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Lyrics, why did you study them?

2-feign-reluctance2-feign-reluctance TigerTown, USA Posts: 23,141
in The Porch
I recall a trip to Streetside Records in 1993 - Mom drove. We picked up Vs. on tape and listened to it on the way back home. After "Go" my Mom said, did he just say "Fuck, burn?!" I remember asking her if that's all she got out of that first song? Haha! So, I ask, did you legitimately have no idea what Eddie was saying, and that's why you spent hours studying the liner notes/booklet with headphones on? Or did you know exactly what he was saying, you were searching for some additional meaning for what its worth?
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    ckravitzckravitz NJ Posts: 1,668
    I'm terrible at picking up the proper lyrics from the music so studying them in print is the only way for me to learn them.
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    NWOntarioNWOntario Toronto Posts: 823
    I don't know the exact lyrics to virtually any Pearl Jam song. Ask me to recreate the drum part, however, and I'll do it for you in about four seconds.
    Minneapolis 1998 | Jones Beach I & II, Montreal, and Toronto 2000 | Buffalo, State College, Toronto, Montreal and Hershey 2003 | Boston I & II 2004 | Thunder Bay, Kitchener, London, Hamilton, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto 2005 | Toronto I & II 2006 | The Vic and Lollapalooza 2007 | Calgary and Toronto 2009 | PJ20 I & II, Toronto I & II, Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton 2011 | London, Chicago, Spokane, Calgary, Vancouver and Seattle 2013 | Ottawa and Toronto I & II 2016 | Chicago I & II 2018 | Ottawa, Hamilton and Toronto 2022
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    SaravaSarava Naperville, IL Posts: 1,998
    I'm terrible with dissecting lyrics and usually let it be that way. I've found in the past that when i look up the lyrics and get them right, I somehow enjoy the song a wee bit less.

    One of my weirder misunderstandings is Breath. I used to think the chorus was ohhh nor'easter oh. That still makes me laugh. Great song hehe.
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    hsohihsohi Posts: 1,033
    "One of my weirder misunderstandings is Breath. I used to think the chorus was ohhh nor'easter oh. That still makes me laugh. Great song hehe."

    Funny.... You are the seventh person that has mentioned that to me
    London Ontario 2013, Buffalo New York 2013, Lincoln Nebraska 2014, Quebec City 2016
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    jmug23jmug23 Posts: 778
    ckravitz said:

    I'm terrible at picking up the proper lyrics from the music so studying them in print is the only way for me to learn them.

    I'm the same way. I can listen to a song hundreds of times and I still can't pick out many of the lyrics. Maybe I'm tone deaf or something. My wife is the opposite. Listens to it one time and can understand it and memorize it. Pisses me off:)
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    bradsaidbradsaid Posts: 11
    Have to go look them up ! Sometimes I think I like the ones I make up instead!
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    PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 49,515
    My mom says that she can't understand a single word Eddie is singing in any PJ song I've ever forced her to listen to. :lol:
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
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    my2handsmy2hands Posts: 17,117
    I only listen to Boom
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    PJfanwillneverleave1PJfanwillneverleave1 Posts: 12,885
    So EV doesn`t sound like this to me.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15ynsOtYXBQ
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    mcgruff10mcgruff10 New Jersey Posts: 27,840
    Shit I sing "fuck, burn" every time go is played lol. I suck at lyrics.
    I'll ride the wave where it takes me......
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    SarahSarah Toronto Posts: 736
    I've never had a problem understanding what Ed is saying or singing. I always read lyrics because I love words and stories, and am always seeking the meaning behind them -- either what they might signify to the writer, or how I can apply them to my own situation.
    "Somewhere in between / There and here / I got lost / I got scared..."
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    PJfanwillneverleave1PJfanwillneverleave1 Posts: 12,885
    Sarah said:

    I've never had a problem understanding what Ed is saying or singing. I always read lyrics because I love words and stories, and am always seeking the meaning behind them -- either what they might signify to the writer, or how I can apply them to my own situation.

