Honestly...Isn't Black Pearl Jam's very best song?

2

Comments

  • i_lov_it
    i_lov_it Perth, Western Australia Posts: 4,007
    Gern Blansten wrote:
    Johnny Abruzzo wrote:
    I really couldn't put up much of an argument to say that Black isn't PJ's best song. Ok, maybe the de-doo-doo... at the end is just a bit poppy. But still. All these years later, and I still love it every time I hear it.

    That said, my favorite song (by anyone) is Immortality. I'd also say that the quintessential, sound-defining, Pearl Jam song is either RVM or Corduroy.

    I always thought that "I got shit" was a very defining song too....

    'Alive' is Kind of "Defining" TOO... :P
  • AtlantaJammer
    AtlantaJammer Posts: 2,611
    Most popular, maybe. Best ever, probably NO...
  • Jokertt14
    Jokertt14 Posts: 2,566
    Just Breathe & the End are kicking my ass right now .... i always like Once the best off from Ten !! :mrgreen:
  • Dru_Cortez
    Dru_Cortez Posts: 953
    I agree with those that said 'best' is subjective.
    Isn't 'best' just another way of asking favourite?
    'Dissident,' maybe? 'Footsteps'?
    'Bugs'? Ergh...
    Cheers.
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  • curmudgeoness
    curmudgeoness Brigadoon, foodie capital Posts: 4,136
    "Best" is hard to quantify. Is it one of their best songs? -- Oh, yes, no doubt about that. But how are we defining "best?" Lyrics? Music? Vocal performance? Number of goosebumps experienced by the listener?

    In my own very personal opinion, RVM is their "best" song. It's the song that keeps me going; live it leaves me wrung-out and exhausted, very cathartic. In my opinion, the "best" rock songs are all about catharsis.

    When I listen to PJ's songs and try to be objective (!), I would say that "Corduroy" has the best combination of solid lyrics and music. "Black" -- that's the sound of someone's heart being ripped out. It's a powerful song, one of my favorites, but I have just one absolute favorite. :)
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  • Johnny Abruzzo
    Johnny Abruzzo Philly Posts: 12,741
    Gern Blansten wrote:
    Johnny Abruzzo wrote:
    I really couldn't put up much of an argument to say that Black isn't PJ's best song. Ok, maybe the de-doo-doo... at the end is just a bit poppy. But still. All these years later, and I still love it every time I hear it.

    That said, my favorite song (by anyone) is Immortality. I'd also say that the quintessential, sound-defining, Pearl Jam song is either RVM or Corduroy.

    I always thought that "I got shit" was a very defining song too....

    Maybe... But with Neil Young playing guitar??? I guess we're kind of off-topic now.
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  • pjtradeking
    pjtradeking Posts: 4,045
    FenwayFaithful wrote:
    I don't like Black


    You are now officially dead to me.....
    Never, ever, flipping forget
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  • mfc2006
    mfc2006 HTOWN Posts: 37,496
    LoveBoatAdmiral wrote:
    There's nothing all that great about release

    you've gotta be kidding me!!! one of their most beautiful songs, in my opinion. i love Black, i really do....but give me Release over Black any day.
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  • BinauralJam
    BinauralJam Posts: 14,158
    Not for You, Immortality, Black, three way tie ,in my opinion. :ugeek:
  • MrMerkinball
    MrMerkinball Posts: 1,978
    I think Black may be their best song.....yet it is not my favorite if that makes any sense.
  • PillowPants
    PillowPants Posts: 4,877
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20WF5S3PTek
  • Backspacer 76
    Backspacer 76 Posts: 964
    mfc2006 wrote:
    LoveBoatAdmiral wrote:
    There's nothing all that great about release

    you've gotta be kidding me!!! one of their most beautiful songs, in my opinion. i love Black, i really do....but give me Release over Black any day.

    Nothing great about "Release" :?
    Black is a great song. Release is greater
  • Backspacer 76
    Backspacer 76 Posts: 964
    Shit...........now I feel bad for saying "Release" is a better song than "Black" :?
    I don't like picking favorites when it comes to Pearl Jam songs because they are all
    great.
  • PJammer4life
    PJammer4life Los Angeles Posts: 2,674
    Black has been my fav since 1993..but i it's a heartbreak song..if you are in that mood it will hit you hard..when your happy it is great but not the same..

    Best Black is Ottawa 2005...followed by MTV Unplugged at a close second...

    Breath and I Got Shit and Alive belong in the "Best" conversation as well....
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  • JaneNY
    JaneNY Posts: 4,438
    The reason I like Pearl Jam is they have so many 'best' songs. I couldn't possibly pick a single song to be their 'best'. Immortality. Do the Evolution. State of Love and Trust, Porch, Blood. Unthought Known.Off He Goes, Evenflow,.... on and on....so many amazing songs. Its why I love Pearl Jam. There are very few songs that I don't think are amazing.
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  • Yes Way
    Yes Way Posts: 453
    Is it weird, that of all songs, Black is the only one where I was in attendance and Eddie stage dove?

    And it was in 2000!

    Oh, and in my opinion Love Boat Captain has never gotten the respect it deserves.
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  • CJMST3K
    CJMST3K Posts: 9,722
    Yes Way wrote:
    Is it weird, that of all songs, Black is the only one where I was in attendance and Eddie stage dove?

    And it was in 2000!

    Oh, and in my opinion Love Boat Captain has never gotten the respect it deserves.


    I love LBC.

    And what show did Ed stage dive in 2000 during Black?
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  • Up Here In My Tree
    Up Here In My Tree Posts: 541
    Maybe a better way to pose the question would be: if you could only listen to one PJ song for the rest of your life, what would it be?

    Would it be Black?
    Unthought Known?
    In my tree? - my personal choice
  • Yes Way
    Yes Way Posts: 453
    Dublin - June 1st.

    They were jamming out the end of the song and Eddie got up on the speaker. Pretty standard stuff. Then he started wrapping the knees of his jeans in duct tape, and my friend and I looked at each other and we were both thinking, "what the heck is he doing?" I mean, it sounds obvious now but in the context of Black and so many years after he stopped doing it, it didn't occur to us. I've actually heard that when white people first came to America the natives couldn't see the boats because they had no concept of it being possible. It was kind of like that.

    Then all of a sudden, he just launched himself and we were like, "Ohhhhhhhhhh, of course that's what he was doing!"

    I did a very lame search on YouTube and came up with nothing, but maybe you'll have more success. Anyway, it's true.
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  • AnotherTourPlease
    AnotherTourPlease Posts: 487
    dimitrispearljam wrote:
    the BEST song ever written in the HISTORY of MUSIC

    +1

    BLACK has to be the most powerful song I've EVER heard. I love nearly all of PJ's music, and have many "favorites", but this song is just incredible. The soaring melody makes my heart swell. In fact, I get pissed if Ed doesn't sing it with the respect that such a masterpiece deserves. He clearly wasn't feeling it at LA night 1 this past year, just gave a rote rendition, and I'd rather they didn't play it at all if Ed can't give it the appropriate passion.

    While I'm on the subject, I HATE that he changed "I know you'll be a star" to "I HOPE you'll be a star". I've brought that up here before. Maybe I'm not as nice a person as he is, but I believe anyone who's despondent over a failed love affair is not going to feel that generous and forgiving when they're in so much pain. Eventually they will probably feel that way, but not when they're so distraught. That one word modification changes the whole feel of the song for me.

    My favorite version = Pink Pop 1992. Nothing's more moving than that!

    The best song, by any band, imo!

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