The End

PearlJam24

I just read along the lyrics while the song was playing and I started balling...fuck that is some deep shit.

weenie

I got the CD in the mail from 10C yesterday and after reading the words to The End, got totally depressed. Sounds like Ed's really ill. Not trying to be Debbie Downer here but read the words to The End.

It also seems like one of the themes of this CD art is memories..... band member memories, and how the guys are all so connected to one another. Maybe I'm crazy, but I'm concerned. The idea of dying too soon and leaving people behind seems to wind through a couple other songs too.

When you think about how they structured this tour and the Target thing, it all seems to fall into place.
I really hope I'm wrong.

pandora

weenie wrote:

I got the CD in the mail from 10C yesterday and after reading the words to The End, got totally depressed. Sounds like Ed's really ill. Not trying to be Debbie Downer here but read the words to The End.

It also seems like one of the themes of this CD art is memories..... band member memories, and how the guys are all so connected to one another. Maybe I'm crazy, but I'm concerned. The idea of dying too soon and leaving people behind seems to wind through a couple other songs too.

When you think about how they structured this tour and the Target thing, it all seems to fall into place.
I really hope I'm wrong.

Somebody on here had a good perspective- "the sickness in the bones" is the need to get out and tour- an addiction to entertaining. I'm choosing to believe this cause I couldn't accept anything else

weenie

pandora wrote:

weenie wrote:

I got the CD in the mail from 10C yesterday and after reading the words to The End, got totally depressed. Sounds like Ed's really ill. Not trying to be Debbie Downer here but read the words to The End.

It also seems like one of the themes of this CD art is memories..... band member memories, and how the guys are all so connected to one another. Maybe I'm crazy, but I'm concerned. The idea of dying too soon and leaving people behind seems to wind through a couple other songs too.

When you think about how they structured this tour and the Target thing, it all seems to fall into place.
I really hope I'm wrong.

Somebody on here had a good perspective- "the sickness in the bones" is the need to get out and tour- an addiction to entertaining. I'm choosing to believe this cause I couldn't accept anything else

I'm going to put all my energy into that thought. Thanks.

slightofjeff

I think we should be careful about believing every song Ed writes in the first person is about himself. Otherwise, we would have spent the past 15 years wondering why his parents were calling him "daughter."

weenie

Spot on, thanks.

I got really creeped out and depressed about a couple of similar references in one of the other songs. It hit me like a ton of bricks when I read the words...... It was "Paul is dead" all over again....... :?

CJMST3K

PearlJam24 wrote:

I just read along the lyrics while the song was playing and I started balling...fuck that is some deep shit.

+1

decides2dream

PearlJam24 wrote:

I just read along the lyrics while the song was playing and I started balling...fuck that is some deep shit.

:shock:
balling?!


i truly hope, instead...you were bawling..........;)







oh, and i have to agree.....the 'sickness in my bones' is his utter need to tour/make music....and all other references to death, i simply think....he has children now, he has a woman he utterly LOVES, it's just so obvious. when you have that much love, that much wonderful, it is alll so natural to worry about losing it, leaving it behind, providing for them all, etc. that and sure, hitting those 40s....you definitely think of your own mortality a lot.

marcos

decides2dream wrote:

PearlJam24 wrote:

I just read along the lyrics while the song was playing and I started balling...fuck that is some deep shit.

:shock:
balling?!


i truly hope, instead...you were bawling..........;)







oh, and i have to agree.....the 'sickness in my bones' is his utter need to tour/make music....and all other references to death, i simply think....he has children now, he has a woman he utterly LOVES, it's just so obvious. when you have that much love, that much wonderful, it is alll so natural to worry about losing it, leaving it behind, providing for them all, etc. that and sure, hitting those 40s....you definitely think of your own mortality a lot.

I agree that it felt it was about someone thinking of his mortality and that you start to think that when you have a realization about something you love. I was at the Philly Tower Theater show when Eddie dedicated Forever Young to his daughter as it was her birthday. It was a very beautiful moment so I suppose I also imagined Ed speaking in the first person with this song. Though it is important to not take everything literally as one post suggested. But the vibe of the sond is very touching nonetheless.

fireladie

That song and some of the others are still making me cry when I listen, awesome.

Whilst there could be a scary sense of Eddie feeling the end coming, and its hard to untangle his stuff from my stuff & whats just a story from an imagined perspective, I figure he's at that place where you realise you've done a lot of living & a lot of losing, time rushes by faster & faster, as he said at the o2 " love & life its all f*cking precious". Its a sort of raw bitter sweet love for life, pain n' all. Amongst the waves says it all as well, about toughening up as you get older despite everything.

its blown me away. x

weenie

The more I listen to this CD: really listen to the music and read the words to the songs, the more blown away I am by this album. And I continue to be TOTALLY in awe of Ed's genius and his ability to describe life and feelings so brilliantly. I also don't think there's a better song/music writing team than Ed and Stone anywhere today. Stone's penchant for melody is astounding. I'm also having a hard time understanding why people on this board aren't really digging this CD. But I guess each to his own.

I think The End, is the perfect cap off to this record. And after listening to it more, I feel differently about my first interpretation of it. I don't feel Ed's referring to his need for touring or playing though as others here do, I think it goes a helluva lot deeper than than.

Whatever it means to Ed, it's fucking brilliant and can't wait to hear songs from this record live.

CorduroyGal

I felt this song has a lot of personal meaning to me, and of course the band and Eddie. I also was thinking in terms of how 80% of the time I see PJ in concert they finish with Yellow Ledbetter, and maybe this is a new beginning for their "encore presentation". I thought it was a beautiful song, and we all have our own interpretations of Backspacer. The End can be taken in so many ways. Maybe starting a new beginning of something and appreciating what you have and the family/friends and those who love you.

lucylespian

I find this song and the abrupt way it ends to be pretty intense too.
It's a bit deep, maybe too deep for a lot of people, which might explain why people are not digging it.
I like music that take a while to get into. Stuff that's too accessible tends to be too shallow, and have no lasting interest.
It does make me wonder if Ed has a serious illness. OK, so it does not have to about him, but it's a strong song.

My Grievance

i Cant listen to this song without crying, especially the second verse. If PJ plays this in L.A i'm gonna have to man up and cry in front of my best friend and my dad.

Stumptown Rocker

It's heavy... That sickness in your bones could be a lot of things for a lot of people. I think that might be the idea. Jesus there are some heavy songs here. As has been stated soundtrack to life. One full listen through with the lyrics and it all sets into place. This album is special.

Ms. Haiku

I can't hear the music at work unfortunately. I hope my CD isn't ruined. However, after reading the lyrics I thought it was a soldier's dying wish to communicate.

weenie

Stumptown Rocker wrote:

It's heavy... That sickness in your bones could be a lot of things for a lot of people. I think that might be the idea. Jesus there are some heavy songs here. As has been stated soundtrack to life. One full listen through with the lyrics and it all sets into place. This album is special.

The more I listen to it, the more brilliant I realize the words and the music are. I'm really impressed with what they've done.....

marcos

And in the End, the love you take is equal to the love you make, Beatles, Abbey Road. That was from their last record technically.

acrossssSsssshittt

Let us all please just pray... that things are ok... cuz at least for me, there's little else...

weenie

acrossoceans wrote:

Let us all please just pray... that things are ok... cuz at least for me, there's little else...

I feel you partner. Stay safe.

PeArLgOoNeR

slightofjeff wrote:

I think we should be careful about believing every song Ed writes in the first person is about himself. Otherwise, we would have spent the past 15 years wondering why his parents were calling him "daughter."

Agreed! I don't think this is about Ed..

SurfingSasquatch

"Slide on next to me, I'm just a human being!" amazing line. Gets me every time. Its like he's singing about so many of our own fears and desires about life and death in this song. "The End comes near, I'm here but not much longer...."

PearlOfAGirl

SurfingSasquatch wrote:

"Slide on next to me, I'm just a human being!" amazing line. Gets me every time. Its like he's singing about so many of our own fears and desires about life and death in this song. "The End comes near, I'm here but not much longer...."

You should use that as your sig.

My3rdEye

02:48 = haunting (last breath)

absolutely love this part...

"I just want to hold on
And know I’m worth your love
Enough
I don’t think
There’s such a thing"

also, the strings add so much depth to this song. just an amazing piece of music.

PJSEMPRE

This song and Unthought Known are my favourite songs from Backspacer.

DangDang

weenie wrote:

I also don't think there's a better song/music writing team than Ed and Stone anywhere today. Stone's penchant for melody is astounding. .

I totally agree with you.

I was even skeptical about the better reviews (before I heard the album), because I thought that Pearl Jam songs were so awesome, that they couldn't get any better than they already are.