    What are the lyrics for YLB?
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    BK221359BK221359 Charleston, SC Posts: 237
    edited May 2016
    PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

    Sarah said:

    I've never had a problem understanding what Ed is saying or singing. I always read lyrics because I love words and stories, and am always seeking the meaning behind them -- either what they might signify to the writer, or how I can apply them to my own situation.

    What are the lyrics for YLB?
    This is a trick question...right??
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    Leezestarr313Leezestarr313 Temple of the cat Posts: 14,346
    I'm German, so not a native speaker of English. I usually only understand the well understandable parts during the songs. Reading along, of course, is easier. I studied the booklet of Vitalogy intensely because when it came out I had just started learning English and I wanted to know what everything means. Whiskers and sink are two words I learned because of PJ :lol: But did I make sense of the lyrics? Not really, especially not back then with my limited translation abilities. I have evenings with my hubba, listening to the albums on vinyl and going through the lyrics, discussing them.
    I searched for some lyrics for a fan portrait also this time around and I was still sometimes stunned at what I found. Shame on me :lol:
    Please, Pearl Jam, consider a Benaroya Hall vinyl reissue!
    http://community.pearljam.com/discussion/148993/please-pearl-jam-consider-a-vinyl-benaroya-hall-re-issue


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    PJfanwillneverleave1PJfanwillneverleave1 Posts: 12,885
    Test your skills with this http://pearljam.com/activism/news/2/22756/pj_activism_lyrics_crossword
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    moses562moses562 Posts: 1,382
    What show was it where Ed mentioned Mike's misheard lyrics as a youngster...how Mike heard Kiss's lyrics as...I want to rock and roll all night and PART OF EVERY DAY...haha!
    "A man has the right to be as big as he feels it in him to be." Ken Kesey
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    PJfanwillneverleave1PJfanwillneverleave1 Posts: 12,885
    moses562 said:

    What show was it where Ed mentioned Mike's misheard lyrics as a youngster...how Mike heard Kiss's lyrics as...I want to rock and roll all night and PART OF EVERY DAY...haha!

    I believe it was Calgary 2005.
    That was an amazing show, the crowd blew the roof off and the best BM version I have ever heard.
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    cydoniacydonia Denbighshire, North Wales , UK Posts: 456
    Love lyrics and initially particularly with no code & yield interpret them with how I can relate to the artists theme or subject matter. Sometimes it can be quite a deep spritual connection and your interpretation is what you own , whether the song may mean something else. Even though lyrics can be hard to see hear, senses can pick up the emotion and with pearl jam this can be quite intense....emotive and raw...
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    justamjustam Posts: 21,392
    I study lyrics because I love stories with a lot of emotional content.
    &&&&&&&&&&&&&&
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    LukinFanLukinFan Florida Posts: 28,996
    ckravitz said:

    I'm terrible at picking up the proper lyrics from the music so studying them in print is the only way for me to learn them.

    I'm the same. I love words (I'm a writer) but I tend to listen to the music part of it more
    www.RLMcDaniel.com

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    MalrothMalroth broken down chevrolet Posts: 2,485
    to sing.
    The worst of times..they don't phase me,
    even if I look and act really crazy.
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    AceCoolAceCool Texas Posts: 455
    I've never been a big lyrics guy. Some songs I totally end up getting all the lyrics but more often than not they just kinda flow into the feel of the song. My wife is the opposite and can always get them all. I finally said to her after I tried really hard to decipher PJ lyrics that I thought Vedder was a fantastic lyricist but a terrible vocalist because it's damn near impossible for me to understand the words unless I study the liner notes really hard.
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    FrankY59FrankY59 Posts: 1,048
    When I first started buying CDs, I would read along the lyrics to a new CD I would play for the very first time. I always wanted to know what the songs were about. I never liked a band who wrote poor lyrics.
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    BALLBOYBALLBOY Australia Posts: 992
    I like the stuff you have to really listen to such as Ed mumbling in songs such as Once & Even Flow. The great challenge is you have to listen cause PJ is never going to be the bleeding obvious
    Eastern Creek 95,Syd 1 98,Bris 2 98, Syd 1&2 03, Reading Fest 06, Bris 1 06, London 09, Hyde Park 10, Gold Coast BDO 14
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