Cornell's incredible vocal track is even more impressive.
4. Black Rain (isolated vocals)
Proof that Cornell's voice only improved with age. In 2010, he returned to an unfinished Soundgarden track from 1991, recording new vocals and instrumental parts to fit alongside the original recordings. You can hear both vocal tracks clearly here, isolated from the accompaniment, in a performance which recalls Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant at his best. It's a spine-tingling effect, as Cornell seems to begin a duet with himself.
5. No Such Thing (acoustic)
Recorded on the back patio of a Los Vegas radio station, this understated acoustic version of the lead single from his second solo album is the sound of Cornell relaxing with his hair down. Rather than trying to fill an arena with his voice, here he gives a delicate, intimate performance that becomes more urgent as it goes along. In the light of his recent death, the song's dark lyrics have only become more poignant: "I saw the world, it was beautiful / But the rain got in and ruined it all".