Eddie Vedder
Eddie Jerome Vedder (born Edward Louis Severson III; December 23, 1964) is … Read Full Bio ↴Eddie Jerome Vedder (born Edward Louis Severson III; December 23, 1964) is an American singer, musician, and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist and one of four guitarists of the grunge band Pearl Jam. He also appeared as a guest vocalist in Temple of the Dog, the one-off tribute band dedicated to the late singer Andrew Wood.
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.
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.
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Eddie Vedder Lyrics
(silence) Such is the way of the world You can never know Just…
All Along The Watchtower There must be some way out of here Said the joker…
All The Way Don't let anyone say that it's just a game For I've…
American Girl Well she was an american girl Raised on promises She couldnt…
Around The Bend i'm wishing you a-well mind at peace within your cell covers…
Believe People walking People running People waiting On a second com…
Better Days I feel part of the universe open up to meet…
Better Man Waitin', watchin' the clock, it's four o'clock, it's Got to…
Blackbird Blackbird singing in the dead of the night Take these broken…
Break on Through You know the day destroys the night Night divides the day …
Broken Heart Don't mind me, just let me be My eyes so far…
Brother The Cloud I had a brother But now my brother is gone Oh, I…
Can I wanna shake, I wanna wind out I wanna leave this…
Can't Keep I wanna shake, I wanna wind out I wanna leave this…
Constellations The light was leaving and the west it was blue The…
Creep When you were here before Couldn't look you in the eye You'r…
Daytime Dilemma She came from a happy home A very happy home a…
Dream A Little Dream Stars shining bright above you Night breezes seem to whisper…
Driftin' Drifting, drifting, drifting away. I got myself a mansion, t…
Drive Smack, crack, bushwhacked Tie another one to the racks, baby…
Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town I seem to recognize your face Haunting, familiar, yet i can'…
End of the Road I won't be the last I won't be the first Find a…
Fallout Today Oh, multiplied the questions in her mind Oh, trying to subtr…
Far Behind Take Leave the conscious mind Found myself to be so inclined…
Forever Young May God bless and keep you always, May your wishes all…
Future Days If I ever were to lose you I'd surely lose myself Everything…
Girl From The North Country If you're traveling in the north country fair Where the wind…
Gone No more upset mornings No more trying evenings This Americ…
Good And Evil Oh, when you look in the mirror Oh, tell me what…
Goodbye I've got our love to remember That will never change I have…
Growin' Up Name that tune Well, I stood stone-like at midnight Suspend…
Guaranteed On bended knee is no way to be free Lifting up…
Hard Sun When I walk beside her I am the better man When I…
Here's to the State Here's to the judges of John Roberts, Who wear the robe…
Here's To The State Of Mississippi Here's to the state of Mississippi, For Underheath her borde…
Hey Fahkah You Fahkah, Fahkah…
Hide Your Love Away Here I stand head in hand Turn my face to the…
Hunger Strike Well I don't mind stealing bread From the mouths of decadent…
Hurt I hurt myself today To see if I still feel I focus…
I Every year is the same And I feel it again I'm a…
I Believe In Miracles I used to be on an endless run. Believe in miracles…
I See Red When my baby's walking down the street I see red, I…
I Shall Be Released They say everything can be replaced They say every distance…
I'm Alive How's That So there i was walkin' down the street Kinda surprised to…
I'm one Every year is the same And I feel it again I'm a…
I'm Open a man lies in his bed in a room with…
Invincible Can you hear? Are we clear? Cleared for lift off, takeoff Fo…
Just Breathe Yes, I understand That every life must end, uh-huh As we sit…
Just Wanted You to Know Look me in the eye just this one time mister I…
Let Me Sleep Cold wind blows on the souls of my feet Heaven knows…
Let My Love Open the Door The people keep repeatin' That you'll never fall in love Whe…
Let's See Action Let's see action Let's see people Let's see freedom Let's…
