Meaning of the Stickman

Jam10Jam10 Posts: 654
edited November 2009 in The Porch
Does anybody know the true meaning of the Stickman?

Thanks
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments

  • Pearl JamesPearl James Pittsburgh/Chicago Posts: 420
    I think it was just a quick sketch Jeff did for the Alive single.

    Not sure of its meaning really.
  • I always just interpreted it as representing "Arms raised in a V"...
    We were but stones your light made us stars
  • damiendamien Posts: 40
    watch the end of the who movie Tommy . Last 2 minutes of film. I watched it awhile ago and started laughing when after he climbs the mountain and the sun starts rising I realized..... I have a tattoo of Roger Daltry on my leg. Arms raised in a V . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPybjZ0f4y4
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  • damien wrote:
    watch the end of the who movie Tommy . Last 2 minutes of film. I watched it awhile ago and started laughing when after he climbs the mountain and the sun starts rising I realized..... I have a tattoo of Roger Daltry on my leg. Arms raised in a V . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPybjZ0f4y4

    that is just TOO coincidental! WOW.
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  • damien wrote:
    watch the end of the who movie Tommy . Last 2 minutes of film. I watched it awhile ago and started laughing when after he climbs the mountain and the sun starts rising I realized..... I have a tattoo of Roger Daltry on my leg. Arms raised in a V . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPybjZ0f4y4

    that is just TOO coincidental! WOW.
    Of mountain tops.. Check
    With him on top... Check
    Lemon yellow sun... Check
    Arms raised in a V... Check

    I think we have found the inspiration for that lyric.
    Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
  • Jearlpam0925Jearlpam0925 Deep South Philly Posts: 16,757
    Dave A. That's it.
  • HeavyHandsHeavyHands Posts: 2,130
    damien wrote:
    watch the end of the who movie Tommy . Last 2 minutes of film. I watched it awhile ago and started laughing when after he climbs the mountain and the sun starts rising I realized..... I have a tattoo of Roger Daltry on my leg. Arms raised in a V . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPybjZ0f4y4

    that is just TOO coincidental! WOW.
    Of mountain tops.. Check
    With him on top... Check
    Lemon yellow sun... Check
    Arms raised in a V... Check

    I think we have found the inspiration for that lyric.

    :shock:

    Slowly the veil drops away from eV's secret lyrical imagery laboratory to reveal not an anguished youth, but one who held some things in deep, deep reverence. I don't know... this might make the song even better now...
    "A lot more people are capable of being big out there that just don't give themselves a chance." -Stone Gossard
  • It's always meant to me, that after all the bullshit that all the characters in eddie's songs have dealt with, most of which characteristics stem from eddie himself, that at the end of the day he can still stand and say "i'm still Alive". he has a way of weaving parts of himself into most of the songs. that's why we all can relate.
  • the wolfthe wolf Posts: 7,027
    mookyb69 wrote:
    It's always meant to me, that after all the bullshit that all the characters in eddie's songs have dealt with, most of which characteristics stem from eddie himself, that at the end of the day he can still stand and say "i'm still Alive". he has a way of weaving parts of himself into most of the songs. that's why we all can relate.

    well said.
    Peace, Love.


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  • drummerboy_73drummerboy_73 Las Vegas, NV Posts: 2,011
    Some pretty deep interpretations here, which is cool...but in reality, it was just a quick drawing Jeff did for the Alive single.
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  • The good drummer had a tattoo of the stickman on his arm.
  • drummerboy_73drummerboy_73 Las Vegas, NV Posts: 2,011
    The good drummer had a tattoo of the stickman on his arm.

    Oh sh*t...here we go again!!!
    Osaka, Japan (2/21/95), San Diego (7/10/98), Las Vegas (10/22/00), San Diego (10/25/00), Las Vegas (6/6/03), Las Vegas (7/6/06), Los Angeles (7/9/06), VH1 Rock Honors (7/12/08), Ed Solo (7/8/11), Ed Solo (11/1/12), Los Angeles (11/23/13)
  • exactly. let's not go there.
    The good drummer had a tattoo of the stickman on his arm.

    Oh sh*t...here we go again!!!
  • Jearlpam0925Jearlpam0925 Deep South Philly Posts: 16,757
    exactly. let's not go there.
    The good drummer had a tattoo of the stickman on his arm.

    Oh sh*t...here we go again!!!

    Not like he's wrong though.
  • pjhawkspjhawks Posts: 12,171
    i always thought of it as a rebirth, raising up from the ashes of Mother Love Bone especially for Jeff and Stone. Arms raised in triumph.
  • CJMST3KCJMST3K Posts: 9,722
    The good drummer had a tattoo of the stickman on his arm.

    Oh sh*t...here we go again!!!


    I believe it existed before Dave joined the band. From what I recall (which I could be wrong) Dave was reluctant to join the band at first, but right after he joined and became part of pearl jam, he very quickly added that tattoo... which I believe was part of PJ's imagery at that point.
    ADD 5,200 to the post count you see, thank you. :)
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  • CJMST3K wrote:
    I believe it existed before Dave joined the band. From what I recall (which I could be wrong) Dave was reluctant to join the band at first, but right after he joined and became part of pearl jam, he very quickly added that tattoo... which I believe was part of PJ's imagery at that point.

    I believe that is correct.
    Jeff is the one that originally drew it and then Dave had it tattooed on his arm.
  • pandorapandora Posts: 21,855
    The good drummer had a tattoo of the stickman on his arm.
    Thats just wrong there couldn't be a better drummer than Matt- I witnessed it up close- he is awesomely wonderfully talented and also does a great accompaniment to an accordian- hes really cute too :D
  • pandora wrote:
    The good drummer had a tattoo of the stickman on his arm.
    Thats just wrong there couldn't be a better drummer than Matt- I witnessed it up close- he is awesomely wonderfully talented and also does a great accompaniment to an accordian- hes really cute too :D

    Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
    My opinion just happens to be different than yours.
  • I thought the original art work was a large painting that Jeff did..
    Not a drawing. I remember seeing it some where at sometime, and it took up a good portion of a wall.
  • CJMST3KCJMST3K Posts: 9,722
    pandora wrote:
    The good drummer had a tattoo of the stickman on his arm.
    Thats just wrong there couldn't be a better drummer than Matt- I witnessed it up close- he is awesomely wonderfully talented and also does a great accompaniment to an accordian- hes really cute too :D

    Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
    My opinion just happens to be different than yours.

    Differing opinions are healthy and good. :D
    ADD 5,200 to the post count you see, thank you. :)
    *NYC 9/28/96 *NYC 9/29/96 *NJ 9/8/98 (front row "may i play drums with you")
    *MSG 9/10/98 (backstage) *MSG 9/11/98 (backstage)
    *Jones Beach 8/23/00 *Jones Beach 8/24/00 *Jones Beach 8/25/00
    *Mansfield 8/29/00 *Mansfield 8/30/00 *Nassau 4/30/03 *Nissan VA 7/1/03
    *Borgata 10/1/05 *Camden 5/27/06 *Camden 5/28/06 *DC 5/30/06
    *VA Beach 6/17/08 *DC 6/22/08 *MSG 6/24/08 (backstage) *MSG 6/25/08
    *EV DC 8/17/08 *EV Baltimore 6/15/09 *Philly 10/31/09
    *Bristow VA 5/13/10 *MSG 5/20/10 *MSG 5/21/10
  • Just as important as ground zero for our beloved stick man is Roger's obsession with REALLY tight jeans. Even worn while climbing a mountain. Awesome.
  • CJMST3KCJMST3K Posts: 9,722
    Just as important as ground zero for our beloved stick man is Roger's obsession with REALLY tight jeans. Even worn while climbing a mountain. Awesome.


    that's how he hit the high notes.
    ADD 5,200 to the post count you see, thank you. :)
    *NYC 9/28/96 *NYC 9/29/96 *NJ 9/8/98 (front row "may i play drums with you")
    *MSG 9/10/98 (backstage) *MSG 9/11/98 (backstage)
    *Jones Beach 8/23/00 *Jones Beach 8/24/00 *Jones Beach 8/25/00
    *Mansfield 8/29/00 *Mansfield 8/30/00 *Nassau 4/30/03 *Nissan VA 7/1/03
    *Borgata 10/1/05 *Camden 5/27/06 *Camden 5/28/06 *DC 5/30/06
    *VA Beach 6/17/08 *DC 6/22/08 *MSG 6/24/08 (backstage) *MSG 6/25/08
    *EV DC 8/17/08 *EV Baltimore 6/15/09 *Philly 10/31/09
    *Bristow VA 5/13/10 *MSG 5/20/10 *MSG 5/21/10
  • CJMST3K wrote:
    Just as important as ground zero for our beloved stick man is Roger's obsession with REALLY tight jeans. Even worn while climbing a mountain. Awesome.


    that's how he hit the high notes.

    They always seemed to keep a smile on his face
  • Matt is the best PJ drummer ever....So jazzy, and unpredictable....I just listening to how he and Jeff feed off each other...and then it just expands...In my opinion, PJ just took off on a whole new direction when he joined...they are having FUN...kicking ass...and taking names...Off topic...but I gotta represent Matt.... ;)

    Dave wanted to be a rockstar...not a musician... :shock:

    Just my 2-cents...

    I like 'Riot Act' too...so.... :lol:
  • OkOk Posts: 2,144
    On a related note - I noticed there is a discussion in Howard Zinn's "A People's History...." about the "Riot Act"...and wondered hey - is this why Ed suggested the album name to the band. I know they had some difficulty finding a name for that album, but found the correlation interesting....
  • dol10dol10 Posts: 1
    edited April 2021
    Why is the greatest album ever made, one which just oozes meaning called ten?

    The Mookie Blaylock line pumped out just never sat right with me. 

    Vs offered insight.  Originally called 5 against 1 at a time when Ed was fighting with his family, a very late change during printing of the album cover meant not all had Vs on the spine.  I think, A shark in blood water was the other name said to be on the table for the album's Title.

    Consider it confirmation that early on the album name incompassed the theme of the album.

    Many Many Years later whilst reading a Japanese Martial Arts Text,  I had a PJ revelation.  When I read that a mountain was climbed to pay 'ten.'  Read reference (In Shinto the original religion in Japan 'ten' meaning homage to heaven).

    Is that stick figure brushed with Japanese calligraphy?

    We all know alive's meaning.  Add I will walk into your garden.  Garden of stone. And Oh dear dad can you see me now. 

    In the shape of a romanised symbol for ten X.  The Japanese brush strokes of the stick man were our clue all along.  Stick mans arms are both out symbolising here I am alive, as they are reaching out towards heaven above.  

    It's Just Brilliant. 
    Post edited by dol10 on
  • FR181798FR181798 Posts: 2,164
    Not quite a teenager when Alive came out and I always thought the stickmans hands were cannabis leaves.
  • GoinHungry94GoinHungry94 Albuquerque, NM Posts: 236
    I figured this is worth mentioning here since we’re getting into the meaning of he Stickman. Like many others, I have the Stickman as a tattoo. It was my first tat and I got it as a reminder. I was going through depression as many teenagers do and snuck out one night. Roaming my small Wisconsin town I came across the train tracks figuring I would end it all right there. I waited about an hour and nothing but the wind n silence came through. Within that time frame I figured trains must not come through after 1am, so I figured it wasn’t my time yet. As I begin to walk away, not even 5ft off the tracks, I hear a train horn blasting. If I had waited a couple more minutes I’d been gone for good. Around this time I was in the start of heavily listening to Pearl Jam. Come to the first time I listened to “Alive” after that, it took on a whole other meaning. In short, that simple Ament drawing stands for “I’m still alive” as much as it possibly can to me. It cancels out any self conscious thoughts of “but all the other Pearl Jam obsessors have one” or “it’s been done so many times before”. 
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  • a5pja5pj Hershey PA Posts: 3,833
    I figured this is worth mentioning here since we’re getting into the meaning of he Stickman. Like many others, I have the Stickman as a tattoo. It was my first tat and I got it as a reminder. I was going through depression as many teenagers do and snuck out one night. Roaming my small Wisconsin town I came across the train tracks figuring I would end it all right there. I waited about an hour and nothing but the wind n silence came through. Within that time frame I figured trains must not come through after 1am, so I figured it wasn’t my time yet. As I begin to walk away, not even 5ft off the tracks, I hear a train horn blasting. If I had waited a couple more minutes I’d been gone for good. Around this time I was in the start of heavily listening to Pearl Jam. Come to the first time I listened to “Alive” after that, it took on a whole other meaning. In short, that simple Ament drawing stands for “I’m still alive” as much as it possibly can to me. It cancels out any self conscious thoughts of “but all the other Pearl Jam obsessors have one” or “it’s been done so many times before”. 

    Glad you're still here, depression sucks
    Wouldn't it be funny if the world ended in 2010, with lots of fire?



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