Be Yourself (Audioslave song)
Encyclopedia
"Be Yourself" is the first single
by Audioslave
for their second album Out of Exile
. It was released in 2005. The song topped the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart for seven weeks and the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart for four weeks in 2005.
Next to "Like a Stone
", it is considered the band's most well known song, and is still played on radio stations world wide.
It is the theme of the 2005 RAW Diva Search
which was held by World Wrestling Entertainment
(WWE), and was used as the entrance music of the winner of that contest, Ashley Massaro
. WWE once again used it during the 3/8/2010 episode of WWE Monday Night Raw promoting WrestleMania XXVI
, and on a March 9th episode of WWE NXT
it was confirmed that the song was named as one of the official theme songs to the event. It was also used in the Scrubs
season six premiere episode "My Mirror Image". New York Mets
' outfielder Shawn Green
also used the song before his at-bats at games in 2006.
There was a contest held by Contactmusic.com
in which fans of the band could submit their pictures, over two dozen of which were selected and featured on the 7" vinyl release of the single.
's own life. "The 'be yourself' part really just came from a lot of things that I've gone through in my life and a lot of different changes and all the different tragedies and all the horrendously stupid mistakes I've made in my personal life, and wanting to be able to make up for those things and wanting to be able to not be ashamed, all that stuff," he explained. "You know, that's the one thing about getting older that's better, and this song kinda says it so simply, to a degree that 10 years ago I would've been embarrassed to put it in a song 'cause it is so simple. But there it is."
was filmed in an old hotel in downtown Los Angeles
and directed by music video veteran Francis Lawrence
, who has directed videos for Gwen Stefani
, Aerosmith
, Jennifer Lopez
and Will Smith
and made his feature film directorial debut with Constantine
. It begins with the band playing the song, a close-up of Tom Morello
playing his guitar for the most part. Close-ups of Chris Cornell
singing follows, along with more of Morello's guitar. The band is then shown, after the chorus, in a dark, isolated room with large windows, much like the room in their video for "Like a Stone
". Close-ups of Morello during the guitar solo follow, with abstracted views of Cornell, while lights in the background change colors quickly. During the last chorus, lights in the background flash colors of red.
Cornell has said that the band modeled the concept after The Beatles
' film Let It Be
. He said: "If you watch Let It Be, the look of the film makes the band look like it's an important happening. I just wanted to look important, like things looked when I was a child."
This video is much like the video for "Like a Stone", since the band is only shown playing in a dark room.
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
by Audioslave
Audioslave
Audioslave was an American rock supergroup that formed in Los Angeles, California in 2001. It consisted of former Soundgarden lead singer/rhythm guitarist Chris Cornell and the former instrumentalists of Rage Against the Machine: Tom Morello , Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk...
for their second album Out of Exile
Out of Exile
Out of Exile is the second studio album by the American rock supergroup Audioslave, first released on May 23, 2005 internationally and a day later in the United States. It is the band's only number one album on the Billboard 200. Four singles were released: "Be Yourself", "Your Time Has Come",...
. It was released in 2005. The song topped the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart for seven weeks and the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart for four weeks in 2005.
Next to "Like a Stone
Like a Stone
"Like a Stone" is a song by American hard rock band Audioslave, featured on their 2002 debut studio album Audioslave. When released as the band's second single in January 2003, the song topped both the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks and Hot Modern Rock Tracks charts, and reached number...
", it is considered the band's most well known song, and is still played on radio stations world wide.
It is the theme of the 2005 RAW Diva Search
WWE Diva Search
The WWE Diva Search is a talent competition held by World Wrestling Entertainment. The first winner was Jaime Koeppe, but she did not receive a contract like subsequent winners of the contest. Other winners included Christy Hemme, Ashley Massaro, Layla El, and Eve Torres. In addition to the winners...
which was held by World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWE), and was used as the entrance music of the winner of that contest, Ashley Massaro
Ashley Massaro
Ashley Marie Massaro is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to World Independent Ladies Division Wrestling. She is best known for her work with World Wrestling Entertainment and her appearance on Survivor: China....
. WWE once again used it during the 3/8/2010 episode of WWE Monday Night Raw promoting WrestleMania XXVI
WrestleMania XXVI
WrestleMania XXVI was the twenty-sixth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on March 28, 2010 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale, Arizona. This was the fourth WrestleMania to...
