Cochise (song)

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"Cochise"
Single by Audioslave
from the album Audioslave
Released October 14, 2002
Format CD
Recorded 2002
Genre Alternative metal, funk metal[1]
Length 3:42
Label Epic
Writer(s) Lyrics: Chris Cornell
Music: Audioslave
Producer(s) Rick Rubin
Audioslave singles chronology
"Cochise"
(2002)
"Like a Stone"
(2003)
Alternative cover
Black cover version

"Cochise" is the first single by Audioslave for their eponymous debut album released in 2002. The single was released with a white and a black cover. The difference between the two versions besides the covers is that the black version only contains the title song, while the white version contains "We Got the Whip", a live version of "Gasoline", and the music video for "Cochise".

Inspiration

In an interview, guitarist Tom Morello said this about the song:

Cochise was the last great American Indian chief to die free and absolutely unconquered. When several members of his family were captured, tortured, and hanged by the U.S. Cavalry, Cochise declared war on the entire Southwest and went on an unholy rampage, a warpath to end all warpaths. He and his warriors drove out thousands of settlers. Cochise the avenger, fearless and resolute, attacked everything in his path with an unbridled fury.[2]

Composition

"Cochise" is played in standard E-A-D-G-B-e and B-E-A-D on the guitar and bass respectively. Tom Morello came across the intro riff by accident. He had a guitar on his lap and his delay pedal set to "slap-back" and, while writing notes for a Rage Against The Machine song, he rapidly hit the strings with a pencil. This produced a noise reminiscent of a helicopter. When Audioslave recorded this song, Morello did the same thing, with his Digitech Whammy set an octave lower, and using a flat hand to slap the strings. For the opening riff of the song Morello incorporates the helicopter sound on his guitar, while the bassist Tim Commerford plays an open E with a fast strumming technique while using distortion and a Wah pedal; the result of which is Commerford's unique bass sound which is used on the majority of Audioslave songs.

Music video

The accompanying music video, directed by Mark Romanek and produced by Aris McGarry, shows Chris Cornell on a raised platform, presumably waiting for the other members. Meanwhile, Tom Morello, Tim Commerford, and Brad Wilk drive to the platform in a Chevy pickup. They take an elevator to the top of the platform where they play atop the platform with a barrage of fireworks being shot off in the background. At the end of the video they hug.

The amount of fireworks released during the filming caused nearby residents to report a possible terrorist attack.[3][4] This video has also been censored in some places, due to the fact that it has a large amount of flashing lights, and could cause epileptic fits with some people. At the beginning of the video "PLAY LOUD" appears on screen.

This video is available as a "director's cut" on the DVD The Work of Director Mark Romanek and has new footage inserted. There is more emphasis on the strobe lighting and fireworks during the video.

Track listing

  1. "Cochise" - 3:42
  2. "We Got the Whip" - 4:05
  3. "Gasoline" (Live from Letterman) - 4:43
  4. "Cochise" (Video Version) - 3:42

Trivia

Charts

Chart (2002) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart 24
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 69
U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks 2
U.S. Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks 9

Notes

  • Lyrics by Chris Cornell.
  • Written and Arranged by Audioslave.
  • Recorded by Harvey Goldberg.
  • Engineered by Thom Russo.
  • Assistant engineer: Miles Wilson.
  • Additional recording at Akademie Mathematique of Philosophical Sound Research, Los Angeles.
  • Mixed by Rick Rubin, Thom Russo at Akademie Mathematique of Philosophical Sound Research, Los Angeles, CA.

References

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External links