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Unemployable is avocados best song.

12345AGNST112345AGNST1 Posts: 4,906
edited May 2008 in The Porch
This song is so freakin amazing. Am I the only one that thinks this is the best one? It kinda reminds me of a new glorified G, except so much better. The lyrics are absolutely incredible, not to mention matt wrote it. It's ATLEAST matt's best song.
5/28/06, 6/27/08, 10/28/09, 5/18/10, 5/21/10
8/7/08, 6/9/09
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  • FatalFatal Posts: 821
    I'm not sure if its the best song off Avocado, but its certainly among my 2-3 favorite songs off the album. Very catchy.
    Shows: Montreal 98, Barrie 98, Montreal 00, Montreal 03, Montreal 05, Ottawa 05, Toronto 06, Vancouver Night 1 08 (EV), Vancouver Night 2 08 (EV), MSG1 08, MSG2 08, Montreal Night 2 08 (EV), Toronto Night 1 08 (EV), Toronto 09, Hartford 11 (EV), Ottawa 11, Ottawa 16, Ottawa 22.


  • Ledbetterman10Ledbetterman10 Posts: 16,888
    12345AGNST1 wrote:
    This song is so freakin amazing. Am I the only one that thinks this is the best one? It kinda reminds me of a new glorified G, except so much better. The lyrics are absolutely incredible, not to mention matt wrote it. It's ATLEAST matt's best song.

    personally I think it's the album's worst song, the lyrics are terrible and it's easily one of Ed's lamest vocal performances.....but to each his own I guess.
    2000: Camden 1, 2003: Philly, State College, Camden 1, MSG 2, Hershey, 2004: Reading, 2005: Philly, 2006: Camden 1, 2, East Rutherford 1, 2007: Lollapalooza, 2008: Camden 1, Washington D.C., MSG 1, 2, 2009: Philly 1, 2, 3, 4, 2010: Bristol, MSG 2, 2011: PJ20 1, 2, 2012: Made In America, 2013: Brooklyn 2, Philly 2, 2014: Denver, 2015: Global Citizen Festival, 2016: Philly 2, Fenway 1, 2018: Fenway 1, 2, 2021: Sea. Hear. Now. 2022: Camden, 2024: Philly 2

    Pearl Jam bootlegs:
    http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,950
    The haters of this song are scared of hooks and melodies. Pearl Jam can't play something catchy! It's not like their whole career is not based on catchy songs (cough, Ten, cough). Unemployable = Great Song.
  • muppetmuppet Posts: 980
    Vedder sounds kind of sloppy (in fact he does on most of the album IMO) and it could have done with another verse but yeah it's a great song. Kind of like a Bruce Springsteen song.
  • GardenpartyGardenparty Posts: 1,910
    I enjoy hooks a lot but this song is still pretty lame. Sounds much better live though
    “I know this song so well, I can smoke a cigarette, have a drink, brush my teeth, take a shit, and mow the lawn while singing it. But I'll only be doing a couple of those things during this version.”
  • restlesssoulrestlesssoul Posts: 6,951
    its a fun song to sing a long to. i like the verses a lot, i think those lyrics are great. there are a few other songs on avo, id take over this one though.

    when it first leaked, everyone thought shania twain. glad to see those comparisons have stopped :D
    Van '98, Sea I+II '00, Sea '01, Sea II '02, Van '03, Gorge, Van, Cal, Edm '05, Bos I+II, Phi I+II, DC, SF II+III, Port, Gorge I+II '06, DC, NY I+II '08, Sea I+II, Van, Ridge , LA III+IV' 09, Indy '10, Cal, Van '11, Lond, Van, Sea '13, Memphis '14, RRHOF '17, Sea I+II '18, Van I+II, Vegas I+II '24
  • StuffnJunkStuffnJunk Posts: 896
    restlesssoul wrote:

    when it first leaked, everyone thought shania twain. glad to see those comparisons have stopped :D
    i like it a lot, but ever since i heard the shania twain comparison, it really killed that part of the song for me, i can't listen to it without thinking about shania......maybe he can change the "oh OH oh" to actual lyrics in the future
    "I'll tell you what: If all I had was Pearl Jam, and I didn't have another band in the world, I would not be worried. Because in there is the essence of making great music. You don't have to use it all at once, but it's there." - Neil Young
  • hidinghiding Posts: 290
    i love this song. for me it is the best one off the new album. the song does need more cow bell tho. totally sounds like it could be a blu oyster cult song.

    love the lyrics...
    i am surprised it doesn't get more love, but i guess i just have better tastes in music than the rest of the peps on this board, "that was a joke"

    peaceindamiddleast
    one love

    respect
  • Ledbetterman10Ledbetterman10 Posts: 16,888
    bootlegger10 wrote:
    The haters of this song are scared of hooks and melodies. Pearl Jam can't play something catchy! It's not like their whole career is not based on catchy songs (cough, Ten, cough). Unemployable = Great Song.


    cough, Ten, cough. yeah. It's not about a preconceived notion of what a Pearl Jam song should be. and it's DEFINITELY not that I'm scared of hooks and melodies. I don't know man, I just think unemployable sucks. Eddie's vocals (especially on the chorus) sound so lame. the riff is generic. the lyrics sound like a poem a 15 year old would write in English class. it's just terrible, terrible filler.
    2000: Camden 1, 2003: Philly, State College, Camden 1, MSG 2, Hershey, 2004: Reading, 2005: Philly, 2006: Camden 1, 2, East Rutherford 1, 2007: Lollapalooza, 2008: Camden 1, Washington D.C., MSG 1, 2, 2009: Philly 1, 2, 3, 4, 2010: Bristol, MSG 2, 2011: PJ20 1, 2, 2012: Made In America, 2013: Brooklyn 2, Philly 2, 2014: Denver, 2015: Global Citizen Festival, 2016: Philly 2, Fenway 1, 2018: Fenway 1, 2, 2021: Sea. Hear. Now. 2022: Camden, 2024: Philly 2

    Pearl Jam bootlegs:
    http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,950
    Ledbetterman10 wrote:
    cough, Ten, cough. yeah. It's not about a preconceived notion of what a Pearl Jam song should be. and it's DEFINITELY not that I'm scared of hooks and melodies. I don't know man, I just think unemployable sucks. Eddie's vocals (especially on the chorus) sound so lame. the riff is generic. the lyrics sound like a poem a 15 year old would write in English class. it's just terrible, terrible filler.

    Sounds like you have the same coughing problem I do. We'll get through this together.

    Are you sure you aren't confusing "Unemployable" with "Get Right"? From your description above it sounds like you are talking about "Get Right".

    When Unemployable first broke half the people liked it, and the complaint against it was the "oh, oh, oh" parts of the song sounded like Shania Twain, or they were sellouts, etc.... You obviously just don't like the song, which is okay.
  • hidinghiding Posts: 290
    this is a song about the american struggle, and trying to "make it" get by and survive, and trying to take care of your family. i don't think a 15 yr old would have the perspective to write a song about the struggle of the american dream that is not coming to pass.
    one love

    respect
  • Ledbetterman10Ledbetterman10 Posts: 16,888
    bootlegger10 wrote:
    Sounds like you have the same coughing problem I do. We'll get through this together.

    Are you sure you aren't confusing "Unemployable" with "Get Right"? From your description above it sounds like you are talking about "Get Right".

    When Unemployable first broke half the people liked it, and the complaint against it was the "oh, oh, oh" parts of the song sounded like Shania Twain, or they were sellouts, etc.... You obviously just don't like the song, which is okay.

