Alive
Pearl Jam Lyrics

Son, she said
The song's protagonist's mother opens by telling him a story.

Have I got a little story for you
The mother is excited and eager to share her tale.

What you thought was your daddy
The singer's mother reveals that the man the singer has assumed to be his father is not his biological father.

Was nothin' but a
The mother trails off and doesn't finish her statement, implying that the father was not an important figure.

While you were sittin'
The mother begins describing events from the artist's past.

Home alone at age thirteen
The singer was home alone at thirteen years old, perhaps indicating an absentee mother.

Your real daddy was dyin'
The man who was the singer's biological father was dying while the singer remained oblivious.

Sorry you didn't see him
The mother expresses regret at the fact that the artist never met his biological father before he died.

But I'm glad we talked
The mother is still glad that she was able to share this news with the artist.

Oh, I, oh, I'm still alive
The artist affirms that he is still alive despite discovering this news.

Hey, I, oh, I'm still alive
The singer repeats his affirmation, perhaps hinting at surprise at his continued existence despite this revelation.

Hey, I, oh, I'm still alive, hey, oh
The artist continues to repeat the affirmation, possibly to reassure himself or to convince himself of this new reality.

While she walks slowly
The mother is still present in the room, and the singer is still processing her news.

Across a young man's room
The mother is in the singer's room, making the revelation even more personal and immediate.

She said I'm ready, for you
The mother is ready to answer any questions or discuss the news further with the singer.

Why I can't remember anything
The artist confesses that he can't remember much from his past.

To this very day
The artist still can't remember important details of his past, suggesting that the news from his mother may have stirred up complicated emotions.

'Cept the look, the look
The singer remembers a particular look, perhaps hinting at trauma or abuse in his past.

Oh, you know where
The singer knows exactly what look and what memory he is referring to.

Now I can't see, I just stare
The artist has been so impacted by this memory that he can no longer fully function in the present moment.

Is something wrong?
The mother senses that something is amiss with the artist.

She said
The mother persists in wanting to help the artist process his emotions.

Of course there is
The singer acknowledges that there is, in fact, something troubling him.

You're still alive
The mother may be attempting to comfort the artist by reminding him that he is still alive and capable of moving forward.

Oh, do I deserve to be?
The singer begins a deep dive into existential questions about his own self-worth and why he is still alive.

Is that the question?
The singer acknowledges that this question is perhaps the crux of his emotional struggle.

And if so, if so
The singer muses about the potential answers to this question.

Who answers?
The artist ultimately admits that he does not have an answer and is still seeking one out.

I, oh, I'm still alive
The artist returns to his affirmation that he is still alive despite his emotional turmoil.

Hey, I, oh, I'm still alive
The singer repeats the affirmation to help himself stay grounded in reality and keep moving forward.

Hey, I, oh, I'm still alive
The singer stresses again that he is still alive, emphasizing his survival despite hardship.

Hey, I
The artist repeats the phrase as a way of stemming the overwhelming emotions and staying focused on the present.

Oh, I'm still alive
The artist concludes the song with a final affirmation of his enduring survival.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
The artist repeats a celebration of his survival and perseverance.

Oh, yeah oh, ooh oh, yeah, oh
The singer repeats the same sentiment of celebration and perseverance, potentially with even greater intensity and emotion.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
The artist concludes the song with a final repetition of his affirmation of survival.