who thinks Johnny Guitar was not a very good song?

AndySlash

Big Bank Hank wrote:

to me this song is a total joke, a made up story by Eddie, pure Science Fiction, has he even met Johnny Guitar Watson? and certainly not in the way it relates to the song, his heart isn't in the vocals, you can tell he is faking the song, the worst Pearl Jam song to make it to record, that is a full length song, brutal

you make no sense and clearly do not "get" the song.

http://www.twofeetthick.com/2009/09/ed- ... -by-track/

Johnny Guitar: An angular Elvis Costello-like number motivated by an album-cover photo from a record by pimp-blues guitarist Johnny (Guitar) Watson that was pasted over a men’s room urinal. “It’s actually not the first time we’ve got our inspiration from something on a bathroom wall. It’s a made-up story about a kid falling in love with a girl on a record cover. I imagine that must have happened a few times.”

i can't seem to find it at the moment but there is a picture or video somewhere out there of eddie in front of this urinal wall (it's in their studio or rehearsal space) and you clearly see johnny guitar watson's 'what the hell is this?' album cover in the background. he's obviously seen this hundreds of times, since this is where they play and he probably goes to the bathroom at least once when he's there.

so eddie's spent countless minutes there, looking at this record sleeve, and has questions about it. have you never looked at a record sleeve and thought about the story behind it, what it's subjects are doing or what they mean? or make up a story to fit the record inside?

eddie looks at this record and something about the "woman on his knee" sticks out to him. he "can't help but wonder where & who she is" and it's been this way for 30 years ('what the hell is this?' came out in 1979, 'backspacer' in 2009). he "sleeps with the light on in case she comes"- ed routinely zones out (daydreams) on this record sleeve hoping the answer will come to him some day.

then that some day comes. "recently as i was waiting on a dream"- literally, ed's taking a piss here- his hope about this woman is crushed when his "dream" reveals to him she is only interested in johnny. it's crushing- he'd been daydreaming about this moment for years and it's ultimately a let down.

so yes, it's a made up story by eddie (with the added comedy of being conceived while urinating). but if you look into it, it's pretty clever in its own way, and its foundation is hardly any worse than rehashing the "get in a car and leave this place" idea like the song "gone" is. and, frankly, the music it is set to is far more interesting than the purposely anthemic 'amongst the waves' or 'unthought known'. are its lyrics as deep as immortality or its music as memorable as even flow? no. but 'johnny guitar' is a good song, and one of the best songs on backspacer. period.

dimitrispearljam

i enjoy it so much at BERLIN 10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBJ593EYbII

Big Bank Hank

AndySlash wrote:

Big Bank Hank wrote:

to me this song is a total joke, a made up story by Eddie, pure Science Fiction, has he even met Johnny Guitar Watson? and certainly not in the way it relates to the song, his heart isn't in the vocals, you can tell he is faking the song, the worst Pearl Jam song to make it to record, that is a full length song, brutal

you make no sense and clearly do not "get" the song.

http://www.twofeetthick.com/2009/09/ed- ... -by-track/

Johnny Guitar: An angular Elvis Costello-like number motivated by an album-cover photo from a record by pimp-blues guitarist Johnny (Guitar) Watson that was pasted over a men’s room urinal. “It’s actually not the first time we’ve got our inspiration from something on a bathroom wall. It’s a made-up story about a kid falling in love with a girl on a record cover. I imagine that must have happened a few times.”

i can't seem to find it at the moment but there is a picture or video somewhere out there of eddie in front of this urinal wall (it's in their studio or rehearsal space) and you clearly see johnny guitar watson's 'what the hell is this?' album cover in the background. he's obviously seen this hundreds of times, since this is where they play and he probably goes to the bathroom at least once when he's there.

so eddie's spent countless minutes there, looking at this record sleeve, and has questions about it. have you never looked at a record sleeve and thought about the story behind it, what it's subjects are doing or what they mean? or make up a story to fit the record inside?

eddie looks at this record and something about the "woman on his knee" sticks out to him. he "can't help but wonder where & who she is" and it's been this way for 30 years ('what the hell is this?' came out in 1979, 'backspacer' in 2009). he "sleeps with the light on in case she comes"- ed routinely zones out (daydreams) on this record sleeve hoping the answer will come to him some day.

then that some day comes. "recently as i was waiting on a dream"- literally, ed's taking a piss here- his hope about this woman is crushed when his "dream" reveals to him she is only interested in johnny. it's crushing- he'd been daydreaming about this moment for years and it's ultimately a let down.

so yes, it's a made up story by eddie (with the added comedy of being conceived while urinating). but if you look into it, it's pretty clever in its own way, and its foundation is hardly any worse than rehashing the "get in a car and leave this place" idea like the song "gone" is. and, frankly, the music it is set to is far more interesting than the purposely anthemic 'amongst the waves' or 'unthought known'. are its lyrics as deep as immortality or its music as memorable as even flow? no. but 'johnny guitar' is a good song, and one of the best songs on backspacer. period.

Screw your period! that is you opinion, I think it totally blows! And the worst Pearl Jam song ever and that is my opinion. Period is saying it is indisputable and obviously there are a lot of people in this thread that think it sucks, that is pretty arrogant language on your part, last time I looked I thought this was a free society where we can all have our own opinions! There is this hookah lounge I hang out and I would have them play my Backspacer CD, and that is the only song on the album where people listened made any negative comments on, most of which were "this song really sucks". So unless you have somehow been deemed God over all of us, (because only God puts a period on anything!) then take that period, and do whatever the hell you want with it, because it don't mean shit to me, and let the rest of us have our opinions, seriously?!