    Get Right isn't bad at all. good bass line, good solo. It's one of my favorites on Riot Act. it's leagues above Unemployable if you ask me. like I said in my first post; to each his own. I've never noticed the Shania Twain thing but yeah I guess that it is a bit similar....adding to it's lameness.

    hiding wrote:
    this is a song about the american struggle, and trying to "make it" get by and survive, and trying to take care of your family. i don't think a 15 yr old would have the perspective to write a song about the struggle of the american dream that is not coming to pass.

    re-read the lyrics to the song, and see if you stand by your statement

    Well, his wife and kid are sleeping but he's still awake
    On his brain weighs the curse of thirty bills unpaid
    Gets up, lights a cigarette he's grown to hate
    Thinking if he can't sleep, how will he ever dream?

    dude, you could have wrote that.
    2000: Camden 1, 2003: Philly, State College, Camden 1, MSG 2, Hershey, 2004: Reading, 2005: Philly, 2006: Camden 1, 2, East Rutherford 1, 2007: Lollapalooza, 2008: Camden 1, Washington D.C., MSG 1, 2, 2009: Philly 1, 2, 3, 4, 2010: Bristol, MSG 2, 2011: PJ20 1, 2, 2012: Made In America, 2013: Brooklyn 2, Philly 2, 2014: Denver, 2015: Global Citizen Festival, 2016: Philly 2, Fenway 1, 2018: Fenway 1, 2, 2021: Sea. Hear. Now. 2022: Camden, 2024: Philly 2

    Pearl Jam bootlegs:
    http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
  • se7v7ense7v7en Philadelphia, PA Posts: 329
    Ledbetterman10 wrote:
    Get Right isn't bad at all. good bass line, good solo. It's one of my favorites on Riot Act. it's leagues above Unemployable if you ask me. like I said in my first post; to each his own. I've never noticed the Shania Twain thing but yeah I guess that it is a bit similar....adding to it's lameness.




    re-read the lyrics to the song, and see if you stand by your statement

    Well, his wife and kid are sleeping but he's still awake
    On his brain weighs the curse of thirty bills unpaid
    Gets up, lights a cigarette he's grown to hate
    Thinking if he can't sleep, how will he ever dream?

    dude, you could have wrote that.


    I think the lyrics are good, but the song as a whole isnt.
  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,950
    Ledbetterman10 wrote:
    Get Right isn't bad at all. good bass line, good solo. It's one of my favorites on Riot Act. it's leagues above Unemployable if you ask me. like I said in my first post; to each his own. I've never noticed the Shania Twain thing but yeah I guess that it is a bit similar....adding to it's lameness.




    re-read the lyrics to the song, and see if you stand by your statement

    Well, his wife and kid are sleeping but he's still awake
    On his brain weighs the curse of thirty bills unpaid
    Gets up, lights a cigarette he's grown to hate
    Thinking if he can't sleep, how will he ever dream?

    dude, you could have wrote that.

    Alright, I try to be nice, but when someone claims that Unemployable is like a song written by 15 year-olds, and then in the same thread claims that Get Right is a great song, that is just pure lunacy. If there is ANY song in PJ's catalog that is trite and lacks any semblance of originality it is Get Right. That is a song that could have been written by a group of 13 year olds with 8 months experience.

    As far as lyrics go: "I wanted to get right with you". That is brutality lame, and WAY to close to Bread's classic "I wanna make it with you". Sorry, those Unemployable lyrics you posted above are pretty cool. Maybe they seem silly because they are some of the few Vedder lyrics we can understand what he means.
  • 12345AGNST112345AGNST1 Posts: 4,906
    Ledbetterman10 wrote:
    cough, Ten, cough. yeah. It's not about a preconceived notion of what a Pearl Jam song should be. and it's DEFINITELY not that I'm scared of hooks and melodies. I don't know man, I just think unemployable sucks. Eddie's vocals (especially on the chorus) sound so lame. the riff is generic. the lyrics sound like a poem a 15 year old would write in English class. it's just terrible, terrible filler.

    lyrics of a 15 year old? like someone else said...you have to be thinking of get right. how are his vocals lame? i feel the passion from his voice more in this song than any other song on the album othar than maybe gone.
    5/28/06, 6/27/08, 10/28/09, 5/18/10, 5/21/10
    8/7/08, 6/9/09
  • UpSideDownUpSideDown Posts: 1,966
    BeerBaron wrote:
    Unemployable is a good song, but is nowhere near the best song on Avocado.

    It doesn't even crack my top 5.


    agreed..........I was drawn to it at first, but honestly now i think it is matt's worst song. I like the chorus, the melody, but i hate the first verse.
  • Rhinocerous SurpriseRhinocerous Surprise Posts: 4,423
    I'd agree if Inside Job wasn't on there.
    Smokey Robinson constantly looks like he's trying to act natural after being accused of farting.
  • Ledbetterman10Ledbetterman10 Posts: 16,888
    bootlegger10 wrote:
    Alright, I try to be nice, but when someone claims that Unemployable is like a song written by 15 year-olds, and then in the same thread claims that Get Right is a great song, that is just pure lunacy.

    I said that Get Right is a great song? I thought I said....
    Ledbetterman10 wrote:
    Get Right isn't bad at all. good bass line, good solo. It's one of my favorites on Riot Act. it's leagues above Unemployable if you ask me.

    looks like I said it "isn't bad" and some things about it are "good." don't see the word 'great' in there.

    Get Right isn't something to write home about but it's catchy (which you seem to like), the breakdown is good, the bassline is fun, and the solo is good. so at least it has some things going for it. Unemployable has NOTHING going for it. Nothing redeems it. Most songs I hate I can at least come up with something I like about it. take Evacuation for instance; I don't care for the song but at least the riff is fun to play. that's something in it's favor. Unemployable has nothing.
    2000: Camden 1, 2003: Philly, State College, Camden 1, MSG 2, Hershey, 2004: Reading, 2005: Philly, 2006: Camden 1, 2, East Rutherford 1, 2007: Lollapalooza, 2008: Camden 1, Washington D.C., MSG 1, 2, 2009: Philly 1, 2, 3, 4, 2010: Bristol, MSG 2, 2011: PJ20 1, 2, 2012: Made In America, 2013: Brooklyn 2, Philly 2, 2014: Denver, 2015: Global Citizen Festival, 2016: Philly 2, Fenway 1, 2018: Fenway 1, 2, 2021: Sea. Hear. Now. 2022: Camden, 2024: Philly 2

    Pearl Jam bootlegs:
    http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
  • StuffnJunkStuffnJunk Posts: 896
    wow, you guys have got a war going on.....HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!!!!!!!

    remember, your opinion is always right, and the other person is always an idiot...
    "I'll tell you what: If all I had was Pearl Jam, and I didn't have another band in the world, I would not be worried. Because in there is the essence of making great music. You don't have to use it all at once, but it's there." - Neil Young
  • Ledbetterman10Ledbetterman10 Posts: 16,888
    StuffnJunk wrote:

    remember, your opinion is always right, and the other person is always an idiot...

    we know, we know. what do you think this is our first rodeo?
    2000: Camden 1, 2003: Philly, State College, Camden 1, MSG 2, Hershey, 2004: Reading, 2005: Philly, 2006: Camden 1, 2, East Rutherford 1, 2007: Lollapalooza, 2008: Camden 1, Washington D.C., MSG 1, 2, 2009: Philly 1, 2, 3, 4, 2010: Bristol, MSG 2, 2011: PJ20 1, 2, 2012: Made In America, 2013: Brooklyn 2, Philly 2, 2014: Denver, 2015: Global Citizen Festival, 2016: Philly 2, Fenway 1, 2018: Fenway 1, 2, 2021: Sea. Hear. Now. 2022: Camden, 2024: Philly 2

    Pearl Jam bootlegs:
    http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
  • dannydanny Posts: 2,279
    12345AGNST1 wrote:
    This song is so freakin amazing. Am I the only one that thinks this is the best one? It kinda reminds me of a new glorified G, except so much better. The lyrics are absolutely incredible, not to mention matt wrote it. It's ATLEAST matt's best song.


