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)
Alive
Pearl Jam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Have I got a little story for you
What you thought was your daddy
Was nothin' but a
While you were sittin'
Home alone at age thirteen
Your real daddy was dyin'
But I'm glad we talked
Oh, I, oh, I'm still alive
Hey, I, oh, I'm still alive
Hey, I, oh, I'm still alive, hey, oh
While she walks slowly
Across a young man's room
She said I'm ready, for you
Why I can't remember anything
To this very day
'Cept the look, the look
Oh, you know where
Now I can't see, I just stare
I, I'm still alive
Hey, I, oh, I'm still alive
Hey, I, oh, I'm still alive
Hey, I, oh, I'm still alive, yeah
(Oh yeah)
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, oh)
Is something wrong?
She said
Of course there is
You're still alive
She said
Oh, do I deserve to be?
Is that the question?
And if so, if so
Who answers?
Who answers?
I, oh, I'm still alive
Hey, I, oh, I'm still alive
Hey, I, oh, I'm still alive
Hey, I
Oh, I'm still alive
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh, yeah oh, ooh oh, yeah, oh
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
The lyrics to Pearl Jam's "Alive" tell a complex story of a young man who learns that the man he believed to be his father was not really his biological father. The song's protagonist learns this at age thirteen from his mother, who reveals the truth on her deathbed. The lyrics allude to the young man's confusion and shock at the revelation, as well as his struggle to come to terms with his identity and past.
The song's opening lines are particularly powerful, as they reveal that the young man's sense of self and familial connection has been upended. The phrase "What you thought was your daddy/was nothin' but a" leaves a pause that emphasizes the weight of this truth. The lyrics that follow recount the specific circumstances of the young man's discovery: his real father was dying while he was at home alone at age thirteen.
The lyrics then take a turn toward the present, as the singer reflects on his current state of being. Pearl Jam's lead singer, Eddie Vedder, sings "Oh, I'm still alive" several times, which can be seen as a triumphant declaration. This refrain is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the importance of simply surviving, particularly in the face of unexpected or difficult truths. The song ends with a melancholy note, as the singer grapples with questions of worthiness and who has the authority to judge it.
Overall, "Alive" delivers a complex story of self-discovery, reflection, and survival. Its lyrics paint a vivid picture of a specific moment in a young man's life, but its themes of identity, family, and mortality resonate more broadly. As such, this song has become one of Pearl Jam's most enduring and beloved tracks.
Line by Line Meaning
Son, she said
The song's protagonist's mother opens by telling him a story.
Have I got a little story for you
The mother is excited and eager to share her tale.
What you thought was your daddy
The singer's mother reveals that the man the singer has assumed to be his father is not his biological father.
Was nothin' but a
The mother trails off and doesn't finish her statement, implying that the father was not an important figure.
While you were sittin'
The mother begins describing events from the artist's past.
Home alone at age thirteen
The singer was home alone at thirteen years old, perhaps indicating an absentee mother.
Your real daddy was dyin'
The man who was the singer's biological father was dying while the singer remained oblivious.
Sorry you didn't see him
The mother expresses regret at the fact that the artist never met his biological father before he died.
But I'm glad we talked
The mother is still glad that she was able to share this news with the artist.
Oh, I, oh, I'm still alive
The artist affirms that he is still alive despite discovering this news.
Hey, I, oh, I'm still alive
The singer repeats his affirmation, perhaps hinting at surprise at his continued existence despite this revelation.
Hey, I, oh, I'm still alive, hey, oh
The artist continues to repeat the affirmation, possibly to reassure himself or to convince himself of this new reality.
While she walks slowly
The mother is still present in the room, and the singer is still processing her news.
Across a young man's room
The mother is in the singer's room, making the revelation even more personal and immediate.
She said I'm ready, for you
The mother is ready to answer any questions or discuss the news further with the singer.
Why I can't remember anything
The artist confesses that he can't remember much from his past.
To this very day
The artist still can't remember important details of his past, suggesting that the news from his mother may have stirred up complicated emotions.
'Cept the look, the look
The singer remembers a particular look, perhaps hinting at trauma or abuse in his past.
Oh, you know where
The singer knows exactly what look and what memory he is referring to.
Now I can't see, I just stare
The artist has been so impacted by this memory that he can no longer fully function in the present moment.
Is something wrong?
The mother senses that something is amiss with the artist.
She said
The mother persists in wanting to help the artist process his emotions.
Of course there is
The singer acknowledges that there is, in fact, something troubling him.
You're still alive
The mother may be attempting to comfort the artist by reminding him that he is still alive and capable of moving forward.
Oh, do I deserve to be?
The singer begins a deep dive into existential questions about his own self-worth and why he is still alive.
Is that the question?
The singer acknowledges that this question is perhaps the crux of his emotional struggle.
And if so, if so
The singer muses about the potential answers to this question.
Who answers?
The artist ultimately admits that he does not have an answer and is still seeking one out.
I, oh, I'm still alive
The artist returns to his affirmation that he is still alive despite his emotional turmoil.
Hey, I, oh, I'm still alive
The singer repeats the affirmation to help himself stay grounded in reality and keep moving forward.
Hey, I, oh, I'm still alive
The singer stresses again that he is still alive, emphasizing his survival despite hardship.
Hey, I
The artist repeats the phrase as a way of stemming the overwhelming emotions and staying focused on the present.
Oh, I'm still alive
The artist concludes the song with a final affirmation of his enduring survival.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
The artist repeats a celebration of his survival and perseverance.
Oh, yeah oh, ooh oh, yeah, oh
The singer repeats the same sentiment of celebration and perseverance, potentially with even greater intensity and emotion.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
The artist concludes the song with a final repetition of his affirmation of survival.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Stone C. Gossard, Eddie Jerome Vedder
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind