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)
Roadhouse Blues
Pearl Jam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Keep your eyes on the road, your hands upon the wheel
keep your eyes on the road, your hands upon the wheel
yeah, we're goin' to the roadhouse
we're gonna have a real
good time
yeah, back at the roadhouse I got someone to love
dance for the people
like to go down slow
Let it roll, baby, roll
let it roll, baby, roll
let it roll, baby, roll
let it roll, all night long
Do it, Robby, do it
Yau gotta roll, roll, roll
yau gotta thrill my soul, all right
roll, roll, roll, roll
thrill my soul tonight
passion lady, passion lady
give up your vows, give up your vows
save our city, save our city
right now
Well, i woke up this morning, i got myself a beer
well, i woke up this morning, and i got myself a beer
the future's uncertain, and the end is always near
Let it roll, baby, roll
let it roll, baby, roll
let it roll, baby, roll
let it roll, all night long
The lyrics to Pearl Jam's cover of the classic song "Roadhouse Blues" convey a sense of freedom and adventure, urging the listener to let go of their anxieties and simply enjoy the ride. The repeated refrain of "keep your eyes on the road, your hands upon the wheel" serves as a reminder to focus on the present moment and embrace the thrill of the journey. The promise of a good time at the roadhouse with someone to dance with further emphasizes the idea of letting go and living in the moment.
As the song progresses, Jim Morrison's original lyrics about a "passion lady" and "saving the city" take on a new meaning in the hands of Pearl Jam. Eddie Vedder's emotional delivery and the song's distorted guitars lend a sense of urgency to the plea to "save our city, save our city, right now." The sense of uncertainty about the future and the inevitability of death ("the future's uncertain, and the end is always near") create an existential backdrop to the song's celebration of life and freedom.
Overall, "Roadhouse Blues" is a powerful anthem of rock and roll rebellion that encourages listeners to embrace the joys of life and confront their fears head-on.
Line by Line Meaning
Keep your eyes on the road, your hands upon the wheel
Focus on the road and drive safely
Yeah, we're goin' to the roadhouse, we're gonna have a real good time
Excited to go to the roadhouse and have fun
Back at the roadhouse I got someone to love, dance for the people like to go down slow
At the roadhouse, there's someone to love and dance with, and there are people who enjoy slow dancing
Let it roll, baby, roll, let it roll all night long
Encouragement to let loose and have fun all night long
Yau gotta roll, roll, roll, yau gotta thrill my soul all right, roll, roll, roll, roll, thrill my soul tonight
Urging to keep rolling and thrill one's soul
Passion lady, passion lady, give up your vows, give up your vows, save our city, save our city, right now
Asking a passionate woman to break her vows and help save the city immediately
Well, I woke up this morning, I got myself a beer, the future's uncertain, and the end is always near
Reflecting on life's uncertainties and the fleeting nature of time
Let it roll, baby, roll, let it roll all night long
Reiterating the desire to have a good time all night long
Contributed by Sadie T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@vernrussell99
i love it how Eddie just stands in the background during the solo. Shows total respect and a brilliant performance
@laurietopp6445
vern russell he always does with older guys from great bands he is humble and respectful
@dpforth
Yes, that was a classy move
@zoey7234
I came here for this comment. Totally can't agree more.
@babylonkid
Eddie is always classy and respectful. Love him! 🤘
@DETROIT1948
The Greatest Line In Rock and Roll History.
"I Woke Up This Morning And I Got Myself A Beer."
@LuvLifeVlogZ
I actually did.
@Timliu92
No one will ever sing this tune better than Jim Morrison himself. With that being said, Eddie sounded really good here, and he did the song justice in my opinion.
@rossjoseph3844
+Timliu92 Vetter really was the only one with a similar vocal quality. I've always said Jim Morrison was the ultimate rockn' roll singer.
@jameswatson4394
yes very well said