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)
Get It Back
Pearl Jam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lost and alone
To get it back
Much farther to go
So far from home
To get it back
Turn on a dime
To get it back
Try to reach you before winter comes
Always a place for you in my heart
You're not alone
All used up
Give anything to talk to you
The prodigal son
Only one
To get it back
Mother and child
They're lost for a while
They want you back
Stare at the sun
Won't hurt anyone
To get it back
Try to reach you before winter comes
Always a place for you in my heart
You're not alone
All used up
Give anything to talk to you
Since you went away
Hard to find my place
Since you went away
Hard to find my place
Since you went away
Since you went away
Since you went away
Since you went away
The lyrics of Pearl Jam's "Get It Back" depict a sense of being lost and longing to regain something that has been lost. The opening lines, "On the side of the road, Lost and alone, To get it back," convey a feeling of being stranded and isolated, desperately seeking to retrieve what has been lost.
The repetition of the phrase "To get it back" throughout the song emphasizes the determination and persistence to regain what was once theirs. There is a realization that there is still a long journey ahead, far from the comforts of home, but the desire to reclaim what was lost remains strong.
The line "Frozen in time, Turn on a dime, To get it back" can be interpreted as a metaphorical reference to being stuck in the past and the need to adapt and change to move forward. It highlights the urgency to retrieve what is missing and the willingness to make necessary changes or decisions.
The chorus, "Try to reach you before winter comes, Always a place for you in my heart" suggests the urgency to reconnect with someone before it becomes too late, possibly before a period of emotional darkness or isolation sets in. The implication is that regardless of what has happened, there is always a place for them in the singer's heart, emphasizing the enduring love and longing they feel.
The repetition of "Since you went away, Hard to find my place" further emphasizes the impact of the loss on the singer's life. The absence of this person has left them feeling adrift and struggling to find their sense of belonging or direction. The repeated line "Since you went away" serves to reinforce the significance of the departure and the subsequent struggle to cope with it.
Overall, "Get It Back" explores themes of loss, longing, and the determination to regain what has been lost. It conveys a sense of emotional vulnerability and the lingering impact that the absence of someone dear has on the singer's life.
Line by Line Meaning
On the side of the road
Feeling abandoned and stranded in life
Lost and alone
Overwhelmed and isolated
To get it back
To regain what has been lost
Much farther to go
Still a long journey ahead
So far from home
Feeling far away from comfort and familiarity
To get it back
To reclaim what was once owned
Frozen in time
Stuck in a state of stagnation and immobility
Turn on a dime
To quickly change direction or circumstance
To get it back
To retrieve what was lost
Try to reach you before winter comes
Striving to connect with someone before hardships or difficulties arise
Always a place for you in my heart
Unconditional love and eternal space for someone
You're not alone
You have support and companionship
All used up
Feeling depleted and exhausted
Give anything to talk to you
Willing to do whatever it takes to communicate with you
The prodigal son
A person who has returned after a period of wrongdoing
Only one
The singular individual who can fulfill a certain role
To get it back
To recover what has been lost
Mother and child
A bond between a parent and their offspring
They're lost for a while
Experiencing a period of confusion and disorientation
They want you back
Desiring the return of a loved one
Stare at the sun
Engage in a harmless activity
Won't hurt anyone
No negative consequences will arise
To get it back
To regain what has been lost
Since you went away
Since the moment you departed
Hard to find my place
Struggling to discover one's purpose or belonging
Since you went away
Since the moment you left
Since you went away
Since the time of your absence
Since you went away
Since you departed from my life
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Matt Cameron
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Carlos Mancilla
On the side of the road
Lost and alone
To get it back
Much farther to go
So far from home
To get it back
Frozen in time
Turn on a dime
To get it back
Try to reach you before winter comes
Always a place for you in my heart
You're not alone
All used up
I'd give anything to talk to you
The prodigal son
The only one
To get it back
The mother and child
They’re lost for a while
They want you back
Stare at the sun
Won’t hurt anyone
To get it back
Try to reach you before winter comes
Always a place for you in my heart
You’re not alone
All used up
I’d give anything to talk to you
Since you went away
Hard to find my place
Since you went away
Hard to find my place
Since you went away
Since you went away
Since you went away
Since you went away
Arun Vishwanathan
Been a Pearl Jam fan for EVER ...since the beginning. This is just an amazing record on so many levels. It's almost like PJ made a Soundgarden song. Seems like the song was written about Chris Cornell, can't be sure about that, but damn..Matt Cameron's drums are just rock solid and resonate all the way. And Eddie's voice is so hauntingly wicked ...like it could break loose at any given moment. And Mike 's solo at the end just takes the cake, the cherry and the fucking baker's daughter. Just a killer song....thanks PJ!
a
It sounds like Soundgarden because Matt Cameron wrote it.
And yes, this is most likely about Chris Cornell.
GeraldC?
This song's been stuck in my head.
Pearl jam should do more effortless hook-driven stuff like this... This song is really effective. Totally digging it.
Juliana Tancler
Thank you Pearl Jam!💜 great job 👏🏻 🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷
Andrea
such a great song!!! on repeat!
Rachael Salazar
✨💓😊 Loving this new Pearl Jam song, thank you Eddie, Mike, Stone, Jeff, Matt & Boom! ♥️🤙
pearl jamn
what an unexpected great gift amazing tune yo 🎶🎸 thank u pj
Sean Tomkins
Loving this so much. Sort of wish it was on Gigaton but I am hoping that after waiting 7 years the guys will have a bunch of sketches for new songs like this one for another album for 2021.
Bloemkool en de street gang
Dude the “since you went away” part is just so good
Nishchal Rawal
This is so good ❤