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)
Nothingman
Pearl Jam Lyrics
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Some words when spoken can't be taken back
Walks on his own
With thoughts he can't help thinking
Future's above
But in the past he's slow and sinking
Caught a bolt of lightning
Nothingman
Nothingman
Isn't it something?
Nothingman
She once believed in every story he had to tell
One day she stiffened, took the other side
Empty stares from each corner of a shared prison cell
One just escapes, one's left inside the well
And he who forgets
Will be destined to remember, oh, oh, oh
Nothingman
Nothingman
Isn't it something?
Nothingman
Oh, she don't want him (she don't want him)
Oh, she won't feed him after he's flown away
Oh, into the sun
Ah, into the sun
Burn (burn), burn (burn)
Nothingman
Nothingman
Isn't it something?
Nothingman
Nothingman
Nothingman
Coulda been something
Nothingman
Oh, oh, oh
The lyrics of Pearl Jam's "Nothingman" explore the theme of regret and longing for something that was lost. The first verse sets the tone with the idea that once something is divided, there is nothing left to subtract. The singer of the song is suffering from the after-effects of his past actions, and some words that he has spoken cannot be taken back. He is walking through life with thoughts that he cannot control, and while his future might look brighter, he is still sinking into his past.
The second verse introduces a female character who used to believe in the singer's stories. However, at some point, she stiffened and took the opposite side, leaving him alone with his regrets. They share a "prison cell," indicating that both characters are trapped in their own situations, unable to escape. The bridge talks about the idea of forgetting, and how those who forget will be destined to remember. The singer feels like a "Nothingman," someone who has nothing and is nothing.
The chorus repeats the title, "Nothingman," emphasizing the theme of loss and the feeling of being unimportant. The final lines, "Coulda' been something, oh ohh ohh," suggest that there was a chance for something more, but it was lost due to the singer's actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Once divided nothing left to subtract
When something is already broken, there is nothing more that can be taken away or removed.
Some words when spoken can't be taken back
Once something is said, it cannot be unsaid or forgotten.
Walks on his own with thoughts he can't help thinking
He is alone with his thoughts and cannot control what he thinks about.
Future's above but in the past he's slow and sinking
His future seems bright, but he is stuck in his past and feels like he is sinking slowly.
Caught a bolt 'a lightnin' cursed the day he let it go
He feels like his life was changed in a moment and he regrets the decision he made.
Isn't it something?
This is a rhetorical question asking the listener to reflect on the meaning of the song and the lyrics.
She once believed in every story he had to tell
At one time, the woman believed everything the man told her.
One day she stiffened took the other side
At some point, the woman started to doubt the man and took a different position.
Empty stares from each corner of a shared prison cell
They are both trapped in a relationship that is no longer fulfilling or happy.
One just escapes one's left inside the well
One of them is able to leave the relationship, but the other is still stuck and cannot escape.
And he who forgets will be destined to remember oh oh oh
If you forget about the past, it will always come back to haunt you.
Oh, she don't want him
The woman is no longer interested in being with the man.
Oh, she won't feed him after he's flown away
Once he leaves, she will not give him the attention or care that he used to receive.
Oh, into the sun ah, into the sun
He is walking away, leaving it all behind and moving towards a better future.
Burn burn
This could signify the pain and hurt that both of them are feeling because of the failed relationship.
Coulda' been something
This is a statement of regret; the relationship could have been great, but it didn't work out.
Oh ohh ohh
This is a vocalization that does not hold any significant meaning, but rather serves as a musical compliment to the song.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Eddie Jerome Vedder, Jeffrey Allen Ament
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind