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)
Gonna See My Friend
Pearl Jam Lyrics
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We are but victims of desire
I'm gonna shake this day
I wanna shake this day before I retire
I'm gonna see my friend
I'm gonna see my friend, make it go away
I'm sick of everything
Bueno sera, I won't be long before we all walk off the wire
Well I'm gonna see my friend, I'm gonna see my friend for what I require
Bueno sera I will come in quick
Don't want my flame to get no higher
I'm gonna see my friend
I'm gonna see my friend, make it go away
I'm sick of everything
I'm gonna see my friend, make it go away
I'm gonna see my friend
Gonna see my friend, make it go away
Want to leave it all.
Want to give it up.
Want to see it go once and for all
Want to view it cho'
Want a little bit home
Want to be there
Hard as a statue, black as a tattoo, ?
Gonna take me an astral plane
I'm gonna tunnel through denial
But I'm gonna shake this day
I wanna shake this day before I retire
I'm gonna see my friend
I'm gonna see my friend, make it go away
I'm sick of everything
I'm gonna see my friend, make it go away
I'm gonna see my friend
I'm gonna see my friend, make it go away
The lyrics to Pearl Jam's song "Gonna See My Friend" convey a sense of dissatisfaction and a longing for escape from the challenges and pressures of everyday life. The singer begins by acknowledging the sadness inherent in the human condition, asserting that we are all "victims of desire." However, instead of succumbing to this melancholy, the singer resolves to "shake this day" and find solace in the company of a friend. The repetition of the phrase "make it go away" underscores the urgency of the singer's need to escape and highlights the transformative power of human connection.
The song's lyrics use a number of evocative images to convey this sense of desperation and longing. The phrase "hard as a statue, black as a tattoo" suggests a sense of emotional numbness and a desire to break free of that stasis. The image of tunneling through denial underscores the difficulty inherent in confronting one's emotional struggles. The urgency of the singer's desire to "shake this day before I retire" subtly acknowledges the fleeting nature of life and the importance of living in the present moment.
Overall, "Gonna See My Friend" explores the themes of isolation, connection, and the transformative power of human relationships. The song suggests that while the challenges of life can be overwhelming, we can find solace and support in the presence of friends who understand and support us.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you want to hear something sad?
Are you interested in learning something unfortunate?
We are but victims of desire
Our wants and needs control us and make us helpless.
I'm gonna shake this day
I am going to change the course of this day.
I wanna shake this day before I retire
I want to make a positive change before the day ends.
I'm gonna see my friend
I am going to visit my friend for comfort and support.
I'm gonna see my friend, make it go away
Seeing my friend will help alleviate my problems.
I'm sick of everything
I am tired and unhappy with everything.
Bueno sera, I won't be long before we all walk off the wire
This situation won't last forever, and we will soon move on.
Well I'm gonna see my friend, I'm gonna see my friend for what I require
I need my friend's support and will seek it out.
Bueno sera I will come in quick
I will arrive promptly and efficiently.
Don't want my flame to get no higher
I don't want my stress and emotions to escalate.
Gonna see my friend
I am determined to visit my friend.
Gonna see my friend, make it go away
My friend's presence will help me forget my troubles.
Want to leave it all.
I want to escape from everything.
Want to give it up.
I want to surrender and let go.
Want to see it go once and for all
I want everything to be resolved and gone forever.
Want to view it cho'
I want to see it clearly and understand it properly.
Want a little bit home
I want to feel comforted and safe in a familiar environment.
Want to be there
I want to be present in the moment and with my friend.
Hard as a statue, black as a tattoo, ?
Unknown, possibly a reference to the difficulty of dealing with stress.
Gonna take me an astral plane
I will mentally escape to a better place.
I'm gonna tunnel through denial
I am going to face the hard truth and overcome my denial.
But I'm gonna shake this day
Despite my struggles, I will make a positive change.
I wanna shake this day before I retire
I want to end the day on a good note and make progress.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EDDIE VEDDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind