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.
Without You
Eddie Vedder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let me loosen up the blindfold
I'll fly when you cry
Lift us outta this landslide
Wherever you go
Whenever we part
That we've collected from the start
I'd rather this than live without you
For every wish upon a star
That goes unanswered in the dark
There is a dream I've dreamt about you
And from afar I lie awake
Close my eyes to find I wouldn't be the same
I'll shine when you shine
Painting pictures outta my mind
Sun sets on this ocean
Never once on my devotion
However you are
Or far that you fall
I'll keep on healing all the scars
That we've collected from the start
I'd rather this than live without you
For every wish upon a star
That goes unanswered in the dark
There is a dream I've dreamt about you
And from afar I lie awake
Close my eyes to find I'd never be the same
Without you
Without you
The lyrics of Eddie Vedder's song "Without You" speak to a deep and abiding love for someone who may not always be there. The singer promises to support and protect their loved one through all of life's trials and tribulations, pledging to "grow when you grow" and "fly when you cry." Even when the two are apart, the singer insists that they will continue to "heal all the scars" that they have both collected over the years, expressing a preference to only live with the loved one rather than without.
The song is a poignant reminder of the importance of love and connection in our lives, even when we face seemingly insurmountable obstacles. The singer's devotion to their loved one is unwavering and unending, regardless of distance or circumstance. In many ways, the lyrics of "Without You" can be read as an ode to the enduring power of love and the human spirit's capacity to weather any storm as long as they have someone to share it with.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll grow when you grow
I will mature and develop along with you.
Let me loosen up the blindfold
Allow me to remove my blinders and see things more clearly.
I'll fly when you cry
I will soar with you through your hardships and tears.
Lift us outta this landslide
Help us rise above our current struggles and challenges.
Wherever you go
I will follow you everywhere.
Whenever we part
Even when we separate, my love for you endures.
I'll keep on healing all the scars
I will continue to help you recover from the emotional wounds we have suffered together.
That we've collected from the start
From the beginning of our relationship, we have experienced pain and hurt.
I'd rather this than live without you
I prefer to face the challenges of our relationship than not have you in my life.
For every wish upon a star
Despite every hope and dream that remains unfulfilled, I still yearn for you.
That goes unanswered in the dark
Even when my dreams do not come true, I still have faith that we will be together.
There is a dream I've dreamt about you
I imagine a beautiful future where we are together and happy.
And from afar I lie awake
Even though we are apart, I cannot stop thinking about you.
Close my eyes to find I wouldn't be the same
If you were not in my life, I would be a different, lesser person.
I'll shine when you shine
I will glow and flourish when you succeed and shine.
Painting pictures outta my mind
I create vivid images in my imagination of our future together.
Sun sets on this ocean
The day comes to a close on this endless sea.
Never once on my devotion
However, my love and commitment to you never waver.
However you are
No matter how you behave or change, I will still love you.
Or far that you fall
Even if you make mistakes or struggle, I will always support and stand by you.
Without you
I cannot imagine a life without you and all the love you bring.
Without you
I need you by my side forever.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EDDIE JEROME VEDDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Steve Jennings
I'll grow when you grow
Let me loosen up the blindfold
I'll fly when you cry
Lift us out of this landslide
Wherever you go
Whenever we part
I'll keep on healing all the scars
That we've collected from the start
I'd rather this than live without you
For every wish upon a star
That goes unanswered in the dark
There is a dream, I've dreamt about you
And from afar, I lie awake
Close my eyes to find I wouldn't be the same
I'll shine when you shine
Painted pictures on my mind
Sun sets on this ocean
Never once on my devotion
However you are
Or far that you're far
I'll keep on healing all the scars
That we've collected from the start
I'd rather this than live without you
For every wish upon a star
That goes unanswered in the dark
There is a dream, I've dreamt about you
And from afar, I lie awake
Close my eyes to find I'd never be the same
Without you, without you?
Christopher Breen
great!!
'll shine when you shine
Painted pictures on my mind
Sun sets on this ocean
Never once on my devotion
However you are
Or far that you're far
I'll keep on healing all the scars
That we've collected from the start
I'd rather this than live without you
For every wish upon a star
That goes unanswered in the dark
There is a dream, I've dreamt about you
And from afar, I lie awake
Close my eyes to find I'd never be the same
Without you, without you?
Latuqui77
Maduraré cuando tú madures
Déjame soltarte la venda de los ojos
Volaré cuando tú llores
y nos sacaré de este derrumbamiento
Vayas a donde vayas
Nos separemos cuando nos separemos
Yo seguiré curando todas las cicatrices
que nos hemos venido haciendo desde el principio
Prefiero eso a vivir sin ti
Porque tras cada deseo pedido a una estrella
que queda sin respuesta en la oscuridad
hay un sueño que va sobre ti.
Y en silencio permanezco despierto
Cierro los ojos para darme cuenta
de que no sería el mismo.
Brillaré cuando tú brilles
Imagino imágenes descoloridas
el sol poniéndose en este océano
ni una sola vez sobre mi devoción.
Estés como estés
Y por muy lejos que te caigas
Yo seguiré curando todas las cicatrices
que nos hemos venido haciendo desde el principio
Prefiero eso a vivir sin ti
Porque tras cada deseo pedido a una estrella
que queda sin respuesta en la oscuridad
hay un sueño que va sobre ti.
Y en silencio permanezco despierto
Cierro los ojos para darme cuenta
de que no sería el mismo
Sin ti, sin ti...
Tom Joseph
this song is so so so so beautiful. eddie vedder is a true soulmate to everyone who loves his music. thank you eddie.
Katrina Banaski
Lovely comment. You are correct in every way.
Lars van der Linde
poeh
Aileen Falcone
I discovered this cd years back, and I couldn't stop playing it forever !!! Eventually, life moves forward, and lately I feel this music calling, thinking it wS triggered by another arrangement of A Place in the Sun, originally by Stevie Wonder...
Bob Albany
This song makes me feel like I'm walking with my inner child in happy feelings out of the state of trauma. Amazing Eddie Vedder...
William J. Sheehan
Four strings. One voice. Amazing.
Cripto Oportunidades
Esta canción le da sentido a la existencia, justifica el paso de cualquiera de nosotros por la tierra. Sí, es exagerado, pero escucharla con los ojos cerrados te transporta hacia donde quieras. Es hermosa. Eddie Vedder construye, día a día, un mito difícil de igualar. De la bronca y la rabia de los primeros discos de Pearl Jam a esta belleza melódica. Aunque siempre la melodía estuvo presente en sus discos. Un artista completo, de los mejores. Larga vida para Vedder y tantos otros.
Marcos sousa
beautiful song! Eddie Vedder is an artist 100% talent!
John LaStrada
Well...if Eddie ever loses his job with Pearl Jam he definitely has a career with this music. It's a wonderful effort and he sounds just as comfortable with this kind of music. Don't stop doing this stuff Eddie...your voice is warm and sincere on tracks such as this. I have renewed respect for your work.
Diego Arrache
+John LaStrada Eddie Vedder is Pearl Jam bro!