Audioslave: Cochise Meaning

Song Released: 2002

Cochise Lyrics

Well I been watchin'
while you been coughin
I've been drinking life
while you been nauseous
and so I drink to health
while you kill yourself
and I got just one thing
that I can offer

go and save yourself
take it out on me
go...

1. 1TOP RATED

   #1 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Aug 11th 2008 !⃝

   Actually, Cochise was the name of a famous Apache chief who resisted against both Mexican and American military action in the area that eventually became the American southwest (New Mexico, Arizona). Cornell seems to be invoking a type of 'spirit of resistance'. 'I've been drinking life, while you've been nauseous' speaks to this type of understanding. The protagonist is juxtaposing a type of critical existence to another type (apathetic, inactive?). It's hard to read too much politics into it (Cornell has never been a wildly political writer) but there does seem to be a heroic or mythical undertone to things. At the very least, one could say that the song is 'invoking a spirit' of Cochise, if nothing else. However, one might be able to take it a bit further than that.

2. 2TOP RATED

   #2 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Sep 29th 2011 !⃝

   I think the whole album has a christian message behind it. The song cochise is pretty straight forward.
   
   Go and save yourself, take it out on me.
   Jesus died to absolve us of our sins if we so choose. So yeah, save yourself take it out on him.
3. TheIdiot

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   Jul 7th 2023 !⃝

   The people in the song are battling addiction. The person in the song is an alcoholic. His partner is a smoker. The smoker has cancer. The alcoholic realizes that they cannot tell the smoker to stop smoking because he's in no place to do so, he is an addict too and ultimately it is the smoker's choice, the smoker is an adult. The smoker is abusive to the alcoholic but the alcoholic will allow that if it helps the other person.
4. anonymous

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   Aug 17th 2018 !⃝

   It’s about heroin, all his words.
5. anonymous

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   Jun 16th 2018 !⃝

   I understand it is named after a native american chief and laced with religious references, but I think it is about living with an abusive alcoholic that you care about enough to take abuse from, allowing them to vent their misery at you.
6. anonymous

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   Mar 5th 2018 !⃝

   Looking at self in mirror as an alcoholic
7. anonymous

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   Nov 19th 2017 !⃝

   Everyone's talking about Indian chiefs and spiritual meanings and although they may be right I always thought the name of the song "Cochise" was being used as the the slag name for "Vagina" or also known as Hoe's , so when you get ride of a Hoe they alway say they left you because it looks better than being dumped. So Chris is saying " alright, go on and save yourself, take it out on me " Ho !
8. anonymous

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   May 12th 2017 !⃝

   Could it be about alcoholism?
9. anonymous

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   Sep 15th 2009 !⃝

   This song to me is about him having someone close to him having some kind of obbsession and he saying if it will help just take out the anger or whatever that person has on him, but thats just what I personally think.
10. jesusfreak

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    May 3rd 2008 !⃝

    First of all let me point out that music is one of gods greatest tools in influencing us. Audioslave composes of one of the most vocally talented voices in the music industry mixed the some of the most instrumentally talented people as well. Together they appeal to both people who enjoy melodic music or just some good rock to jam to. but if people were to listen to the lyrics, mixed with the emotions evoked, and maybe a little common sense from the word(that would be the bible my peoples), you can plainly see that god is using Cornell to speak to his people- his people that have turned their backs to him so far that they don't even hear him cry out in pain.
    
    I challenge all of you who think that I am some psycho nut to do this: listen to the song with the mindset that god is speaking to everyone who has turned away form him. make cornell's words god's words and things will make sense. look, when he says "I've been watching While you've been coughing I've been drinking life While you've been nauseous And so I drink to health While you kill yourself And I've got just one thing That I can offer Go on save yourself And take it out on me." it doesn't have as much of an effect to just read it, you must experience it by listening. There is movement through music. look at what rage did! but as you begin to realize, god has been watching us. just because soo many of us don't believe that he exists doesn't mean that he doesn't exist.
    
    When he says he's been watching, he knows of everything that we have done and are doing. He's been drinking life while we've been nauseous. why would we be nauseous? look at our moral standards and where they have gone in the past decade?to hell. I feel sorry for all those who don't take life seriously and continue to live in their ignorance. but in the end when everything boils down we end up blaming god. we live in sin and when we reap what we sow we blame him, and so now he speaks back and says "You better understand That I won't hold your hand But if it helps you mend then I won't stop it. Go on save yourself And take it out on me" take it out on me. Take it out on me! wow that's strong.
    
    God will not hold our hand while we live in our ignorance. If you think that living in this empty hole of a life your living will "help you mend, then I won't stop it." now as you listen on it gets to one of the best parts of the song. notice the tempo and sound change and feel the emotions evoked as he sings "Drown if you want And I'll see you at the bottom Where you'll crawl on my skin And put the blame on me So you don't feel a thing" when he sees us at the bottom that is obviously when we die. He says "put the blame on me so you don't feel a thing" but when he says "thing" its long and dragged out, evoking an eternal feeling. eternal? what? its irony people! he says in the end blame him so we don't feel a thing which is contradictory to what will really happen-if we continue to live the lie we do... god will leave his people if they forsake him.
    
    I pray that all who read this don't read with a judging set of eyes and take heart with an open mind. god is here, we just need to listen some other good songs! I am the highway, shadow on the sun, what you are. listen to these with the same mindset! -ian arnoldy (know my name, it will be seen again)

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