Home› Words and Music...Communication

Corduroy

FrankieGFrankieG Posts: 9,100
edited November 2009 in Words and Music...Communication
"Can't buy what I want because it's free..."

What is the one thing you want that is free?
2003: 7/14 NJ ... 2006: 6/1 NJ, 6/3 NJ ... 2007: 8/5 IL ... 2008: 6/24 NY, 6/25 NY, 8/7 EV NJ ... 2009: 10/27 PA, 10/28 PA, 10/30 PA, 10/31 PA
2010: 5/20 NY, 5/21 NY ... 2011: 6/21 EV NY, 9/3 WI, 9/4 WI ... 2012: 9/2 PA, 9/22 GA ... 2013: 10/18 NY, 10/19 NY, 10/21 PA, 10/22 PA, 10/27 MD
2015: 9/23 NY, 9/26 NY ... 2016: 4/28 PA, 4/29 PA, 5/1 NY, 5/2 NY, 6/11 TN, 8/7 MA, 11/4 TOTD PA, 11/5 TOTD PA ... 2018: 8/10 WA
2022: 9/14 NJ ... 2024: 5/28 WA, 9/7 PA, 9/9 PA ---- http://imgur.com/a/nk0s7
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • lostdogs89lostdogs89 Posts: 134
    love, loyalty, honesty, faith
  • Macca.Macca. Posts: 19
    I love this song, one of the greatest ever.

    Isn't the song about people copying Eddie? Maybe he just wants privacy.
  • memememe Posts: 4,695
    respect, warmth, civility, kindness.
    ... and the will to show I will always be better than before.
  • Got a hard hard headGot a hard hard head Posts: 638
    Great song.

    I take your entrance back...
    Can't let you roam inside my head...

    They can buy, but cant put on my clothes...
    I dont want to limp for them to walk...

    Definitely think Eddie's talking about the need for privacy and respect. Which are two things you definitely can't buy!
    It's gonna be a glorious day...
  • dimitrispearljamdimitrispearljam Posts: 139,688
    experience
    "...Dimitri...He talks to me...'.."The Ghost of Greece..".
    "..That's One Happy Fuckin Ghost.."
    “..That came up on the Pillow Case...This is for the Greek, With Our Apologies.....”
  • sesamesesame Posts: 22
    I had an epiphany the other day listening to a live version of this song. It's amazing how much you can learn from the live versions, because you might just hear a word differently, or more clearly, or in a different frame of reference or something.

    In any case, the epiphany was "I would rather run but I can't walk, guess I'll lie alone just like before". This totally made me realize that he's an infant. It's like he was tanting the whole time - the anger at the music industry, etc, but it's also metaphoric at how he wants to grow as a performer but maybe felt kept back by the pressures and demands, and boy, did they change that with No Code or what?! It's a real inspiring song for the band to just take off without the major publicity they had until this point, even if they did take a nap and chill out. Does before refer to Ten? Also, infants can't eat bread, so they could starve (also, "I would rather starve than eat your breast" I think refers to breast milk. This verse is also the start of life - the next is adolescence (don't want to hear from those who know) the next is twenties - held in debt, then later life "I'm already cut up and half dead. I'll end up alone like I began." Back to an infant. One of the first very philosophical PJ songs that also masked as an "in-your-face" rock song against the establishment.

    Lastly, "Everything has chains. Absolutely nothing's changed.
    "Take my hand, not my picture." Spilled my teacher." I always thought this was tincture - like a tonic that he used to heal, and now it's spilled, so it's not his day!

    The free thing is love. I can't think of what else it could be, but maybe also freedom and silence or peace. I had a thought recently - is the very first line uttered by Eddie before Once: "Silence is gold" or "Silence is good"? I'm sure it's one or the other before the guitar drowns any semblance of silence and we become awestruck by the POWER that is this band.

    Heaps of Love,
    Dean.
  • so-much-clearerso-much-clearer Posts: 303
    Happiness
    I'll wait for an angel, but won't hold my breath
  • Macca.Macca. Posts: 19
    sesame wrote:
    I had an epiphany the other day listening to a live version of this song. It's amazing how much you can learn from the live versions, because you might just hear a word differently, or more clearly, or in a different frame of reference or something.

    In any case, the epiphany was "I would rather run but I can't walk, guess I'll lie alone just like before". This totally made me realize that he's an infant. It's like he was tanting the whole time - the anger at the music industry, etc, but it's also metaphoric at how he wants to grow as a performer but maybe felt kept back by the pressures and demands, and boy, did they change that with No Code or what?! It's a real inspiring song for the band to just take off without the major publicity they had until this point, even if they did take a nap and chill out. Does before refer to Ten? Also, infants can't eat bread, so they could starve (also, "I would rather starve than eat your breast" I think refers to breast milk. This verse is also the start of life - the next is adolescence (don't want to hear from those who know) the next is twenties - held in debt, then later life "I'm already cut up and half dead. I'll end up alone like I began." Back to an infant. One of the first very philosophical PJ songs that also masked as an "in-your-face" rock song against the establishment.

    Lastly, "Everything has chains. Absolutely nothing's changed.
    "Take my hand, not my picture." Spilled my teacher." I always thought this was tincture - like a tonic that he used to heal, and now it's spilled, so it's not his day!

    The free thing is love. I can't think of what else it could be, but maybe also freedom and silence or peace. I had a thought recently - is the very first line uttered by Eddie before Once: "Silence is gold" or "Silence is good"? I'm sure it's one or the other before the guitar drowns any semblance of silence and we become awestruck by the POWER that is this band.

    Heaps of Love,
    Dean.

    Hey Dean,

    I think you're onto something there mate. I don't see it all the same as you but I find your point of view interesting nonetheless.

    One question, in this live version does Ed actually say Teacher? in the line 'spill my teacher'? I always thought it was T-Shirt but when I looked it up, I found that it was actually 'tincture' which is an alcoholic extract of medicine. Looking at the line now it makes sense that it would be a liquid that he spills.
  • SH17171SH17171 Posts: 425
    i thought is song was about eddies brown cord jacket he wore a lot back then, designers and department stores thought they cash in on the grunge look so he wrote it in angst against them. the corporate world
    Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out
  • dimitrispearljamdimitrispearljam Posts: 139,688
    So Much Clearer wrote:
    Happiness
    love your avatar..
    "...Dimitri...He talks to me...'.."The Ghost of Greece..".
    "..That's One Happy Fuckin Ghost.."
    “..That came up on the Pillow Case...This is for the Greek, With Our Apologies.....”
  • Ms. HaikuMs. Haiku Posts: 7,265
    The love of a good man. (Isn't that part of a song?)
    There is no such thing as leftover pizza. There is now pizza and later pizza. - anonymous
    The risk I took was calculated, but man, am I bad at math - The Mincing Mockingbird
  • xChuckNorrisPUNCHxxChuckNorrisPUNCHx Posts: 29
    love.
  • sesamesesame Posts: 22
    Macca. wrote:
    Hey Dean,

    I think you're onto something there mate. I don't see it all the same as you but I find your point of view interesting nonetheless.

    One question, in this live version does Ed actually say Teacher? in the line 'spill my teacher'? I always thought it was T-Shirt but when I looked it up, I found that it was actually 'tincture' which is an alcoholic extract of medicine. Looking at the line now it makes sense that it would be a liquid that he spills.

    Well, the teacher lyric was a cut and paste off a page. It's hard to decipher what he says, but I thought it was tincture as in a liquid used to contain his dentures - maybe he's old here. Thanks for your kind words :D

    SH17171, I always wondered why they called it corduroy, and thought it was because the material is worn by kids and is comfy, and I guess you can't make a corduroy suit :) But yeah, could be a trusty jacket. The last time I wore it, I think I was eleven...

    Cheers,
    Dean.
Sign In or Register to comment.