, and on a March 9th episode of WWE NXT
WWE NXT
WWE NXT is a sports entertainment television program produced by WWE that debuted on February 23, 2010. Described as a hybrid between reality television and WWE's scripted live event shows, the premise of the show follows select talent contracted to WWE's developmental territory Florida...
it was confirmed that the song was named as one of the official theme songs to the event. It was also used in the Scrubs
Scrubs (TV series)
Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
season six premiere episode "My Mirror Image". New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
' outfielder Shawn Green
Shawn Green
Shawn David Green is a former Major League Baseball player.Green was a 1st round draft pick and a two-time major league All-Star...
also used the song before his at-bats at games in 2006.
There was a contest held by Contactmusic.com
Contactmusic.com
Contactmusic.com is a Leeds UK based entertainment magazine/webzine. The site was launched in April 2000 by a small team and has now expanded to 12 fulltime staff and many freelance contributors from across the globe...
in which fans of the band could submit their pictures, over two dozen of which were selected and featured on the 7" vinyl release of the single.
Track listing
- "Be Yourself" - 4:38
- "Like a Stone" (Live version)
- "Show Me How to Live" (Remix By T-Ray) - 4:48
- "Be Yourself" (Video) - 4:48
Song meaning
The lyrics were inspired by events from frontman Chris CornellChris Cornell
Chris Cornell is an American rock musician best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for Soundgarden and as the former lead vocalist for Audioslave. He is also known for his numerous solo works and soundtrack contributions since 1998...
's own life. "The 'be yourself' part really just came from a lot of things that I've gone through in my life and a lot of different changes and all the different tragedies and all the horrendously stupid mistakes I've made in my personal life, and wanting to be able to make up for those things and wanting to be able to not be ashamed, all that stuff," he explained. "You know, that's the one thing about getting older that's better, and this song kinda says it so simply, to a degree that 10 years ago I would've been embarrassed to put it in a song 'cause it is so simple. But there it is."
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was filmed in an old hotel in downtown Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and directed by music video veteran Francis Lawrence
Francis Lawrence
Francis Lawrence is an American music video and film director.-Life and career:Lawrence was born in Vienna, Austria. His father is a physicist who taught at California State University, Northridge and his mother is V.P. Technology at a PR agency. He moved to Los Angeles at the age of three...
, who has directed videos for Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Renée Stefani is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer. Stefani is the lead vocalist for the rock and ska band No Doubt. Stefani recorded her first solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. in 2004. The album was inspired by music of the 1980s, and was a success with sales of over...
, Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
, Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
and Will Smith
Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
and made his feature film directorial debut with Constantine
Constantine (film)
Constantine is a 2005 American action horror film directed by Francis Lawrence as his directorial debut, starring Keanu Reeves as John Constantine, with Rachel Weisz, Shia LaBeouf, Tilda Swinton, and Djimon Hounsou...
. It begins with the band playing the song, a close-up of Tom Morello
Tom Morello
Thomas Baptiste "Tom" Morello is a Grammy Award-winning American guitarist best known for his tenure with the bands Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, his acoustic solo act The Nightwatchman, and his newest group, Street Sweeper Social Club...
playing his guitar for the most part. Close-ups of Chris Cornell
Chris Cornell
Chris Cornell is an American rock musician best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for Soundgarden and as the former lead vocalist for Audioslave. He is also known for his numerous solo works and soundtrack contributions since 1998...
singing follows, along with more of Morello's guitar. The band is then shown, after the chorus, in a dark, isolated room with large windows, much like the room in their video for "Like a Stone
Like a Stone
"Like a Stone" is a song by American hard rock band Audioslave, featured on their 2002 debut studio album Audioslave. When released as the band's second single in January 2003, the song topped both the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks and Hot Modern Rock Tracks charts, and reached number...
". Close-ups of Morello during the guitar solo follow, with abstracted views of Cornell, while lights in the background change colors quickly. During the last chorus, lights in the background flash colors of red.
Cornell has said that the band modeled the concept after The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' film Let It Be
Let It Be (film)
Let It Be is a 1970 documentary film about The Beatles rehearsing and recording songs for the album Let It Be in January 1969. The film features an unannounced rooftop concert by the group, their last performance in public...
. He said: "If you watch Let It Be, the look of the film makes the band look like it's an important happening. I just wanted to look important, like things looked when I was a child."
This video is much like the video for "Like a Stone", since the band is only shown playing in a dark room.