Deep
Pearl Jam Lyrics


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On the edge
A windowsill
Ponders his maker
Ponders his will
To the street below
He just ain't nothin'
But he's got a great view
And he sinks the needle deep
Can't touch the bottom
In too deep
Can't touch the bottom oh

On the edge
Of a know-nothin' town
Feelin' quite superior
The aged come
To the sky above
He just ain't nothin'
But he's got a great view

And he sinks the burning knife deep
Can't touch the bottom
In too deep
Can't touch the bottom
In too deep

On the edge of a
Christmas clean lover
Young virgin here from heaven
Visiting, yeah
To the man above her
She just ain't nothin'
She doesn't like the view
She doesn't like the view
She doesn't like the view

But he sinks himself deep
Can't touch the bottom
In too deep
Can't touch the bottom
Can't touch the bottom
Deep, yeah

Oh oh the bottom
Yeah
Oh oh the bottom
Yeah
Oh oh the bottom
Yeah
Oh oh the bottom
Yeah




Oh oh the bottom
Yeah oh oh

Overall Meaning

Pearl Jam’s “Deep” is a powerful and morbid song about addiction and the self-destructive behaviors that come with it. The opening lines, “On the edge/A windowsill/Ponders his maker,” set the tone for the rest of the song. The singer is on the brink – both literal and figurative – and contemplating their own existence. The line “Ponders his will” suggests that the person is struggling with decisions and purpose in life.


The second verse introduces a new character, who is feeling superior and judging others from their “know-nothin’ town.” The person is described as “aged,” suggesting they have more life experience and wisdom than the first character. However, despite their elevated status, they too turn to self-destructive behaviors. In this case, it’s using a burning knife to get high.


The third and final verse introduces a young virgin who is “here from heaven.” This line could be interpreted in a few ways – either the person is religious and has a literal belief in heaven or is experiencing a transcendent moment. Regardless, the person is not happy with their experience and “doesn’t like the view.” The final line, “But he sinks himself deep,” ties the three verses together in a common theme of seeking escape through drug use.


Overall, “Deep” is a haunting and raw song about addiction and the longing for something more in life. The lyrics are open to interpretation, but the underlying message is clear: addiction can take you to very dark places.


Line by Line Meaning

On the edge
The subject is in a precarious or uncertain situation


A windowsill
The location where the subject is situated


Ponders his maker
Reflecting on the creator or higher power that brought him/her into existence


Ponders his will
Thinking about the purpose and direction of his/her life and choices


To the street below
The view that other people of the world have


He just ain't nothin'
The subject feels insignificant, unimportant, or worthless


But he's got a great view
Despite his/her own feelings, the subject has a perspective that others desire


And he sinks the needle deep
The subject turns to drugs to escape his/her problems and cope with reality


Can't touch the bottom
The subject doesn't know how to deal with the depths of his/her despair or addiction


In too deep
The subject has gone too far into their destructive behavior or thoughts


Of a know-nothin' town
A location where the local people are ignorant or stagnant in their thinking


Feelin' quite superior
The subject thinks he/she is better than the people around him/her


The aged come
The elderly members of the town visit or live nearby


To the sky above
The subject imagines a higher power watching over everyone


He just ain't nothin'
Despite feeling superior to some people, the subject still feels insignificant compared to the universe


But he's got a great view
The subject's environment provides some comfort or solace


And he sinks the burning knife deep
The subject harms himself/herself in a different way, possibly through self-harm or self-punishment


In too deep
The subject has gone too far into their destructive behavior or thoughts


On the edge of a Christmas clean lover
The subject feels like an outsider in a world of purity, innocence or love


Young virgin here from heaven
An angelic figure that symbolizes purity or goodness


Visiting, yeah
The purity or goodness of the angel is only temporary or brief


To the man above her
The subject has an upward view, possibly of a higher power or authority figure


She just ain't nothin'
The subject feels insignificant or unworthy of the angel's attention or love


She doesn't like the view
The subject does not appreciate the perspective or position that she is in


But he sinks himself deep
Despite the purity or goodness around him/her, the subject harms himself/herself in some way


Can't touch the bottom
The subject doesn't know how to deal with the depths of his/her despair or addiction


In too deep
The subject has gone too far into their destructive behavior or thoughts


Can't touch the bottom
The subject doesn't know how to deal with the depths of his/her despair or addiction


Deep, yeah
A repetition of the message that the subject is in a very dark and desperate situation


Oh oh the bottom
A repetition of the message that the subject has hit rock bottom


Yeah
An exclamation of finality or resignation




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Eddie Vedder, Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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