Vedder is known for his powerful baritone vocals. He was ranked number 7 on a list of "Best Lead Singers of All Time", based on a readers' poll compiled by Rolling Stone.
In 2007, Vedder released his first solo album as a soundtrack for the film Into the Wild (2007). His second album, Ukulele Songs, and a live DVD titled Water on the Road were released in 2011. His third solo album Earthling was released in 2022.
In 2017, Vedder was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Pearl Jam.
Early life
Vedder was born Edward Louis Severson III in the Chicago suburb of Evanston, Illinois, on December 23, 1964, to Karen Lee Vedder and Edward Louis Severson, Jr. His parents divorced in 1965, when Vedder was an infant. His mother soon remarried, to a man named Peter Mueller. Vedder was raised believing that Mueller was his biological father, and he went by the name Edward Mueller for a time. Vedder's ancestry includes Norway (Severson) and Dutch, German and Danish (Vedder).
While living in Evanston, Vedder's family fostered seven younger children in a group home. In the mid-1970s, the family, including Vedder's three younger half-brothers, moved to San Diego County, California. It was at this point that Vedder, who had received a guitar from his mother on his twelfth birthday, began turning to music (as well as surfing) as a source of comfort. He particularly found solace in The Who's 1973 album, Quadrophenia. He said, "When I was around 15 or 16... I was all alone—except for music." His mother and Mueller divorced when Vedder was in his late teens. His mother and brothers moved back to the Chicago area, but Vedder remained with his stepfather in California so he would not have to change schools.
After the divorce, Vedder learned the truth about his parentage: Mueller was really his stepfather. Vedder had met his biological father briefly as a child, but had believed that Severson was merely an old friend of his parents. By the time Vedder learned the truth, Severson had died of multiple sclerosis. During his senior year at San Dieguito High School, Vedder moved out to live on his own in an apartment, supporting himself with a nightly job at a drug store in Encinitas. Because of the pressure of work and school, Vedder dropped out of high school. He joined the rest of his family in Chicago, and it was at this time that he changed his name to Vedder, his mother's maiden name.
In the early 1980s, while working as a waiter, Eddie earned his high school GED, and briefly attended a community college near Chicago. In 1984, Vedder returned to San Diego, with his girlfriend Beth Liebling and his friend Frank. He kept busy recording demo tapes at his home and working various jobs, including a position as a contracted security guard at the La Valencia Hotel in La Jolla. Vedder had several stints in San Diego area bands, including Surf and Destroy and the Butts. One of those bands, called Indian Style, included future Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave drummer Brad Wilk. In 1988, Vedder became the vocalist for the San Diego progressive funk rock band Bad Radio. The music of the original incarnation of the band was influenced by Duran Duran; however, after Vedder joined Bad Radio, the band moved on to a more alternative rock sound influenced by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Musical style and influences
Critic Jim DeRogatis describes Vedder's vocals as a "Jim Morrison-like vocal growl". Greg Prato of AllMusic said, "With his hard-hitting and often confessional lyrical style and Jim Morrison-esque baritone, Vedder also became one of the most copied lead singers in all of rock." Vedder has inducted the Doors, Neil Young, the Ramones, and R.E.M. into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in his induction speeches he has cited them all as influences. Other influences that Vedder has cited include The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, U2, the Who, Pink Floyd, the Jackson 5, Frank Zappa, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Elvis Costello, Talking Heads, Sonic Youth, Fugazi, Tom Waits, Huey Lewis, Bob Dylan, and the Pixies.
Vedder was heavily inspired by the early Jethro Tull sound, stating that: "I'm a big fan of Jethro Tull, and I listen to this record [Stand Up] every night before I go on stage!"
Vedder's lyrical topics range from personal ("Alive", from Ten; "Better Man", from Vitalogy) to social and political concerns ("Even Flow", from Ten; "World Wide Suicide", from Pearl Jam). His lyrics have often invoked the use of storytelling and have included themes of freedom, individualism, and sympathy for troubled individuals. Other recurring themes include the use of water metaphors, as well as the idea of leaving everything behind to start again (featured in such songs as "Rearviewmirror", from Vs.; "MFC", from Yield; "Evacuation", from Binaural; and "Gone", from Pearl Jam).
Although best known as a vocalist, Vedder also plays guitar on many Pearl Jam songs, beginning with the Vs. songs "Rearviewmirror" and "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town". When the band started, Gossard and McCready were clearly designated as rhythm and lead guitarists, respectively. The dynamic began to change when Vedder started to play more rhythm guitar during the Vitalogy era. McCready said in 2006, "Even though there are three guitars, I think there's maybe more room now. Stone will pull back and play a two-note line and Ed will do a power chord thing, and I fit into all that." Vedder's guitar playing helped the band's sound progress toward a more stripped-down style; the songs "Rearviewmirror" and "Corduroy" (from Vitalogy) feature Vedder's raw, punk-influenced guitar playing. As he had more influence on the band's sound, Vedder sought to make the band's musical output less catchy.
He said, "I felt that with more popularity, we were going to be crushed, our heads were going to pop like grapes." He has also contributed performances on the ukulele, harmonica, accordion, and electric sitar to various Pearl Jam recordings.
Porch
Eddie Vedder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Running to, you didn't
Leave a message, at least
I coulda learned your voice one last time
Daily minefield, this could
Be my time, bout you?
Would you hit me? (2x)
Oh oh oh... oh whoa whoa... ow...
All the bills go by, and
Initiatives are taken up
By the middle, there aint gonna be any middle any more
And the cross I'm bearing home
Aint indicative of my place
Left the porch (2x)
Oh oh oh...
Hear my name, take a good look
This could be the day
Hold my hand, walk beside me
I just need to say...
Hear my name, take a good look
This could be the day
Hold my hand, lie beside me
I just need to say
I could not take a-just one day
I know when I would not ever touch you hold you
... feel you... in my arms... never again...
Yeah... (12x)
The lyrics of the song "Porch" by Eddie Vedder seem to express his frustration and confusion about the world, particularly in regards to communication and relationships. The opening lines suggest that someone has left without giving him any indication of where they have gone or why, and he regrets not being able to hear their voice one last time. He then muses about the unpredictable nature of life and wonders if he needs to be prepared to defend himself against potential attackers - "daily minefield, this could be my time, bout you? Would you hit me?".
The middle section of the song suggests a disillusionment with the current state of societal norms and expectations. Vedder seems to be feeling caught between two extremes - "all the bills go by, and initiatives are taken up by the middle, there ain't gonna be any middle anymore". He also mentions a cross he is bearing home, which could suggest a feeling of being burdened by the weight of society's expectations. The lines "left the porch" could be interpreted as a symbolic gesture of breaking away from these expectations and finding one's own path.
The final lines of the song are somewhat ambiguous, but seem to express a longing for connection and a fear of losing it. Vedder sings "hear my name, take a good look, this could be the day...hold my hand, walk beside me, I just need to say". There is a sense of urgency and desperation in his voice, as though he is pleading with someone to stay with him. The repeated refrain "I could not take a -just one day..." suggests a fear of losing someone forever and a desire to hold onto them as long as possible.
Line by Line Meaning
What the fuck is this world
Eddie questions the state of the world in which we live and is probably disappointed in how it is.
Running to, you didn't
Eddie's lost contact with someone who he thought was close to him.
Leave a message, at least
He wishes that the person who he has lost touch with had at least left a message, so that he could hear their voice one last time.
I coulda learned your voice one last time
Eddie regrets that he didn't get to hear the person's voice before they left for good.
Daily minefield, this could
The world feels like a minefield, a dangerous place where anything could happen at any time.
Be my time, bout you?
Eddie wonders if this is his time to go, or if it will be someone else he knows.
Would you hit me? (2x)
He's asking if the person who left would hurt him if they saw him now.
All the bills go by, and
Life keeps going, with bills and other responsibilities that need to be taken care of.
Initiatives are taken up
People are always starting new projects or trying to create change.
By the middle, there aint gonna be any middle any more
Eddie thinks that society is dividing into extremes, and the middle ground is disappearing.
And the cross I'm bearing home
Eddie feels like he's carrying a burden, something he has to deal with on his own.
Aint indicative of my place
He doesn't feel like he belongs where he currently is.
Left the porch (2x)
Eddie has moved on from sitting on his porch (which represents a sense of stability and routine) to something else.
Hear my name, take a good look
Eddie wants people to remember him and what he stood for after he is gone.
This could be the day
Every day could be the last for Eddie, or anyone else.
Hold my hand, walk beside me
He wants someone to be there for him, to support him in his journey.
I just need to say...
Eddie has something important to communicate and he wants to make sure that it gets heard.
Hold my hand, lie beside me
He wants someone to be close to him, to share intimacy with.
I just need to say
Eddie has to get something off his chest, something he's been holding onto.
I could not take a-just one day
Eddie thought he couldn't survive life without someone, but he did.
I know when I would not ever touch you hold you
He's thinking about someone he lost, and how he'll never get to see or touch them again.
... feel you... in my arms... never again...
He'll never have that same sense of comfort and safety that he got from being near that person.
Yeah... (12x)
The song ends with a series of 'yeahs' that convey Eddie's sense of resignation and longing for what he's lost.
Contributed by Caroline O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Green Phoenix
I always think of Pinkpop '92 when I hear this song. Eddies voice has matured, but he still owns it. Great performance.
Dario Martinez
His voice is better than before. I prefer this old Eddie.
FeelItRising
The speed he plays with and as cleanly is really impressive.
and he sings pretty good too. :)
Jess
I never realized how much there is a Spanish vibe to this song when it's done acoustically. Such a great song.
Just Saying
This helps! Lost my dad to Cancer from Agent Orange, being a crew chief on reconnaissance RF-4’s and RF-101’s in Vietnam. These were fighter jets with no ammunition just surveillance. They did a video when Dad “Big Wayne” was their as a Squadron head crew chief called “Alone, Unarmed, and Not afraid” with Robert Stack narration. I’m not sure what to think about Agent Orange but the Marines used it to kill all the vegetation around Tan Son Nhut Air Force Base during the Tet Offensive. My dad received the Bronze Star with Valor and when I was 15 he told me the story and at the time I couldn’t comprehend but he did what he had to do and it haunted him and for a long time our family hurt because of an addiction. He didn’t drink or do drugs but he couldn’t sleep and gambling became his go to. Addiction is addiction no matter what. I went the wrong way before he got sick but 6 months after he passed (got better) I sobered up from an awful drug that took a lot of friends. I promised him I would take care of my Momma and after a relapse almost 6 months to the day he died that was it. 7 years clean now and damn proud of it! I beat the beast. In December 2019 I had an Aortic Aneurysm with dissection and rupture with a Stroke before which I thought was a bad migraine. Needless to say I survived, my loved ones such as my ex wife and many friends and family stood by me. I was trash because I did it through my addictions but it was also underlying things. I would not be here for those Army and Marines but I feel my Dad made the sacrifice because he joined. He told me he had a love hate relationship with Agent Orange but made peace with it because he came home to mom and had three boys that learned life a tough way because of his mental problems associated with what he had to do. He went to Salisbury, NC for three months and I got my Dad back for 14 years. Now it’s just my Mom, my brothers and their families, my dog Lemmy and myself. No matter what we are proud of my Father and what he taught us during his rough times. He didn’t know how much his behavior showed us what not to do. I messed up as well but I promised him the day he got better and left I would get better too. I have. It’s weird that sometimes the worse things can buy us sometime but there are always sacrifices! Momma is happy, I’m healthy, and Ryne Sandberg is still the greatest! Sorry guys that this is long but damn it felt good to get out! Thank you guys in the comment section and thank you Eddie and everyone in the band for helping me navigate the hard times with songs of familiarities to always go back to special times!
Purjo
When he starts strumming that guitar his badass spirit comes through
Virginia knighten
How awesome is this performance? ❤️
Laura Watters
Beautiful Talented and Compassionate human being right there!! Love you Eddie Vedder 💓😊🤘✌️
Ralph Grimwood
Still making my hairs stand on end after all these years.
Katerina Tsiami
Great performance as always mature professional he rockssss.. Thank you for all these years big fan then big fan now.. Greetings from Greece 🇬🇷🇬🇷💙