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)
Arms Aloft
Pearl Jam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Scouting the edge of the universe
Sometimes you can't see the horizon
Ah, between the ocean and the earth
And just when you're thinking about slinkin' down
I'm gonna pull you up
I'm gonna pull ya round
May I remind you of that scene
The spirit is our gasoline
May I remind you of that scene
We were arms aloft in Aberdeen
May I remind you of that scene
Let a million mirror balls beam
May I remind you of that scene
And you say living ain't nothing but hassles
In a manila envelope rain
And driving coal all night to Newcastle
It's getting to be a repetitive strain
And just when you're thinking about
Going down the drain
May I remind you of that scene
The spirit is our gasoline
May I remind you of that scene
We were arms aloft in Aberdeen
May I remind you of that scene
Let a million mirror balls beam
May I remind you of that scene
I'm gonna pull you up
I'm gonna pull ya round
May I remind you of that scene
The spirit is our gasoline
May I remind you of that scene
We were arms aloft in Aberdeen
May I remind you of that scene
Let a million mirror balls beam
May I remind you of that scene
We were arms aloft in Aberdeen
They say the stars, they can't see their rays
Nor can they count their numbered days
No flower can say what perfume is
We got all that and burnin' dead
May I remind you of that scene
We were arms aloft in Aberdeen
May I remind you of that scene
"Arms Aloft" by Pearl Jam is a song that seeks to encourage and uplift someone who is going through a difficult time. The verses in the song talk about the feeling of being stuck, with no light at the end of the tunnel, but the chorus reminds the listener of a powerful moment in their past when they were filled with spirit and energy.
The song opens with the lines "Sometimes there's no star shining / Scouting the edge of the universe / Sometimes you can't see the horizon / Ah, between the ocean and the earth." These lyrics set a sense of “stuckness” or being lost in the vastness of life. But the chorus comes in with images of a different time that serves as a reminder of a time when the person was filled with spirit and energy, specifically “arms aloft in Aberdeen" – a powerful, visual image of celebration and joy.
Throughout the song, there are also references made to how living life can be difficult and challenging, such as feeling as though one is driving coal all night to Newcastle, and the sense of living in an envelope rain. But again, the chorus reminds the listener that there are moments of joy and energy that can be found, and encourages them to hold onto those moments in order to push through the more difficult times.
Overall, "Arms Aloft" is a song that reminds us to hold onto the moments of joy and energy when life is feeling difficult or overwhelming. It encourages us to keep pushing forward, even when it feels like we're driving coal all night to Newcastle.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes there's no star shining
Sometimes we can't find hope or a guiding light in our journey.
Scouting the edge of the universe
We explore the vastness of the world and search for meaning beyond our immediate surroundings.
Sometimes you can't see the horizon
Occasionally, we face moments where we cannot see a clear path forward.
Ah, between the ocean and the earth
We are caught between the natural elements of water and land, representing the struggle of our existence.
And just when you're thinking about slinkin' down
In moments of weakness or despair, we may feel like giving up or letting go.
I'm gonna pull you up
I will be there to offer support and uplift those who may be struggling.
I'm gonna pull ya round
I will help turn a difficult situation into a positive one and provide encouragement when needed.
May I remind you of that scene
Let me bring to mind a specific memory or moment that inspires and motivates us.
The spirit is our gasoline
We draw strength and energy from our own inner drive and passion.
We were arms aloft in Aberdeen
A specific memory of being free and full of joy, represented by the image of raising our arms in celebration.
Let a million mirror balls beam
May we celebrate and revel in the light of life, represented by the image of many shining mirror balls.
And you say living ain't nothing but hassles
You may feel like life is full of difficulties and challenges, with no respite from the struggles.
In a manila envelope rain
The burdens and difficulties of life may feel mundane or insignificant, like a plain and boring envelope in the rain.
And driving coal all night to Newcastle
Life may feel like an endless journey or an uphill battle, with long and trying nights ahead.
It's getting to be a repetitive strain
The monotony and repetition of life may start to wear on us and feel exhausting.
Going down the drain
Feeling like we are falling apart or losing all progress, with no hope or way forward.
They say the stars, they can't see their rays
Nor can they count their numbered days
No flower can say what perfume is
We got all that and burnin' dead
We have a unique and precious existence, with experiences and qualities that cannot be counted or quantified like the stars or flowers. However, we are still mortal and will eventually burn out like a dying flame.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Bucks Music Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Joe Strummer, Martin Slattery, Scott Shields, Simon Stafford, MARTIN PAUL SLATTERY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Shaun Ratcliffe
Very faithful cover!