This album is unbelievable. I'm totally blown away by it, sometimes I can't take it.

I also agree with your colon D's. I hope I don't hit the floor hearing some of these songs live.

patrickcarson

This song is a classic example of brilliant storytelling. Lets us not forget how amazing EV & the boys are at crafting a finely tuned story (dead man, off he goes, red mosquito, given to fly...).

It's not about Ed - Ed's telling a story about someone else. Pure. Freaking. Magic.

Rigg

PearlJam24 wrote:

I just read along the lyrics while the song was playing and I started balling...fuck that is some deep shit.

i just left my partner, i cheated and this song to me is all about that.......it's my fault and i've been cought, a sickness in my bones. how it pains to leave you here with the kids on your own................"ouch" those words hit me!

agauthiermdphd

Here is my interpretation of the song, which I take fairly literally, as the album was dedicated to someone who is dead, Dr. Michael Richter. I can imagine Eddie and the band seeing him before his death coming up with this song, putting themselves in the possible scenario of being given the diagnosis of cancer, even at their age.

I am amazed by how Eddie managed to capture the emotional and physical pain that a fairly young patient (in this case I believe palliative in his early 40 or 50s with children and afflicted by bone metastases) will experience and express to his wife (sexes may be reverse). More than friends ... want to grow old (with you) ... sickness in my bones.

I, as a physician, have seen this reality a few times. The drainage of energy from metastatic cancer is complete ... bottom of a well. I have also seen up close from one on my 44 year old friend who passed away from metastatic lung cancer (he never smoked a cigarette in is life), this, 3 years ago. My father in law also went through the same emotional an physical despair described by Eddie 3 weeks ago.

I believe the ones that "get" this song have lost a close one. The ones that have yet to get it will one day as death of a close one inevitably will happen to them (hopefully, i.e., they will be close to another person and will not die prematurely themselves). This intense and painful emotion that come with death of a close one is important to help one grow and realize that there is a big picture, that each day should not be wasted, and there has to be life after death.

The songs ends perfectly as palliative cancer patients die in this fashion. I have seen it many times. They take one breath, and the next one does not come.

acrossssSsssshittt

To Augauth...

that was nice...very sensitively put... i appreciated that...

sesame

agauthiermdphd wrote:

Here is my interpretation of the song, which I take fairly literally, as the album was dedicated to someone who is dead, Dr. Michael Richter. I can imagine Eddie and the band seeing him before his death coming up with this song, putting themselves in the possible scenario of being given the diagnosis of cancer, even at their age.

I am amazed by how Eddie managed to capture the emotional and physical pain that a fairly young patient (in this case I believe palliative in his early 40 or 50s with children and afflicted by bone metastases) will experience and express to his wife (sexes may be reverse). More than friends ... want to grow old (with you) ... sickness in my bones.

I, as a physician, have seen this reality a few times. The drainage of energy from metastatic cancer is complete ... bottom of a well. I have also seen up close from one on my 44 year old friend who passed away from metastatic lung cancer (he never smoked a cigarette in is life), this, 3 years ago. My father in law also went through the same emotional an physical despair described by Eddie 3 weeks ago.

I believe the ones that "get" this song have lost a close one. The ones that have yet to get it will one day as death of a close one inevitably will happen to them (hopefully, i.e., they will be close to another person and will not die prematurely themselves). This intense and painful emotion that come with death of a close one is important to help one grow and realize that there is a big picture, that each day should not be wasted, and there has to be life after death.

The songs ends perfectly as palliative cancer patients die in this fashion. I have seen it many times. They take one breath, and the next one does not come.

I totally agree! I even hear the shortness of breath that I can sense from such a disease, but I've never met a cancer patient or known someone close that has passed away. I just feel so strongly for this song though. I understand what it is like to want to live, but you're can't anymore. And then to die. It's just an amazing song to capture something so difficult to contemplate or discuss,. I love the change half way through, that my wife pointed out - that the patient (he/she) says I just wanted to grow old, and then I want to grow old - it's like they were somewhat nostalgic about their past, but now this is the present. Why can't they grow old? It's so sad. I think in someways it relates to the song sad, about that closeness with someone else, but then death changes everything - how do you move on? Only this song is completely from the eyes of the person who dies. You're left imagining the other person with the kids and the sadness of losing their partner, but this songs not about them - listen to sad for that

Heaps of Love,
Dean.