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)
Happy When I'm Crying
Pearl Jam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
ai r.e.m. un buon cetriolo [with r.e.m., a merry christmas]
i need a song to help along
when it feels wrong it seems so long
to get to the light
we live in homes talk on phones
hear the tone can you hold
moving fast as light tv's on at night
can truth come out of lying?
i'm happy when i'm crying
if reality is what i see newspapers magazines tv
tell us what's going on leading us along
it's not absurd to all get heard
put our feelings into words
you have to reach inside no feelings to hide
does peace come out of fighting?
can truth come out of lying?
i'm happy when i'm crying
bring children into the world
we couldn't have done it by ourselves
stop and wonder why
there's more than meets the eyes
somewhere inside i did believe
i can't belong i was wrong
i have gained insight
i will see the light
truth isn't lying
peace isn't fighting
love isn't dying
The lyrics to Pearl Jam's "Happy When I'm Crying" display a sense of existential questioning and grappling with the reality of the world around the singer. The opening lines, "i need a song to help along / when it feels wrong it seems so long / to get to the light," indicate a desire for some sort of guidance or comfort through difficult times. The singer expresses their frustration with the media's portrayal of events, questioning whether peace can truly emerge from conflict and whether truth can come from dishonesty. The repeated phrase "i'm happy when i'm crying" is particularly notable, suggesting that the singer finds some sort of catharsis or release in their tears, perhaps even finding happiness through the expression of emotion. The song ultimately ends on a hopeful note, with the lines "truth isn't lying / peace isn't fighting / love isn't dying" offering a sense of optimism and purpose.
It's worth noting that the song was not released on any of Pearl Jam's studio albums, but rather was a b-side to their 1994 single "Spin the Black Circle." Nonetheless, it has remained a fan favorite and has been performed live at a number of the band's concerts. Additionally, the song's references to R.E.M. and Christmas are somewhat puzzling and open to interpretation - some have speculated that it may be a nod to the R.E.M. song "Cuyahoga," which contains the lyric "Don't forget that happy noise," while others have suggested that it may simply be a playful reference to the holiday season. Overall, "Happy When I'm Crying" is a complex and thought-provoking exploration of life's big questions.
Line by Line Meaning
eí per noi un piacere augurarvi insieme
Pearl Jam is wishing everyone a merry Christmas along with R.E.M.
ai r.e.m. un buon cetriolo
Continuation of the Christmas wish with R.E.M.
i need a song to help along
The need for music to lift oneself up.
when it feels wrong it seems so long to get to the light
It feels like time is dragging on when facing hardships and moving towards positivity.
we live in homes talk on phones
Acknowledgment of comfortable living with technology.
hear the tone can you hold moving fast as light tv's on at night
Life is moving too fast, while technology is taking over our lives.
does peace come out of fighting?
Through violent means, can one achieve peace?
can truth come out of lying?
If someone is lying, what is the possibility of finding the truth?
i'm happy when i'm crying
Sometimes crying can lead to happiness, as it can help someone vent out their emotions.
if reality is what i see newspapers magazines tv tell us what's going on leading us along
Acknowledgment that most of what is shown in the media might not be the actual reality.
it's not absurd to all get heard put our feelings into words you have to reach inside no feelings to hide
Everyone's feelings are valid and they should express them without fearing to hide anything deeper inside their emotion.
bring children into the world we couldn't have done it by ourselves stop and wonder why there's more than meets the eyes
Realisation that nurturing children sometimes takes more than just one person.
somewhere inside i did believe i can't belong i was wrong i have gained insight i will see the light
Acknowledgment that a change in perspective can help identify one's true belonging.
truth isn't lying peace isn't fighting love isn't dying
The true essence of life is in honesty, peace, and love without any opposite or extreme means.
Contributed by Logan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
DullTorpor
Pearl Jam should update and reissue LOST DOGS and put this and "Leatherman" on it.
Gilga Mesh
Hasta haciendo canciones raras son excelentes. Gran banda y gran público a la espera de noticias nuevas sobre su futuro.
Chessemill Perez
Off the hook up, this band can do anything, and make it sound great.
Frank Brazil
one from the archives... great tune
Andrew Lindsay
it's from a xmas single on vinyl that PJ put out for the tenclub, very rare, very valuable
RYAN BYRNE
Andrew Lindsay not rare, and not valuable
JayEdom
im just glad" i got id" is on it
neongreenteen
i like crying when the reality of pain feels good.
Intergalactic Caravan
I love pearl jam's christmas music
braulio cortés
I love this version,,,,,,,,,,,,PJ rulezzzzzzzzzzz