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)
Whipping
Pearl Jam Lyrics
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Don't need a raincoat, I'm already wet
Don't need a bandage, there's too much blood
After a while seems to roll right off
They're whipping
They're whipping
They're whipping
Don't need a hand, there's always arms attached
I don't get behind, I can't fall back
Why must we trust all these rusted rails?
They don't want no change we already have
They're whipping
They're whipping
They're whipping
They're whipping
Don't mean to push but I'm being shoved, oh
I'm just like you, think we've had enough
I can't believe a thing they want us to
Oh, we all got scars, they should have them too
They're whipping
They're whipping
They're whipping
They're whipping
They're whipping
They're whipping
They're whipping
They're whipping
The lyrics to "Whipping," a song by Pearl Jam from their album "Vitalogy," are powerful and cryptic. The song opens with the singer declaring that they don't need any protection, indicating a lack of fear and acceptance of their reality. The chorus then introduces the idea of being "whipped," which could symbolize the pressures and hardships of life or even abuses of power by authority figures. The singer seems to be questioning why they should trust oppressive systems, such as "rusted rails," and why those in power don't want change. The second verse is particularly poignant, as the singer identifies with the listener, declaring that they too have had enough and have been "shoved" into submission. The song closes with the chorus once again, indicating a sense of resignation but also continued defiance against the whips of oppression.
The song was likely influenced by Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder's experiences with fame and scrutiny. The band had become hugely popular by the time of Vitalogy's release, and Vedder had been vocal about his discomfort with the attention and expectations placed on him. Additionally, the album was recorded during a difficult time for the band, with tensions between members and the death of Vedder's close friend and fellow musician Kurt Cobain. This context gives the lyrics of "Whipping" a deeper meaning, as they seem to grapple with the pressures of fame and the difficulty of staying true to oneself while under the watchful eye of the public.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't need a helmet got a hard hard head
I'm tough and resilient; I can handle any issue that comes my way.
Don't need a raincoat I'm already wet
I'm already in so deep that I can't avoid the consequences. I have to accept the situation and move forward.
Don't need a bandage there's too much blood
The damage has already been done; further injury won't make much difference.
After a while seems to roll right off hmm
I've grown numb to the pain; it no longer affects me as much as it used to.
Whipping ah they're whipping ah
The metaphorical beating and abuse continues relentlessly.
They're whipping ah they're whipping
The repetition emphasizes the ongoing nature of the abuse.
Don't need a hand there's always arms attached
I have people in my life who support me, so I don't need additional help.
Oh don't get behind I can't fall back
I'm moving forward and can't slow down or risk falling behind. I can't go back to where I was before.
Why must we trust all these rusted rails?
I'm questioning why society continues to trust in outdated systems that have proven to be flawed.
They don't want no change, we already have
Those in power don't want any changes that may upset their status quo, but things have already changed and we can't go back.
Don't mean to push, but I'm being shoved!
I'm trying to make my voice heard, but those in power are actively pushing back and trying to silence me.
Oh, I'm just like you, think we've had enough
I'm not alone in feeling abused and oppressed; many people feel the same way and we've reached our limit.
I can't believe a thing they want us to oh
I'm skeptical of those in power and their motivations; they've lost my trust and I can't believe what they tell us.
Oh, we all got scars, they should have 'em too
Those in power should also face the consequences of their actions; they shouldn't be exempt from the pain and suffering they cause.
They're whipping, ah they're whipping, ah
The repetition emphasizes the ongoing nature of the abuse and oppression.
They're whipping, ah they're whipping
The continued repetition emphasizes the ongoing nature and severity of the abuse and oppression.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Eddie Vedder, Jeff Ament, Mike Mccready, David Abbruzzese, Stone Gossard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind