Can't Change Me

Chris Cornell told MTV News that students of Soundgarden's music can find the genesis of "Can't Change Me" in some of the band's hits, such as "Blow Up the Outside World" and "Fell on Black Days".

About the meaning of the lyrics, Cornell told MTV's Making the Video:

It was written in the middle of a long songwriting period that I had for the record. Although it's the first song released as a single, it was probably one of the later songs that I wrote. The idea of the song... you kinda get the idea that it's a statement from the singer. It's kind of more of a sad discovery that this singer is involved with this person that has amazing powers to help people and change things positively, and he's realizing that none of it is really rubbing off on him.{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0b3IvfNtBc |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/I0b3IvfNtBc |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Chris Cornell on the meaning behind the song "Can't Change Me" |website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}

"Can't Change Me" was released in early 1999 and turned out to be the biggest hit from the album, achieving strong chart positions. "Can't Change Me" was the first Cornell single to chart, peaking on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart at No. 5 and on the Modern Rock Tracks chart at No. 7. In the UK, it peaked at No. 62.

Greg Tate of Rolling Stone said "'Can't Change Me' is as rhapsodically gorgeous as pop gets, putting a spin on true love that any reprobate slacker can relate to: 'She's going to change the world/But she can't change me/Suddenly I can see everything that's wrong with me/But what can I do?/I'm the only thing I really have at all.' Cornell unveils a desire to be reckoned with as an openly wounded and unabashedly portentous rock balladeer."{{cite web |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/chriscornell/albums/album/117330/review/5944598/euphoria_morning |title=Rolling Stone review of Euphoria Morning |author=Greg Tate |date=September 30, 1999 |website=Rolling Stone |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106073349/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/chriscornell/albums/album/117330/review/5944598/euphoria_morning |archivedate=January 6, 2010 |url-status=dead |accessdate=March 25, 2019}}

A music video directed by Johan Renck was produced for the song and premiered on MTV on September 6, 1999.{{Cite magazine |last=Bambarger |first=Bradley |title='Euphoria Morning' Dawns For Soundgarden's Cornell On A&M |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oggEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT20 |magazine=Billboard |date=11 September 1999 |publication-date=September 11, 1999 |page=19}} The video's concept was Cornell's idea.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTbtj8U1zKw |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/jTbtj8U1zKw |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Chris Cornell - Making The Video - Can't Change Me |website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} It also stars Portuguese model and actress Ana Cristina de Oliveira.{{Cite web |url=https://www.impala.pt/famosos/portuguesa-conquistou-chris-cornell-video/ |title=A portuguesa que conquistou Chris Cornell (vídeo) |date=May 18, 2017 |website=Impala |language=Portuguese}} The video was shot in Hollywood in four days, between July 31 and August 2, 1999, in locations such as at the Raji's, the Townhouse Motel, and in the tiny mountain town of Cornell, located in the Santa Monica Mountains. The fire shots were filmed in Stockholm, Sweden on August 19, 1999. Its filming was showcased in an episode of MTV's Making the Video followed by the world premiere of the music video.

Cornell recorded a version of the song in French.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw5DkE9ND9g Chris Cornell - Can't Change Me (French)] This version is a bonus track on Euphoria Morning's deluxe version,[http://www.newsweek.com/chris-cornells-musical-legacy-611400 Chris Cornell’s Greatest Hits: Grunge Icon Dead At 52] and on the Japanese[https://www.discogs.com/Chris-Cornell-Euphoria-Morning/release/1537034 Chris Cornell – Euphoria Morning (Japan)] and European editions of the album released in November 1999.[https://www.discogs.com/Chris-Cornell-Euphoria-Morning/release/5530463 Chris Cornell – Euphoria Morning (Europe)] The song was translated to French by Alexis Lemoine.

CD1

1. "Can't Change Me" (Cornell)
2. "Flutter Girl" From the Poncier CD (Cornell)
3. "Nowhere But You" From the Poncier CD (Cornell)

CD2

1. "Can't Change Me" (Cornell)
2. "When I'm Down" Demo (Cornell)
3. "Can't Change Me" (Enhanced CD-Rom video)

Personnel adapted from Euphoria Morning liner notes.{{cite AV media notes |title=Euphoria Morning |others=Chris Cornell |date=1999 |type=CD liner notes}}

• Chris Cornell - lead vocals, guitar, harmonica
• Alain Johannes - guitar, backing vocals
• Natasha Shneider - keyboards, tambourine
• Ric Markmann - bass guitar
• Josh Freese - drums

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaxI41Oqdfw Official music video] on YouTube

{{Chris Cornell}}

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Category:1999 singles

Category:Chris Cornell songs

Category:Songs written by Chris Cornell

Category:Song recordings produced by Chris Cornell

Category:1998 songs

Category:Interscope Records singles

Category:Music videos directed by Johan Renck