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)
Binaural
Pearl Jam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He's a little out
And all these words alone
Is nothing like your poem
Putting in, inputting in
Don't feel like methadone
A scratching voice all alone
It's nothing as it seems
The little that he needs, it's home
The little that he sees
Is nothing he can seize, it's home
One uninviting chromosome
A blanket like the ozone
It's nothing as it seems
All that he needs is home
The little that he frees
Is nothing he believes
Saving it for a sunny day
Something maybe, two tone
Anything of his own
A chip off the corner stone
Who's kidding? Rainy day
A one way ticket headstone
An occupation's overthrown
A whisper through a megaphone
It's nothing as it seems
The little that he needs, it's home
The little that he sees
Is nothing he concedes, it's home
And all that he frees
A little bittersweet, it's home
It's nothing as it seems
The little that he sees, it's home
The lyrics of Pearl Jam's "Binaural" are a reflection of feeling disconnected and longing for a sense of home. The opening lines "Don't feel like home, he's a little out" suggest a feeling of not belonging or feeling like an outsider, with the repetition of "it's nothing like your poem / it's nothing like your baritone" emphasizing this sense of isolation. The singer is seeking to find something or someone that feels like home, but struggles to do so.
The subsequent lyrics carry themes of struggle and hardship, with lines like "One uninviting chromosome / A blanket like the ozone" suggesting a sense of being trapped and isolated by one's own biology or environment. However, the song also hints at a desire to find hope and solace, with lyrics like "Saving it for a sunny day / Something maybe, two tone / Anything of his own / A chip off the corner stone" and "And all that he frees / A little bittersweet, it's home" demonstrating a glimmer of optimism amidst the turmoil.
Overall, Pearl Jam's "Binaural" is a poignant meditation on the desire for a sense of belonging and home, and the struggle to find it amidst adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't feel like home
The feeling of unease and discomfort that the singer experiences in his environment.
He's a little out
The singer perceives himself as an outsider and doesn't completely fit in with the people around him.
And all these words alone
The singer feels like he's unable to articulate his thoughts and emotions effectively, as if any words he uses will be inadequate to capture the depth and complexity of his experiences.
Is nothing like your poem
The artist thinks that his story is not as beautiful, poetic or idealized as others', that he has no elegance to offer.
Putting in, inputting in
The artist is trying to share his mind and experiences, but is finding it difficult to connect with others on a meaningful level. He feels like he's just inputting information without receiving any feedback or understanding from others.
Don't feel like methadone
The singer is looking for something that can take away his pain and struggles, but nothing seems to work like the drug methadone to help him feel okay and cope with his reality.
A scratching voice all alone
The singer believes his voice is like a scratch on a record. His voice sounds tainted and the isolation makes it stand out like a sore thumb.
It's nothing like your baritone
The artist admires others' voices and sees them as much richer, smoother, and naturally expressive than his own.
It's nothing as it seems
Things aren't always what they appear to be, they can be more complex, challenging or different from what is expected.
The little that he needs, it's home
The artist longs for a simple and safe environment that he can call home, with people who understand and support him.
The little that he sees
The singer's perspective is limited and he isn't able to see beyond his own troubles.
Is nothing he can seize, it's home
The artist tries to grab onto something solid, but he can't reach it. He still believes that being at home is the only thing he can control in a wildly unpredictable world.
One uninviting chromosome
The singer feels like he's got an undesirable feature that he was born with that separates him from others, like part of his personality or identity is the problem that he can't fix.
A blanket like the ozone
A dull, heavy cover that wraps around the singer like a suffocating atmosphere, just like the ozone does to the Earth.
Saving it for a sunny day
The singer is waiting for a good day to come when he can stop feeling so dreary and downcast, that can make him shine.
Something maybe, two tone
It's possible that something may change or improve, creating a mix of good and bad outcomes.
Anything of his own
The artist is looking for something to hold onto that he can truly call his own, as he has been struggling to find and keep anything for himself.
A chip off the corner stone
A small entity like the singer that was pulled from something larger in time; a segment that is part of something bigger, like a beginning, and yet alone.
Who's kidding? Rainy day
The singer thinks that his hopes for a brighter future are naive and that they will never materialize. For him, the future holds nothing but gloom and doom.
A one way ticket headstone
The artist feels like he's stuck in a dead-end situation that is leading him towards the end of life with no way out.
An occupation's overthrown
The artist's function or purpose in life has been taken away somehow, evoking feelings of intense isolation and desperation.
A whisper through a megaphone
The artist's voice is small and weak, but his desires and doubts are amplified by a megaphone that makes all of his thoughts and feelings seem more powerful than they are.
And all that he frees
The singer is trying to get to a place where he's feeling more comfortable and opens up a little, but it's not quite enough.
A little bittersweet, it's home
The artist's home is both comforting and challenging; he can rest and be secure, but it's not entirely free from hardship or pain.
The little that he sees, it's home
The singer can only see a little way into the future and it's his home, the familiar place with his stuff and the ones he cares about, that he knows will be there for him when things fail.
Contributed by Gabriel I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Szalkai D
00:01 Breakerfall
02:19 Gods' Dice
04:45 Evacuation
07:40 Light Years
12:47 Nothing As It Seems
18:11 Thin Air
21:43 Insignificance
26:12 Of The Girl
31:29 Grievance
34:35 Rival
38:12 Sleight Of Hand
43:00 Soon Forget
44:47 Parting Ways
51:36 + Writer's Block (Bonus)
Szalkai D
00:01 Breakerfall
02:19 Gods' Dice
04:45 Evacuation
07:40 Light Years
12:47 Nothing As It Seems
18:11 Thin Air
21:43 Insignificance
26:12 Of The Girl
31:29 Grievance
34:35 Rival
38:12 Sleight Of Hand
43:00 Soon Forget
44:47 Parting Ways
51:36 + Writer's Block (Bonus)
Monica Maria
pl
Jaime Thomas
This is the last album they made which truly captivated me.
Laura Watters
I love Light Years, about great friends passing away 😔 beautiful song, and Nothing As It Seems is totally awesome!! I love this album too. 💓🤘✌️
federico amadeo
So underrated. Easily one of their best IMO.
Carlos ANJ.
As minhas preferidas desse álbum: Parting Ways, Sleight Of Hand, Light Years e Insignificance.
My favorites from this album:Parting Ways, Sleight Of Hand, Light Years e Insignificance.
Best album: No Code, Riot Act, Binaural and Yield.
DJT FOREVER
I bought this album when it was released in 2000. I first played it on a Discman!
zack long
I bought this CD at best buy when it came out. Got out to my truck and there was NO CD IN THE CASE. Walked back in and had the manager inspect my car to make sure it was not "stolen" before replacing it. Never happened to me before or after.
Eduardo Mota
Me too.
Amazing years.
Brian Willis
Another great album from Eddie and the boys. Thanks for this and all uploads.