There’s always been something very annoying about the cult surrounding Che Guevara. Because his face looked good on a poster and his execution was probably carried out by the CIA, a lot of people have deified a shallow-minded rich kid whose main accomplishment was executing several of his fellow countrymen and then totally failing in his attempts to overthrow the government of Bolivia.
Thankfully, there’s a song that tells the truth. From Ola Fresca, here is El Chacal.
As the latest “Song of the Day,” Soundgarden’s Fell on Black Days stands out as one of Chris Cornell’s most hauntingly introspective songs. It captures that quiet terror of realizing, almost suddenly, that life has slipped into a dark space without a clear cause. The lyrics don’t dramatize depression or despair—they circle it, giving voice to numb reflection rather than clear tragedy. Cornell doesn’t sing from a place of theatrical pain but introspective confusion, which makes it all the more relatable: that sense of waking up one day and finding that something within has gone dim.
Cornell’s vocal performance is the emotional backbone of the song. His delivery is restrained at first, almost conversational, carrying that familiar mix of grit and vulnerability that made his voice so magnetic. As the song builds, the tension burns through his tone—he never screams, but you feel the anguish vibrating at the edges. It’s that ability to stay melodic while channeling raw feeling that separates him from many of his grunge-era peers. You can hear both power and exhaustion inhabiting the same breath.
Musically, Fell on Black Days moves with a slow, uneasy groove that fits the song’s mood of quiet dread. Instead of following a typical rock rhythm, it flows a little off-kilter, giving it that feeling of imbalance Cornell describes in the lyrics. The guitars are thick and moody but not overly heavy, letting the vocals breathe. Thayil’s riffing feels more like a shadow behind the melody, while the bass and drums give it a tired, rolling heartbeat. It’s less about flashy playing and more about atmosphere—a sound that matches the weight of realizing your life has turned darker without you noticing.
Fell on Black Days
Whatsoever I’ve feared has come to life And whatsoever I’ve fought off became my life Just when everyday seemed to greet me with a smile Sunspots have faded and now I’m doing time
Now I’m doing time ‘Cause I fell on black days I fell on black days
Whomsoever I’ve cured I’ve sickened now And whomsoever I’ve cradled I’ve put you down I’m a search light soul they say But I can’t see it in the night I’m only faking when I get it right When I get it right ‘Cause I fell on black days I fell on black days
How would I know That this could be my fate How would I know That this could be my fate, uh yeah
What you wanted to see good has made you blind And what you wanted to be yours has made it mine So don’t you lock up something that you wanted to see fly Hands are for shaking not tying
No, not tying I sure don’t mind a change I sure don’t mind a change Yeah, I sure don’t mind Sure don’t mind a change I sure don’t mind a change
‘Cause I fell on black days I fell on black days
How would I know That this could be my fate How would I know That this could be my fate
How would I know That this could be my fate How would I know That this could be my fate
It’s Charles Bronson’s birthday so it only makes sense that today’s music video should be for a performance of the Ennio Morricone-composed theme of one of his best films.
Still don’t know what I was waiting for And my time was running wild, a million dead-end streets and Every time I thought I’d got it made It seemed the taste was not so sweet
So I turned myself to face me But I’ve never caught a glimpse Of how the others must see the faker I’m much too fast to take that test
Ch-ch-changes (Turn and face the strain) Ch-ch-changes (Don’t want to be a richer man)
Ch-ch-changes (Turn and face the strain) Ch-ch-changes (Just gonna have to be a different man)
Time may change me But I can’t trace time
I watch the ripples change their size But never leave the stream of warm impermanence and So the days float through my eyes But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on As they try to change their worlds Are immune to your consultations They’re quite aware of what they’re going through
Ch-ch-changes (Turn and face the strain) Ch-ch-changes (Don’t tell them to grow up and out of it)
Ch-ch-changes (Turn and face the strain) Ch-ch-changes (Where’s your shame, you’ve left us up to our necks in it)
Time may change me But you can’t trace time
Strange fascination, fascinating me Ah changes are taking the pace I’m going through
Ch-ch-changes (Turn and face the strain) Ch-ch-changes (Oh, look out you rock ‘n rollers)
Ch-ch-changes (Turn and face the strain) Ch-ch-changes (Pretty soon now you’re gonna get older)
Time may change me But I can’t trace time
I said that time may change me But I can’t trace time
Let’s start of November with Tina Arena’s cover of To Sir, With Love. This is one of those cases where the cover version is actually superior to the original version.