    not the best but its up there worst on the album is got to big wave!
    danny d
  • Murderers.Murderers. Posts: 1,382
    It's a great song, but I'd take Army Reserve and Inside Job over it. :)
    What the fuck is this world?
  • StuffnJunkStuffnJunk Posts: 896
    Ledbetterman10 wrote:
    we know, we know. what do you think this is our first rodeo?
    yeah, there's plenty of times i could have followed my own advice on here....it can be fun to argue when you don't have to look the other person in the eye!!!!! i guess i'm just not that passionate about unemployable in any way, so i am an impartial observer in this one.....ok, i'm going to the beach
    "I'll tell you what: If all I had was Pearl Jam, and I didn't have another band in the world, I would not be worried. Because in there is the essence of making great music. You don't have to use it all at once, but it's there." - Neil Young
  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,950
    StuffnJunk wrote:
    yeah, there's plenty of times i could have followed my own advice on here....it can be fun to argue when you don't have to look the other person in the eye!!!!! i guess i'm just not that passionate about unemployable in any way, so i am an impartial observer in this one.....ok, i'm going to the beach

    For me it is disliking Get Right and Riot Act moreso than supporting Unemployable at this point.

    Back to work...
  • tmud91087tmud91087 Posts: 97
    Unemployable has a great intro riff then when thats done its all downhill from there. I really wouldnt mind hearing more "catchy" and "hooky" pearl jam songs but this song is neither of those...its just plain annoying at points. The chorus is pretty good but the verses are just forced and this experimental song just didnt work. Nowhere near the top 5 on Avacado. For me its easily in the bottom 3.
    5/24/06 - Boston
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  • NothinGBetteRPJMaNNothinGBetteRPJMaN Posts: 530
    I really hate the opening of the song and the first verse, lyrically and vocally. I really enjoy the Shania Twain ooohs though and the second half of the song, but I still can't get past the first verse without skipping the song.

    So overall I really dont think this is a great song at all.
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  • FatalFatal Posts: 821
    NothinGBetteRPJMaN wrote:
    I really hate the opening of the song and the first verse, lyrically and vocally.

    I agree with you that the first verse is not strong. A strong first verse and this could have been one of my favorite Pearl Jam tracks in years.

    Also, for me, Unemployable >>>> Get Right.
    Shows: Montreal 98, Barrie 98, Montreal 00, Montreal 03, Montreal 05, Ottawa 05, Toronto 06, Vancouver Night 1 08 (EV), Vancouver Night 2 08 (EV), MSG1 08, MSG2 08, Montreal Night 2 08 (EV), Toronto Night 1 08 (EV), Toronto 09, Hartford 11 (EV), Ottawa 11, Ottawa 16, Ottawa 22.


  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,950
    Fatal wrote:

    Also, for me, Unemployable >>>> Get Right.

    You are an amazing human being.
  • GardenpartyGardenparty Posts: 1,910
    I think it's funny that another Matt song came up. He shouldn't write PJ songs.
    Sure, musically, he is quite accomplished but he's added some junk tunes and I think Ed is afraid to say no to him. Matt has proved an interesting time sig doesn't always make a good tune Plus, Ed always seems to have trouble delivering vocals the way Matt might have intended.

    Evacuation
    Get Right
    Unemployable
    You Are

    for starters

    But that's just my opinion:)

    Happy Holiday folks!
    “I know this song so well, I can smoke a cigarette, have a drink, brush my teeth, take a shit, and mow the lawn while singing it. But I'll only be doing a couple of those things during this version.”
  • nbakyfannbakyfan Posts: 231
    I like every song on Avocado a lot but Parachutes and Come Back. Its hard to pick a favorite from the album, but Unemployable is up there.
    06/24/06: Cincy
    06/18/08: Columbia
    08/23/09 & 08/24/2009: Chicago
    05/06/2010: Columus
    05/07/2010: Indy
    05/20/2010 & 05/21/2010: NYC
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