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)
Buckle Up
Pearl Jam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Blood on my hands
The stain of, of a human
I finally awoke
To my mother's wrath
Call lights
Bed sores and sponge baths
Firstly do no harm
Then put your seatbelt on
Buckle up
Buckle up
The drapes pull back
Reveal her wound
Her boy on her lap
A murderer groomed
Antiquities lost
Lost to the Nile
A sudden slip
A fall on the tile
Firstly do no harm
Then put your seatbelt on
Buckle up
Buckle up
Buckle up
Buckle up
The song "Buckle Up" by Pearl Jam features an array of thought-provoking lyrics that can be interpreted in different ways, with the most apparent one being about the human condition. The opening lines of the song, "I got blood, blood on my hands, the stain of, of a human," is a clear representation of someone grappling with guilt and remorse. The next line further reinforces this by saying, "I finally awoke to my mother's wrath, call lights, bed sores, and sponge baths." This line suggests that the singer has been in a hospital, possibly due to their wrongdoings, and has to suffer the consequences, both physical and mental.
The bridge of the song, "Firstly do no harm, then put your seatbelt on, buckle up, buckle up," could be interpreted as a commentary on the importance of taking responsibility for one's actions, learning from mistakes, and doing better. The line, "Antiquities lost, lost to the Nile, a sudden slip, a fall on the tile," adds to this theme of the value of life and how it can easily slip away due to accidents, whether big or small. The final repetition of "Buckle up" could be seen as a call to action or a reminder to be cautious in life, whether it's about driving safely or making better decisions.
Line by Line Meaning
I got blood
I have blood on my hands
Blood on my hands
I am stained with the blood of a human
The stain of, of a human
I am marked with the reminder of a life that has ended
I finally awoke
I became aware of the impact of my actions
To my mother's wrath
I faced the consequences of my actions and my mother's disappointment
Call lights
The feeling of being trapped in a hospital bed
Bed sores and sponge baths
The discomfort of being immobile and dependent on others
Firstly do no harm
An ethical principle that guides medical professionals
Then put your seatbelt on
A reminder to take precautions and protect oneself
Buckle up
Protect yourself against anything that could harm you or others
The drapes pull back
A reveal or discovery of a hidden truth
Reveal her wound
To expose a vulnerable or painful area
Her boy on her lap
The intimacy and closeness between a mother and her child
A murderer groomed
Someone shaped or influenced to commit violent acts
Antiquities lost
Historical artifacts forever gone
Lost to the Nile
Disposed of or taken away by the powerful river
A sudden slip
An unexpected and unfortunate mistake
A fall on the tile
A painful incident that could have been prevented with caution
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Eddie Vedder
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kahldrialeighsun1208
i'm goin' loopin' on this one...oh man there is something special here. Just ALL of it, from the guitar riff, to the lyrics, to the drums and psychedelic rhythms of the bass...and of course, the vocals just showing off what Ed can do when he gets that dreamy hypnotic power just wow. I can totally hear a stadium booming back BAH BAH DAH DAH DAH DAAAAAAAH!
This is the stuff that makes me glad I'm still alive, and made it through my accident even if in not so great a shape. Those moments of gratitude are more and more rare for me, thank you, just is not enough. Guess it will have to do. THANK YOU.
Love to the Jamily xox
DAH DAH, DAH DAH DAAAAAH!
@gullermomartinez7876
Letra en Español:
Tengo sangre en mis manos
La mancha de un humano
Finalmente desperté
A la ira de mi madre
Luces de llamadas úlceras
De cama y esponja?
Primero no hagas daño
Luego ponte el:
Cinturón de seguridad
(X3)
Las cortinas retroceden
Revelan su herida
Su chico en su regazo
Un asesino preparado
Antigüedades perdidas
Perdidas en el Nilo
Un resbalón repentino
Una caída en el tiempo
Primero no hagas daño
Luego ponte el:
Cinturón de seguridad
(X5)
@verabertranouj
Me encantaaa 💗
la música, sana, nos alegra, nos entristece, nos repara, nos sostiene, nos fortalece, nos hace viajar en el tiempo ...
@echoelin153
Nothing to be done about it: you guys are >always< great, but Eddie's voice is just meant for these softer-toned songs.
His voice is just like the most delicate caresse, straight to your heart.
Thank you, PJ. Truly. ❤️
@clintonhannotte1226
As much as his voice is well suited to these softer toned musical numbers, he absolutely excelled at the harshest of tones as well. Probably one of the most well rounded vocalists of all time.
@simonorton
I love this song. Does anyone else have a song they love so much they listen to it only sparingly because they don't want to use up all its magic?
@sillkthashocker
Yes! That's exactly why I have only listened to the last Tool album one time since it came out 3 years ago
@kahldrialeighsun1208
i'm goin' loopin' on this one...oh man there is something special here. Just ALL of it, from the guitar riff, to the lyrics, to the drums and psychedelic rhythms of the bass...and of course, the vocals just showing off what Ed can do when he gets that dreamy hypnotic power just wow. I can totally hear a stadium booming back BAH BAH DAH DAH DAH DAAAAAAAH!
This is the stuff that makes me glad I'm still alive, and made it through my accident even if in not so great a shape. Those moments of gratitude are more and more rare for me, thank you, just is not enough. Guess it will have to do. THANK YOU.
Love to the Jamily xox
DAH DAH, DAH DAH DAAAAAH!
@zethpadilla3159
Cuando pienso que estos genios absolutos ya no pueden superarse y reinventarse, llegan con esta obra maestra de álbum y nos ofrecen un repertorio de canciones que refulgen por su vitalidad, que rebozan magia, que combinan matices de sus viejos estilos y de una nueva forma de hacer música... Todas estas son canciones repletas de una audaz y excelsa experimentación. Sencillamente, Pearl Jam es una de las bandas más grandes de todos los tiempos y no saben cuán felices estamos de que estén de vuelta después de tantos años sin material nuevo! Son lo máximo y siempre los consideraré unos de los músicos más genuinos, sorprendentes y revolucionarios de los últimos tiempos! <3
@gullermomartinez7876
Letra en Español:
Tengo sangre en mis manos
La mancha de un humano
Finalmente desperté
A la ira de mi madre
Luces de llamadas úlceras
De cama y esponja?
Primero no hagas daño
Luego ponte el:
Cinturón de seguridad
(X3)
Las cortinas retroceden
Revelan su herida
Su chico en su regazo
Un asesino preparado
Antigüedades perdidas
Perdidas en el Nilo
Un resbalón repentino
Una caída en el tiempo
Primero no hagas daño
Luego ponte el:
Cinturón de seguridad
(X5)
@TheWolfDogMoon
Very experimental and artistic album; sounds like a concept album. Cool. love you guys keep sharing!
@williamlanders740
This is the song that made me decide to buy this Amazing Album. I'm now a Pearl Jam Fan for Life. This is hands down, one of the most beautiful songs ever created by anyone. I can't stop listening to it. It just keeps getting better and better.