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)
Don't Believe in Christmas
Pearl Jam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
so i did what i should
i hung my stocking on a wall
i didn't get a thing at all
i dont believe in christmas
i dont believe in christmas
i dont believe in christmas
'cause i didnt get nothin' last year
to see santa clause fly
well sure enough don't ya know
the fat boy didn't show
i dont believe in christmas
i dont believe in christmas
i dont believe in christmas
'cause i didnt get nothin' last year
well i tried to get a little kiss
from a pretty little miss
she slapped me down and said "you jerk,
mistletoe doesn't work"
i dont believe in christmas
i dont believe in christmas
i dont believe in christmas
'cause i didnt get nothin' last year
oh right!
well wakin' up the reindeer
makin' little kids cheer
the reason that his nose shine
santa gave him moonshine
i dont believe in christmas
i dont believe in christmas
i dont believe in christmas
'cause i didnt get nothin' last year
ah decorate the street light
people lookin' to get right
one hand will slap ya back
the other one will take ya back
i dont believe in christmas
i dont believe in christmas
i dont believe in christmas
'cause i didnt get nothin' last year
i dont believe in christmas
i dont believe in christmas
i dont believe in christmas
i dont believe in christmas
i dont believe in christmas
'cause i didnt get nothin' but fear
The lyrics to Pearl Jam's song "Don't Believe in Christmas" are a satirical take on the holiday season. The singer describes their disappointment with Christmas, beginning with the fact that they didn't receive any presents last year despite hanging up their stocking. The song also touches on the unrealistic expectations children have about Santa Claus, as the "fat boy" didn't show up to the singer's house. The singer recounts their failed attempt to get a kiss under the mistletoe as well. However, the most biting commentary in the song may be the reference to Santa getting his reindeer drunk on moonshine, and the implication that Christmas is just an excuse for adults to intoxicate themselves.
The overall meaning of the song seems to be that the singer has lost faith in the sentimentality and commercialization of Christmas. They see it as a time when people are self-centered and disappointed, and the traditions that are meant to inspire joy and celebration have become ridiculous and empty. The refrain "I don't believe in Christmas" emphasizes the singer's disillusionment, and the final line "I didn't get nothin' but fear" suggests that they view the holiday with apprehension and bitterness.
Interestingly, "Don't Believe in Christmas" was released on a Christmas single in 1991, along with a cover of the folk song "Let Me Sleep (It's Christmas Time)." The single was given to members of Pearl Jam's then-fan club, the Ten Club, as a limited edition holiday gift. The single has since become a sought-after collector's item, and the two songs on it have only been released on that early single.
Line by Line Meaning
well mom and dad said we could
My parents gave me permission to celebrate Christmas.
so i did what i should
I followed their advice and hung up my stocking on the wall.
i hung my stocking on a wall
I put a stocking up to receive gifts from Santa Claus.
i didn't get a thing at all
Unfortunately, I didn't receive any presents in my stocking.
i dont believe in christmas
Because I didn't receive any gifts last year, I don't believe in Christmas.
'cause i didnt get nothin' last year
The reason I don't believe in Christmas is because I didn't receive any presents last year.
well stayin' up late
I stayed up late to catch a glimpse of Santa Claus bringing me presents.
to see santa clause fly
I wanted to witness Santa Claus flying through the sky on his sleigh.
well sure enough don't ya know
Unfortunately, Santa Claus didn't come like I was hoping he would.
the fat boy didn't show
Santa Claus didn't come to bring me presents.
well i tried to get a little kiss
I attempted to get a kiss from a girl I liked.
from a pretty little miss
The girl in question was a beautiful young woman.
she slapped me down and said "you jerk, mistletoe doesn't work"
Unfortunately, I was rejected by the girl, who told me off and informed me that mistletoe didn't have any actual power.
oh right!
An exclamation of agreement as the artist realizes the futility of his feelings.
well wakin' up the reindeer
I imagined myself waking up the reindeer to prepare for Santa Claus to arrive.
makin' little kids cheer
The joy of children seeing the reindeer and knowing that Santa was on his way made me happy.
the reason that his nose shine, santa gave him moonshine
The reason Rudolf's nose shines is because Santa Claus gave him some moonshine to drink.
ah decorate the street light
People are decorating street lights in celebration of Christmas.
people lookin' to get right
People are looking forward to having a good time and enjoying the holiday season.
one hand will slap ya back, the other one will take ya back
The holiday season can be full of surprises - some people may be friendly while others may be less so.
i dont believe in christmas
Because things didn't work out for me last year and I received no gifts or love, I don't believe in Christmas.
i dont believe in christmas 'cause i didnt get nothin' but fear
The reason I don't believe in Christmas is because when I think of the holiday, it brings nothing but sadness and fear.
Contributed by Riley T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.