I Am Mine
Pearl Jam Lyrics


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The selfish, they're all standing in line
Faithin' and hopin' to buy themselves time
Me, I figure as each breath goes by
I only own my mind

The north is to south what the clock is to time
There's east and there's west and there's everywhere life
I know I was born and I know that I'll die
The in-between is mine
I am mine

And the feeling it gets left behind
All the innocence lost at one time
Significant behind the eyes
There's no need to hide
We're safe tonight

The ocean is full 'cause everyone's crying
The full moon is looking for friends at high tide
The sorrow grows bigger when the sorrow's denied
I only know my mind
I am mine

And the meaning it gets left behind
All the innocence lost at one time
Significant behind the eyes
There's no need to hide
We're safe tonight
(What)

And the feelings that gets left behind
All the innocence broken with lies
Significance between the lines
We may need to hide

And the meanings that get left behind
All the innocence lost at one time




We're all different behind the eyes
There's no need to hide, yeah

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Pearl Jam's song "I Am Mine" speak to the idea of individuality and personal agency. The first verse highlights the idea that some people are so focused on their own selfish needs that they are willing to wait in line to delay their inevitable end. In contrast, the singer recognizes that they only truly own their own mind and must make the most of the time they have. The second verse compares the cardinal directions to the linear passage of time, emphasizing the enormity and complexity of life. The singer acknowledges that while they were born and will die, they are in control of their own experience in between.


The chorus repeats the idea of personal ownership with the lyrics "I am mine." The following lines speak to the universal experiences of loss and sorrow - the ocean is full of collective tears, and the full moon is looking for companions in high tide. The third verse reflects on the struggle of dealing with pain and the importance of being honest with oneself - denying the reality of sorrow only makes it worse. The final lines of the song emphasize the unique nature of each individual - we are all different "behind the eyes" and there is no need to hide from who we are.


Overall, "I Am Mine" is a powerful statement about the human experience and the importance of recognizing one's own agency in a complex and ever-changing world.


Line by Line Meaning

The selfish, they're all standing in line
Selfish people are impatiently waiting in a queue


Faithin' and hopin' to buy themselves time
They hope to delay any negative consequences through their faith


Me, I figure as each breath goes by
Personally, I believe that my life is slipping away with each breath I take


I only own my mind
The only thing I possess is the agency of my thoughts


The north is to south what the clock is to time
Just as the north represents the opposite direction to south, similarly the clock represents the passage of time


There's east and there's west and there's everywhere life
East, west, and the rest of the world are all where life is present


I know I was born and I know that I'll die
I am aware of my birth and assume that there will be a point of death


The in-between is mine
The absence of knowledge about their life's span is under my control


I am mine
I am my person


And the feeling it gets left behind
The sentiments that follow us


All the innocence lost at one time
The innocence that disappeared with time


Significant behind the eyes
Much significant things are hidden behind the eyes


There's no need to hide
Unnecessary to conceal myself


We're safe tonight
There's no threat tonight


The ocean is full 'cause everyone's crying
People's tears have filled the ocean


The full moon is looking for friends at high tide
At high tide, the full moon is seeking friendship


The sorrow grows bigger when the sorrow's denied
Sorrow deepens when it is ignored


I only know my mind
I am not entirely sure of others' thoughts, only my own


I am mine
I am my entity


And the meaning it gets left behind
The explanation that people forget


All the innocence lost at one time
When they lose innocence


Significant behind the eyes
A lot of meaningful information concealed


There's no need to hide
No good justification to conceal oneself


We're safe tonight
We are protected and secure tonight


(What)
Informal expression to ask for further explanation, clarification, or repeat the statement or question


And the feelings that get left behind
The emotions that get left behind


All the innocence broken with lies
Lies responsible for tearing down innocence.


Significance between the lines
Meaning between what's mentioned in a statement, particularly significant things.


We may need to hide
We might have to conceal ourselves.


And the meanings that get left behind
The significance that's left behind


All the innocence lost at one time
All the innocence that was lost


We're all different behind the eyes
We all have distinct ways of thinking.


There's no need to hide, yeah
It's unnecessary to conceal, yeah.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Eddie Vedder

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@anasalco1392

"I know that I was born and I now that I'll die the in between is mine" what a powerful statement!!

@DesiLuProd

Yes I agree. I have that tattooed on my arm.

@johnbaugh2437

Very

@firstbornjordan

The in between is not yours. It belongs to God.

@tommurphy4911

Bummer they canceled shows north America 2020

@musicislife6250

@firstbornjordan Actually no, God gave us Free Will

84 More Replies...

@xoners321

This song helped me through my cancer. 10 months as of today I am in remission after one year and a half of chemotherapy and radiation treatments Thank you Eddie ✌️ por vida ……

@chyslenecosta9423

Parabéns 👏🏾🥳🌹💋

@turns2ashes

Legend

@Whatdadsdoin

Me too…Cancer Sucks

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