Light Today I saw the light today I saw the light today…
Live Cold wind blows on the souls of my feet Heaven knows…
Long Nights Have no fear For when I'm alone I'll be better off than…
Long Road And I wished for so long cannot stay. All the precious…
Long Way His eyes appear vacant He'd taken more than his share Trying…
Longing to Belong I'm falling harder than I've Ever fell before I'm falling fa…
Man Of The Hour Tidal waves don't beg forgiveness Crashed and on their way F…
Master of War Come you masters of war You that build the big guns You…
Matter of Time As we arise with the sun in our eyes, catch…
mercy mercy me Whoa Oh, mercy, mercy me Oh, things ain't what they used to…
More Than You Know More than you know, more than you know Lately I find…
Mrs. Mills Mrs. Mills waits in the dark For the red light to…
My City Of Ruins There's a blood red circle On a cold dark ground And the…
No Ceiling Comes the morning when I can feel That there's nothing left…
No Ceiling + lyrics Comes the morning When I can feel That there's nothing lef…
No More I speak for a man Who gave for this land Took…
Off He Goes Know a man His face seemed pulled and tense Like he's ridin'…
On my way I'll be on my way I'll be on my way I'll be…
Once In A While Once in a while will you try to give One little…
Parting Ways Behind her eyes there's curtains And they've been closed to …
Patriot And the rivers shall open for the righteous... And the rive…
Picture (One, two, three, four) A picture tells a thousand words So…
Porch What the fuck is this world Running to, you didn't Leave a…
Power Of Right Bright man scared Living in fear An itchy trigger finger A c…
Redemption Song Old pirates, yes, they rob I Sold I to the merchant…
Rise Such is the way of the world You can never know Just…
Roadhouse Blues Ah keep your eyes on the road Your hands upon the…
Rose Of Jericho (One, two) A long time ago, in a desert so dry A…
Satellite Its no shame that Love's a game that I can only play…
Satéllite it's no shame that love's a game that i can only play…
Sattelite Its no shame that Love's a game that I can only play…
Say Hi I'll come and say hi when I see Eli, I'll…
Setting Forth Be it no concern Point of no return Go foward in reverse Th…
Ship Song Come sail your ships around me And burn your bridges down. Y…
Skipping I didn't have to ask you, just took my hand Off…
Sleeping By Myself I should have know there was someone else Down below I…
Sleepless Nights Through the sleepless nights I cry for you And wonder who Is…
Society It's a mystery to me We have a greed With which we…
Someday We'll Go All The Way Don't let anyone say that it's just a game. For I've…
Stuff and Nonsense Disobey my own decisions, I deserve all your suspicion First…
Take a Walk Time to split out my back door Sunrise dancing on my…
The Dark (Ba da da) I didn't mean to up and scare ya I…
The End I won't be the last I won't be the first Find a…
the face of love Jeena kaisa pyar bina Is duniya mein aaye ho to Ek duje…
The Haves When you wake up, it just might be The first of…
The Long Road And I wished for so long cannot stay. All the precious…
The Wolf Oh, it's a mystery to me We have a greed with…
Throw Your Arms Around Me I will come to you in the day time I will…
Thumbing My Way I have not been home Since you left long ago I'm thumbin…
Tonight You Belong to Me I know (I know) you belong To somebody new But tonight You b…
Trouble Trouble Oh trouble set me free I have seen your face And …
Try One, two, three, four I could say nothing hurts That would …
Without You I'll grow when you grow Let me loosen up the blindfold I'll…
Yellow Ledbetter Unsealed On a porch a letter sat Then you said I want…
You I'll grow when you grow Let me loosen up the blindfold I'l…
You're Got To Hide Your Love.. Here I stand head in hand Turn my face to the…
You're True Lonely cliffs and waterfalls If no one sees me, I'm not…
You've Got a Hide Your Love Away Here I stand head in hand Turn my face to the…
Youre True Lonely cliffs and waterfalls If no one sees me, I'm not…
Youve Got To Hide Your Love Away Here I stand head in hand Turn my face to the…
[banter] {{ArtistHeader | star = Green | artist = Eddie Vedder | pic …
[introduction to No More] I speak for a man Who gave for this land Took…