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)
Other Side
Pearl Jam Lyrics
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Can't find my wheels
Your absence is what breeds this fear
Warm breath and all it steals
You can't know how it feels to be in here
All the dark horse fields, befriendin' me
Playin' ain't the same without you here
Cannot seem to make the dots connect
The morning light don't show you near
You can't know what it's like to bleed from here
The blackened world grows white, it goes nowhere
Oooh hoo..
Death ain't the same without you, dear
I make the others run and hide
New York streets seem to make it worse
All this noise inside the quiet
I can't hold on, the weight you bear
My body's broken fast, please lift me up
You can't know what it's like to be inside
The fading melodies can't beat my need
I'm not the same without you here
How can I quit to be there
Sit and stare
Stare..
Begging for a prayer
The lyrics to Pearl Jam's song "Other Side" contain themes of fear, loss, and longing. The singer is struggling with the absence of someone who was once close to them, someone who provided warmth and company. Without that person, the singer feels lost and unable to connect with the world around them. The lyrics suggest a sense of isolation and disconnection, as the singer struggles to make sense of their emotions and experiences.
The first verse contains a sense of longing, as the singer expresses their deep desire for the missing person to be with them. In the second verse, the lyrics become more introspective, as the singer reflects on their own struggles with loneliness and fear. The chorus is particularly powerful, with the repeated line "You can't know what it's like to be inside" suggesting that the singer feels profoundly alone and misunderstood. The final lines of the song suggest a sense of desperation, with the singer begging for a prayer to help them cope with their feelings of loss.
Line by Line Meaning
It's not the same without you up here
The absence of the person being addressed is causing a sense of discomfort and unease.
Can't find my wheels
The singer is having trouble getting started or finding direction without the other person present.
Your absence is what breeds this fear
The fear or anxiety the singer is feeling is directly related to the absence of the person they miss.
Warm breath and all it steals
The artist is reminiscing about physical closeness and the emotions it provided.
You can't know how it feels to be in here
The artist is acknowledging that the other person cannot fully understand the depth of their feelings and experience.
All the dark horse fields, befriendin' me
The singer has found comfort in obscure or unexpected places.
Playin' ain't the same without you here
The activity or situation the singer is referring to is not as enjoyable or fulfilling without the other person present.
We've come to hate the golden rule
The artist and the other person share a mutual disdain for the expectations or societal pressures placed on them.
Cannot seem to make the dots connect
The artist is having trouble understanding or coping with their emotions.
The morning light don't show you near
The artist feels a sense of loneliness or emptiness in the absence of the other person.
You can't know what it's like to bleed from here
The singer is acknowledging that the other person cannot fully relate to their pain and suffering.
The blackened world grows white, it goes nowhere
The artist is struggling to find hope or progress in an otherwise bleak and stagnant environment.
Death ain't the same without you, dear
The singer feels that without the other person present, even the concept of death has lost its significance or impact.
I make the others run and hide
The singer is using their pain and emotions as a means of intimidating or avoiding others.
New York streets seem to make it worse
The singer feels overwhelmed and distressed by their surroundings.
All this noise inside the quiet
Despite the external calmness or stillness, the artist is experiencing a chaotic or tumultuous internal environment.
I can't hold on, the weight you bear
The artist is acknowledging that the other person has been a source of strength or support for them, and they cannot manage without them.
My body's broken fast, please lift me up
The singer feels physically and emotionally drained, and is asking for help and support from the other person.
You can't know what it's like to be inside
The singer is emphasizing that the other person cannot fully comprehend their internal struggles or emotions.
The fading melodies can't beat my need
Despite attempts to find comfort or solace, the artist's desire for the other person persists and cannot be satisfied by external stimuli.
I'm not the same without you here
The artist feels incomplete and unfulfilled in the absence of the other person.
How can I quit to be there
The artist desires to prioritize their connection with the other person over other obligations or responsibilities.
Sit and stare
The singer is feeling unproductive and overwhelmed with emotions, and is immobilized as a result.
Begging for a prayer
The artist is appealing for help, guidance, or intervention from a higher power or authority figure.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JEFFREY ALLEN AMENT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind