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)
Every Day People
Pearl Jam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My own beliefs are in my songs
A butcher, a banker, Jack Irons on drums
Makes no difference what group I'm in
I am everyday people
Then it's the blue ones who can't accept
The green ones for living with
Different strokes for different folks
And so on and so on and scooby dooby dooby
Ooh sha sha
We gotta live together
I am no better and neither are you
We're all the same whatever we do
You love me you hate me
You know me and then
Still can't figure out the scene I'm in
I am everyday people
Then it's the new man
That doesn't like the short man
For being such a rich one
That will not help the poor one
Different strokes for different folks
And so on and so on scooby dooby dooby
Ooh sha sha
We got to live together
There is a yellow one that won't
Accept the black one
That won't accept the red one
That won't accept the white one
Different strokes for different folks
And so on and so on and
Scooby dooby dooby
Ooh sha sha
I am everyday people
The lyrics of Pearl Jam's "Everyday People" are a message about the diversity and inclusivity of society, urging people to embrace and accept their differences, regardless of race, colour, or social status. The opening verses of the song highlight the personal views and beliefs of the songwriter, demonstrating that these beliefs are evident in the songs he creates, all emphasizing that inclusivity is the best way forward. The following verses provide examples of how society can become disjointed and fragmented, often ruled by divisive actions based on perceptions of differences between people. The lyrics seek to remind audiences that everyone is the same, despite their differences, and that we all encounter the same issues, struggles and moments of triumph in life.
The most compelling aspect of the song is the sense of unity and community that the lyrics evoke. Listeners are moved to see the humanity in others, even when they may appear to be different on the surface. The chorus's repetitive "different strokes for different folks" refrain reinforces the idea that we should celebrate the differences among us and not allow them to cause division or dissent. The lyrics implore that we must live together, love each other, and work to find common ground in our shared humanity. The end result is a message of hope that calls for healing and unity, through understanding and acceptance of our diversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes I'm right then I can be wrong
I'm not perfect and sometimes I make mistakes
My own beliefs are in my songs
The things I believe in are reflected in my music
A butcher, a banker, Jack Irons on drums
It doesn't matter what job anyone has, we can all play music together
Makes no difference what group I'm in
I can fit in with anyone, regardless of the group they belong to
I am everyday people
I am just a regular person
Then it's the blue ones who can't accept
Some people are prejudiced against those who are different from them
The green ones for living with
Others may judge those who live their lives differently from them
The black ones tryin' to be a skinny one
Even people within a certain group can pressure each other to conform to certain standards
Different strokes for different folks
People have different ways of doing things, and that's okay
And so on and so on and scooby dooby dooby
The list of differences could go on and on
Ooh sha sha
A joyful expression
We gotta live together
We have to find a way to coexist peacefully
I am no better and neither are you
No one is better than anyone else
We're all the same whatever we do
No matter what we do, we are all equal
You love me you hate me
People's emotions towards each other can be very different
You know me and then
Even if someone seems familiar, there can always be more to learn about them
Still can't figure out the scene I'm in
I'm not exactly sure where I fit in
Then it's the new man
Even when new people arrive, there can still be conflicts with existing groups
That doesn't like the short man
Some people judge others for their physical attributes
For being such a rich one
Others may resent people who have more money than them
That will not help the poor one
Even within a group, there can be a divide between those who need help and those who don't
There is a yellow one that won't
Even other minorities may discriminate against each other
Accept the black one
Some people don't accept black people
That won't accept the red one
Some people don't accept Native Americans
That won't accept the white one
Some people don't accept white people (possibly referring to anti-white sentiment in parts of society)
Ooh sha sha
A joyful expression
I am everyday people
I am just a regular person
Contributed by Isabella P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Rod Hall
That was one JOYOUS NIGHT back in 1995. The entire show was GREAT and this was just a perfect cover for the boys to throw in. Thanks PJ for bringing it that day!!!
Annie Mirra
Most underrated cover ever done but rarely heard bless us all that heard it
laurenisabutton
wow! love this SLY song any way! what an amazing version
wrigleyirish
This is the only time PJ has ever played this song live. I was there. Best show I've ever been to. Go Bears!
mjn6566
Awesome Cover!! Thanks for posting!
Andrew Thomas
3:20 is why I love this band
DumbPunk
it would be so cool if Pearl Jam played SoldierField again. I would stand in the pouring rain for those tickets.
mjn6566
This was my first PJ show! The best!!!!!
David James
This bootleg was very very very popular. had this on cassette.
The CCP is a parasite
Engineer needed to pump up the bass on this tune