Formed after the demise of Gossard and Ament's previous band, Mother Love Bone, Pearl Jam broke into the mainstream with their debut album, Ten, in 1991. Ten stayed on the Billboard 200 chart for nearly five years, and has gone on to become one of the highest-selling rock records ever, going 13× platinum in the United States. Released in 1993, Pearl Jam's second album, Vs., sold over 950,000 copies in its first week of release, setting the record for most copies of an album sold in its first week of release at the time. Their third album, Vitalogy (1994), became the second-fastest-selling CD in history at the time, with more than 877,000 units sold in its first week.
One of the key bands in the grunge movement of the early 1990s, Pearl Jam's members often shunned popular music industry practices such as making music videos or participating in interviews. The band also sued Ticketmaster, claiming it had monopolized the concert-ticket market. In 2006, Rolling Stone described the band as having "spent much of the past decade deliberately tearing apart their own fame."
Pearl Jam had sold more than 85 million albums worldwide by 2018, including nearly 32 million albums in the United States by 2012, making them one of the best-selling bands of all time. Pearl Jam was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017 in its first year of eligibility. They were ranked eighth in a readers' poll by Rolling Stone magazine in its "Top Ten Live Acts of All Time" issue. Throughout its career, the band has also promoted wider social and political issues, from pro-abortion rights sentiments to opposition to George W. Bush's presidency. Vedder acts as the band's spokesman on these issues.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_Jam
Studio albums
Ten (1991)
Vs. (1993)
Vitalogy (1994)
No Code (1996)
Yield (1998)
Binaural (2000)
Riot Act (2002)
Pearl Jam (2006)
Backspacer (2009)
Lightning Bolt (2013)
Gigaton (2020)
109-Even Flow
Pearl Jam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh feelin' maybe he'll see a little betters any days ooh yeah
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
Life again, life again
Kneelin' looking through the paper though he doesn't know to read, ooh yeah
Oh, prayin', now to something that has never showed him anything
Oh, feelin', understands the weather or that winters on its way
Oh, ceilings, few and far between all the legal halls of shame, 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
Oh whispering hands, gently lead him away
Him away, him away
Yeah
Woo
Oh yeah yeah fuck it up
Even flow
Thoughts arrive like butterflies
Oh, he don't know, so he chases them away
Someday yet he'll begin his life again
Oh whispering hands, gently lead him away
Him away, him away
Yeah!
Woo
Uh huh yeah
Yeah yeah mommy, mommy
The lyrics to Even Flow are a haunting depiction of a homeless man's life on the streets. The opening lines of "Freezin' rests his head on a pillow made of concrete again" paint a vivid picture of the harsh reality of homelessness. The chorus, "Even flow, thoughts arrive like butterflies, he don't know, so he chases them away," suggests that the man is plagued by his own thoughts and can't seem to escape them despite his efforts to do so.
The second verse highlights the man's illiteracy, as he is seen "kneelin' looking through the paper though he doesn't know how to read." The line "prayin', now to something that has never shown him anything" suggests that he has lost faith in any kind of higher power that might help him. The final lines "Whispering hands, gently lead him away" hint at the man's eventual demise, and the repetition of "yeah yeah mommy, mommy" at the end implies a tragic end to his story.
Overall, the lyrics of Even Flow are a poignant commentary on the issue of homelessness and mental health. Pearl Jam has always been known for their socially conscious lyrics, and this song is no exception.
Line by Line Meaning
Freezin' rests his head on a pillow made of concrete again ooh yeah
He's homeless and without a proper bed, he has to rely on a concrete surface to rest his head.
Oh feelin' maybe he'll see a little betters any days ooh yeah
He hopes for a better future and the possibility of a brighter tomorrow.
Oh hand out faces that he sees come again ain't that familiar
The faces passing him by on the street are strangers and he doesn't know any of them.
Oh dark grin he can't help when he's happy he looks insane
He tries to smile and be happy, but instead he looks crazy and weird.
Thoughts arrive like butterflies
His thoughts and ideas come and go quickly, just like the fleeting nature of butterflies.
Oh he don't know, so he chases them away
He doesn't know what to do with his thoughts, so he tries to get rid of them.
Someday yet he'll begin his life again
He has hope that someday he'll be able to start over and have a new life.
Kneelin' looking through the paper though he doesn't know to read, ooh yeah
He tries to read the newspaper, even though he doesn't know how to read properly.
Oh, prayin', now to something that has never showed him anything
He prays to a deity, despite never having received any signs of help or guidance.
Oh, feelin', understands the weather or that winters on its way
He knows and understands that winter is coming soon, just by feeling the change in weather.
Oh, ceilings, few and far between all the legal halls of shame, yeah
There aren't many high ceilings in the courthouses and legal institutions where he's been.
Oh whispering hands, gently lead him away
An unknown force or person is guiding him towards a new path, away from his current situation.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EDDIE VEDDER, STONE GOSSARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@laurawatters914
Totally Awesome!! I love "Even Flow" Come on Mike Freakin McCready!!! And there you goooo another incredible solo 🎸🔥 oohh my goodness!! I think Mike is getting better and better such A ROCK STAR ✨ Everyone in Pearl Jam are freakin ROCK STARS!! 32 years and still going strong!! Thank You so much for sharing and filming! 😊💓🤘✌️
@GingerKC
I thought Stone plays lead. ?? 😊 but I'll see Friday night! Heck yes I'll be there live.😂
@paolanorman4590
Thanks for posting! One of the great classics. 🤘🏻
@jlamar3140
Thank you for sharing :)