The song was inspired by the 1980s song “People Who Died,” by The Jim Carroll Band, an emotional salute to the casualties of New York drug culture written by poet and singer Jim Carroll..
Chris Cornell expanded about the song meaning:
It’s a bunch of references to people that I knew that were youn...
[Verse 1]
Now one fell asleep in the street and he never woke up
Now one died in pieces in his bed with the mouth full of gold
And one threatened me long ago when I saw him
Melt in the bright light of day
And one laid to rest in a field under starlings and crows, hey
[Chorus]
I've been wandering sideways
I've stared straight into the sun
Still, I don't know why you're dying
Long before your time has come
Your time has come
[Verse 2]
Now one took some bullets in the chest in a deal gone wrong
One got a little too depressed and he went and jumped the gun
One got shot right in the face and he somehow survived
But he doesn't know my name or who I am
And I'm not surprised, hey
[Chorus]
I've been wandering sideways
I've stared straight into the sun
Still, I don't know why you're dying
Long before your time has come
I've been wandering sideways
And I've stared straight into the sun
Still, I don't know why you're dying
Long before your time has come
Your time has come, yeah
[Guitar Solo]
[Bridge]
I've seen 50,000 names all engraved on a stone
Most of them, met an early grave
Years before I was born
All of them left brothers and sisters and mothers behind
And most of their family and friends alive, doing time
[Chorus]
I've been wandering sideways
I've stared straight into the sun
Still, I don't know why you're dying
Long before your time has come
I've been wandering sideways
I've stared straight into the sun
Still, I don't know why you're dying
Long before your time has come
[Outro]
Long before your time has come
Long before your time has come
And your time has come
Your Time Has Come was written by Tim Commerford & Chris Cornell & Tom Morello & Brad Wilk.
Your Time Has Come was produced by Rick Rubin.
Audioslave released Your Time Has Come on Tue May 24 2005.