Even flow
Pearl Jam栀 Lyrics


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Freezin' rests his head on a pillow made of concrete again
Oh Feelin' maybe he'll see a little betters any days
Oh hand out faces that he sees come again ain't that familiar
Oh dark grin he can't help when he's happy he looks insane

Even flow
Thoughts arrive like butterflies
Oh he don't know
So he chases them away
Someday yet he'll begin his life again
Life again
Life again

Kneelin' looking through the paper though he doesn't know to read
Oh, prayin', now to something that has never showed him anything
Oh, feelin', understands the weather or that winters on its way, yeah
Oh, ceilings, few and far between all the legal halls of shame

Even flow
Thoughts arrive like butterflies
Oh, he don't know
So he chases them away

Someday yet he'll begin his life again
Whispering hands, carry him away
Him away, him away
Yeah!
Woo
Oh yeah yeah

Even flow
Thoughts arrive like butterflies
Oh, he don't know
So he chases them away

Someday yet he'll begin his life again
Whispering hands, carry him away
Him away, him away
Yeah!




Woo
Oh yeah yeah

Overall Meaning

The song "Even Flow" by Pearl Jam is a song that tells the story of a homeless man who is sleeping on a pillow made of concrete. His life is a constant cycle of misery and he is branded by the pain of the past. He is hoping to see a better day soon and is surrounded by unfamiliar faces, but at the same time, his dark grin makes him seem insane. Though he tries to escape his thoughts by chasing them away, he realizes that someday he will have to face them again and begin his life anew. He doesn't know much about the world, and the only thing he can do is pray to something that has never shown him anything. All he knows is that winter is on its way, and that he has only slept in a few places which were few and far between the legal halls of shame. The song is ultimately a reflection on the feeling of hopelessness and destitution that many homeless people must feel.


Line by Line Meaning

Freezin' rests his head on a pillow made of concrete again
He's homeless and has nowhere else to sleep but on the cold concrete


Oh Feelin' maybe he'll see a little betters any days
He hopes that someday he will have a better life


Oh hand out faces that he sees come again ain't that familiar
He sees a lot of people passing by but no one he recognizes


Oh dark grin he can't help when he's happy he looks insane
Despite his situation, he tries to be happy but it often comes off as crazy to others


Even flow
Things happen in a continuous cycle, like the ups and downs of his life


Thoughts arrive like butterflies
His mind is often cluttered with random thoughts that come and go quickly


Oh he don't know
He's uncertain and confused about his life


So he chases them away
He tries to avoid thinking about these thoughts, as they only cause him pain


Someday yet he'll begin his life again
He still has hope that things will get better and he will start a new life in the future


Kneelin' looking through the paper though he doesn't know to read
He's trying to find work in the classified ads even though he can't read them


Oh, prayin', now to something that has never showed him anything
He's praying to a higher power even though he's never received any help or guidance


Oh, feelin', understands the weather or that winters on its way, yeah
He's aware that the cold winter weather is approaching


Oh, ceilings, few and far between all the legal halls of shame
There are very few opportunities for him to improve his life, and he's stuck in a system that only brings him shame


Whispering hands, carry him away
He longs to be rescued from his current situation


Him away, him away
He wants to escape his current reality


Yeah!
He's expressing his desire and hope for a better life


Woo
An expression of excitement or enthusiasm


Oh yeah yeah
A repetition of the previous expression




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EDDIE VEDDER, STONE GOSSARD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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