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)
Last Soldier
Pearl Jam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My time has come
Sounds like they're playing my song
On the altar
My picture
Will be there while im gone
There'll be time for laughing
There is no time to cry
Look me in the eye
No matter what's in front of me
It's your face that I'll see
And the future of our young one
And this is what fuels me
There's no time for laughing
There's no time to cry
Soon I will be leaving
Look me in the eye
The oath I took
Not so seriously
The worlds gathered steam
And caught up with me
And my decisions been made
Some other place
By someone I don't know
And they don't know me
This is no time for laughing
There's no time to cry
Soon I will be leaving
Look me in the eye
The song, "Last Soldier," by Pearl Jam is a reflective song about a soldier who knows his time has come to an end. The lyrics start with the soldier realizing that his time is up and that they will soon be playing his song. The song being played at the altar is a tribute to the soldier, who has made the ultimate sacrifice for his country. The soldier knows that when he is gone, his picture will be present at his funeral, and this picture will be the only symbol of his existence.
The lyrics then reflect how the soldier thinks about his family, particularly his children. He knows that while he will be leaving soon, his children's future is what fuels him, and it's their faces that he'll see no matter what's in front of him. The soldier also reflects on the fact that he took his oath seriously, but the world caught up with him, and he had to make a decision that ultimately led him to where he is. The soldier knows that it's no time for laughing and no time to cry; he must keep a straight face and look people in the eye.
The song's lyrics are poignant as they reflect the thoughts and feelings of a soldier who knows he is going to die soon. It shows the soldier's bravery and his love for his family and his country. The song is a tribute to all the soldiers who have lost their lives in service to their country, and it explores the idea of sacrifice.
Line by Line Meaning
My numbers up
I have run out of time
My time has come
It is now the moment for me to go
Sounds like they're playing my song
It feels like everything was leading to this moment
On the altar
In a place of honor and sacrifice
My picture
A representation of me will remain
Will be there while im gone
As a reminder of what once was
There'll be time for laughing
There were good times to be remembered
There is no time to cry
But dwelling on them won't help now
Soon I will be leaving
I am about to depart
Look me in the eye
Take a moment to acknowledge our connection
No matter what's in front of me
Despite what I am about to face
It's your face that I'll see
Your memory is what will keep me going
And the future of our young one
And the hope of generations to come
And this is what fuels me
And the thought of making a better world for them
The oath I took
The promise I made
Not so seriously
But now it seems more significant than ever
The worlds gathered steam
Events have been building momentum
And caught up with me
And I am now swept up in their wake
And my decisions been made
And now there is no turning back
Some other place
To a place unknown
By someone I don't know
To be judged by strangers
And they don't know me
Who have no personal investment in me
This is no time for laughing
This is a serious moment
There's no time to cry
And an emotional response won't do any good
Soon I will be leaving
I am running out of time
Look me in the eye
Take this moment to connect
Contributed by Alyssa J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@jakecox1850
my number's up, my time has come
sounds like they're playin' my song
on the altar, my picture...
will be there while i'm gone
there'll be time for laughin'
there's no time to cry
soon i will be leavin'
look me in the eye
no matter what's in front of me
it's your face that i'll see
and the future of our young ones
yeah this is what fuels me
there's no time for laughin'
there's no time to cry
soon i will be leavin'
look me in the eye
the oath i took not so seriously
the world's gathered steam and caught up with me
and my decision's been made, from some other place
by someone i don't know and they don't know me
this is no time for laughin'
there's no time to cry
soon i will be leavin'
look me in the eye
@jordn6971
One of my favorite Pearl Jam songs..... and most people will never hear it.
@nicklay7893
Every time i thought I've heard every good pearl jam song...
@liamgallager123
I heard this song a while and spent much time looking, is a lost gem.
@Mrsilenciobackgammon
Talk about a Lost Dog, this is a real Great Dane. I love it.
@laurawatters914
WOW I've never heard this song before that I can remember, love when Eddie playing the harmonica. I ❤️ Pearl Jam!! 😊💓🤘✌️
@bibbinsbird
This was before my Ten Club days...so thanks for posting :o)
@luigigiorgi6240
miracolo. che pezzo meraviglioso
@migueljam
Esta canción de Pearl Jam es muy buena, sin duda, uno de los mejores lados B de esta banda!
@grundisgrok
yes this is a PJ original, written by Mike McCready, it's not on any albums or anything, just a live recording... I believe it was played twice ever... it's very good.
@felipemacedo66
i'd love a recorded version.