The song was composed by bassist Jeff Ament. Ament plays upright bass on the song giving it a very atmospheric feel. Guitarist Mike McCready used a Fender Pedal for the song which provided the song with its distorted sounds.[1] The song was recorded using binaural recording techniques, and was produced by Tchad Blake.
Ament on the song:
"It was just a little ditty on a demo that I kind of played some hand drums on, and had this little song. Actually, I spent quite a bit of time with the lyrics, and I think Stone initially said, 'Let's try that one.' There were little sections of the song [where] I definitely heard Mike doing his thing, so I kinda said, 'Hey, man, you need to write a theme for these little sections.' It's pretty cool to see a little song that I wrote being played by everyone. I mean, I can almost kind of stand back and just watch this great band play a song...and take it to a completely different level. Mike and Ed [Vedder], they have that ability where they can really raise the level of anything that they play."[2]
Nothing As It Seems
Pearl Jam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ease a little out
And all these words alone is nothing like a poem
Putting in, inputting in
Don't feel like methadone
A scratching voice all alone is nothing like your baritone
It's nothing as it seems
It's home
The little that he sees
Is nothing he concedes
It's home
One uninvited chromosome
A blanket like the ozone
It's nothing as it seems
All that he needs
It's home
The little that he frees is nothing he believes
Saving up a sunny day
Something maybe two tone
Anything of his own
A chip off the corner stone
Who's kidding, rainy day
A one way ticket headstone
Occupations overthrown
Whisper through a megaphone
It's nothing as it seems
The little that he needs
It's home
The little that he sees
Is nothing he concedes, it's home
And all that he frees
A little bittersweet
It's home
It's nothing as it seems
The little that you see it's home
The lyrics of Pearl Jam's song Nothing As It Seems convey a sense of disillusionment and alienation. The first stanza speaks of not feeling at home, of being estranged and unable to connect with others. The words that are spoken seem inadequate and insufficient, unable to convey a deeper meaning or emotion like a poem would. This inability to communicate is reinforced by the scratching voice that is not like the beautiful and deep baritone, further highlighting the sense of disconnection.
The chorus, "It's nothing as it seems, the little that he needs, it's home, the little that he sees is nothing he concedes, it's home," continues the theme of disillusionment. The singer seems to be searching for a sense of home or belonging, but what he finds is not what he expected. The little that he needs or sees is not what he wants or is willing to admit. Home is not the idyllic place he had imagined, but rather a place of disappointment and dissatisfaction.
The rest of the lyrics continue this theme, touching on the idea of saving up for a sunny day and finding something of one's own, but ultimately ending up with a sense of emptiness and frustration. The repeated refrain of "It's nothing as it seems" echoes throughout the song, emphasizing that things are not always what they appear to be.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't feel like home
The singer doesn't feel comfortable or welcome in their current environment.
Ease a little out
They are looking for an opportunity to escape or change their situation.
And all these words alone is nothing like a poem
The singer is struggling to express their thoughts and emotions through language.
Putting in, inputting in
The artist is trying to make an effort, but it feels like it's not enough.
Don't feel like methadone
The artist doesn't feel like they are getting the help they need to overcome their struggles.
A scratching voice all alone is nothing like your baritone
The singer is isolated and feels like their voice is not being heard, unlike someone with a powerful and resonant voice.
It's nothing as it seems
The singer is emphasizing that their situation and emotions are more complex than they appear on the surface.
The little that he needs, It's home
The artist emphasizes that they only need a little to feel comfortable and at home.
The little that he sees, Is nothing he concedes, It's home
The little they can see of their current situation is not enough for them to fully accept it as their home.
One uninvited chromosome
The artist feels like an outsider or like they don't belong due to an inherent characteristic (e.g. race, gender, etc.).
A blanket like the ozone
The singer is describing a sense of suffocation or overwhelming pressure similar to the depletion of the ozone layer.
All that he needs, It's home
Repeating the line from earlier, the artist emphasizes that feeling at home is all they really need.
The little that he frees is nothing he believes
The singer hasn't fully released themselves from their struggles or negative thoughts and therefore can't fully believe in their current situation.
Saving up a sunny day
The singer is optimistic and hopeful, looking forward to brighter times.
Something maybe two-tone
There is a duality or contrast to the singer's situation or emotions.
Anything of his own, A chip off the corner stone
The artist values things that are unique and truly belong to them, like a piece of a much larger whole.
Who's kidding, rainy day
The artist is admitting that not every day can be sunny and hopeful.
A one-way ticket headstone
The singer is feeling trapped or hopeless, like they might as well be heading towards their own grave.
Occupations overthrown
The singer feels like their job or role in life has been taken away or lost its importance.
Whisper through a megaphone
The artist is trying to make a statement or be heard, but feels like they are not being listened to.
And all that he frees, A little bittersweet, It's home
Repeating an earlier line, the artist acknowledges that their situation and emotions may have both positive and negative aspects.
The little that you see, it's home
Repeating yet again, the artist emphasizes that even a small sense of belonging or comfort can feel like home.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JEFF AMENT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind