"Hunted Down" is a song by the American

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

band

Soundgarden Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil (both of whom are the only members to appear in every incarnation of the band), and bassist Hiro Yamamo ...

. Featuring lyrics written by frontman

Chris Cornell Christopher John Cornell (né Boyle; July 20, 1964 – May 18, 2017) was an American singer and musician best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and primary lyricist and songwriter for the rock bands Soundgarden and Audioslave. H ...

and music written by guitarist

Kim Thayil Kim Anand Thayil (born September 4, 1960) is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist of the Seattle-based rock band Soundgarden, which he co-founded with singer Chris Cornell and bassist Hiro Yamamoto in 1984. Cornell and Thayil rem ...

, "Hunted Down" was released in June 1987 as the band's first single. It is the first track on the band's first release, the ''

Screaming Life ''Screaming Life'' is the debut EP by the American rock band Soundgarden, released in October 1987 through Sub Pop Records. ''Screaming Life'' was later combined with the band's next EP, ''Fopp'' (1988), and released as the '' Screaming Life/Fopp ...

'' EP (1987). The song was included on the band's 2010

compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several Performing arts#Performers, performers. If by one artist, then generally the tr ...

, ''

Telephantasm ''Telephantasm'' is a compilation album by the American rock band Soundgarden. Featuring songs that span 23 years of the band's career, it was released on September 28, 2010, through A&M Records. The album was certified platinum by RIAA after its ...

''.

Origin and recording

"Hunted Down" features lyrics written by frontman

and music written by guitarist

. Thayil on the song:

That song wasn't supposed to be as heavy sounding as it turned out. We just started jamming on the riff and it took on the '
noise rock Noise rock (sometimes called noise punk) is a noise music, noise-oriented style of experimental rock that spun off from punk rock in the 1980s. Drawing on movements such as minimal music, minimalism, industrial music, and New York hardcore, a ...
' dimensions, kind of a rhythmic thing. And that solo is a noise solo. It's very dissonant.Gilbert, Jeff
"Primecuts: Kim Thayil"
''Guitar School''. May 1994.

Release and reception

"Hunted Down" was released as a single in 1987 with a

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...

titled "Nothing to Say", which can also be found on ''Screaming Life'' and the band's greatest hits compilation, '' A-Sides'' (1997). The single was pressed on blue

vinyl Vinyl may refer to: Chemistry * Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer * Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation * Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry * Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from vinyl m ...

as a limited edition with only 500 copies made, and has since become a Soundgarden collector's item. Oddly, "Nothing to Say", rather than "Hunted Down", appeared on ''A-Sides''. Kim Thayil jokingly explained the replacement with "that's about the level of communication the band was at back then". "Hunted Down" was the first song on Sub Pop's "hold music" tape. According to guitarist Kim Thayil, "You would call them up, and when they put you on hold you heard 'Hunted Down'." Upon hearing the song, record labels began contacting the band, which eventually led to the band signing with

A&M Records A&M Records was an American record label founded as an independent company by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss in 1962. Due to the success of the discography A&M released, the label garnered interest and was acquired by PolyGram in 1989 and began distr ...

. The single was reissued as a limited edition, orange 7" record for

Record Store Day Record Store Day is an annual event inaugurated in 2007 and held on one Saturday (typically the third) every April and every Black Friday in November to "celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store". The day brings together fa ...

on April 17, 2010."SOUNDGARDEN: Debut SUBPOP Single To Be Reissued For 'Record Store Day'"
.

Blabbermouth.net Blabbermouth.net is a website dedicated to heavy metal and hard rock news, as well as album and music DVD reviews. Blabbermouth.net was founded and is run by Borivoj Krgin. The first version of the website was launched in March 2001; in October ...

. March 1, 2010.

Track listing

All songs written by

and

. #"Hunted Down" – 2:42 #"Nothing to Say" – 3:56

References

{{authority control 1987 debut singles 1987 singles Soundgarden songs Song recordings produced by Chris Cornell Song recordings produced by Matt Cameron Songs written by Chris Cornell 1987 songs Songs written by Kim Thayil Sub Pop singles