William Wallace

One of the worst songs on Backspacer.

Edved82

I like it. Its different to anything else they've done. Some people dont like different, but it was one of my favourite songs on Backspacer. Nice groove to it.

IrishGuy

Its one of, if not my least favourite song by Pearl Jam. Ranks right down there with "Ole" in terms awfulness.

Mydear

I like it..kind of playful...makes me smile a little bit..

Mydear

Personally it may be based on a true happening..somewhere around here maybe...or not..still I smiled when I heard it and still do..

AndySlash

Big Bank Hank wrote:

AndySlash wrote:

Big Bank Hank wrote:

to me this song is a total joke, a made up story by Eddie, pure Science Fiction, has he even met Johnny Guitar Watson? and certainly not in the way it relates to the song, his heart isn't in the vocals, you can tell he is faking the song, the worst Pearl Jam song to make it to record, that is a full length song, brutal

you make no sense and clearly do not "get" the song.

http://www.twofeetthick.com/2009/09/ed- ... -by-track/

Johnny Guitar: An angular Elvis Costello-like number motivated by an album-cover photo from a record by pimp-blues guitarist Johnny (Guitar) Watson that was pasted over a men’s room urinal. “It’s actually not the first time we’ve got our inspiration from something on a bathroom wall. It’s a made-up story about a kid falling in love with a girl on a record cover. I imagine that must have happened a few times.”

i can't seem to find it at the moment but there is a picture or video somewhere out there of eddie in front of this urinal wall (it's in their studio or rehearsal space) and you clearly see johnny guitar watson's 'what the hell is this?' album cover in the background. he's obviously seen this hundreds of times, since this is where they play and he probably goes to the bathroom at least once when he's there.

so eddie's spent countless minutes there, looking at this record sleeve, and has questions about it. have you never looked at a record sleeve and thought about the story behind it, what it's subjects are doing or what they mean? or make up a story to fit the record inside?

eddie looks at this record and something about the "woman on his knee" sticks out to him. he "can't help but wonder where & who she is" and it's been this way for 30 years ('what the hell is this?' came out in 1979, 'backspacer' in 2009). he "sleeps with the light on in case she comes"- ed routinely zones out (daydreams) on this record sleeve hoping the answer will come to him some day.

then that some day comes. "recently as i was waiting on a dream"- literally, ed's taking a piss here- his hope about this woman is crushed when his "dream" reveals to him she is only interested in johnny. it's crushing- he'd been daydreaming about this moment for years and it's ultimately a let down.

so yes, it's a made up story by eddie (with the added comedy of being conceived while urinating). but if you look into it, it's pretty clever in its own way, and its foundation is hardly any worse than rehashing the "get in a car and leave this place" idea like the song "gone" is. and, frankly, the music it is set to is far more interesting than the purposely anthemic 'amongst the waves' or 'unthought known'. are its lyrics as deep as immortality or its music as memorable as even flow? no. but 'johnny guitar' is a good song, and one of the best songs on backspacer. period.

Screw your period! that is you opinion, I think it totally blows! And the worst Pearl Jam song ever and that is my opinion. Period is saying it is indisputable and obviously there are a lot of people in this thread that think it sucks, that is pretty arrogant language on your part, last time I looked I thought this was a free society where we can all have our own opinions! There is this hookah lounge I hang out and I would have them play my Backspacer CD, and that is the only song on the album where people listened made any negative comments on, most of which were "this song really sucks". So unless you have somehow been deemed God over all of us, (because only God puts a period on anything!) then take that period, and do whatever the hell you want with it, because it don't mean shit to me, and let the rest of us have our opinions, seriously?!

your big bold red letters really put me in my place, big bank hank!

dimitrispearljam

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzfigFE5FlQ

Kimmiebyrom

jfconnorjr wrote:

It is not a good song.....maybe the worst PJ song in the bands history.
I would challenge you to find a worse one.

I would say "Bugs". While I completely appreciate it for its own artistic qualities, just not a great song. Only my opinion of course!
IBTL.

dimitrispearljam

Kimmiebyrom wrote:

jfconnorjr wrote:

It is not a good song.....maybe the worst PJ song in the bands history.
I would challenge you to find a worse one.

I would say "Bugs". While I completely appreciate it for its own artistic qualities, just not a great song. Only my opinion of course!
IBTL.

Bugs is epic live!!!!!!!!!!

supersonic gets my vote if you can call a song worst..

Kimmiebyrom

dimitrispearljam wrote:

Kimmiebyrom wrote:

jfconnorjr wrote:

It is not a good song.....maybe the worst PJ song in the bands history.
I would challenge you to find a worse one.

I would say "Bugs". While I completely appreciate it for its own artistic qualities, just not a great song. Only my opinion of course!
IBTL.

Bugs is epic live!!!!!!!!!!

supersonic gets my vote if you can call a song worst..

You know, Dimi, you might have me there. I've not heard it live and it could actually change my mind about the song. Time to give it a try...

PJStatTracker

dimitrispearljam wrote:

supersonic gets my vote if you can call a song worst..

Get Right and Big Wave are tied for worst PJ album songs for me.

dimitrispearljam

PJStatTracker wrote:

dimitrispearljam wrote:

supersonic gets my vote if you can call a song worst..

Get Right and Big Wave are tied for worst PJ album songs for me.

need to see them live,and ill tell you!!

JonnyPistachio

I kinda like the song. I can take it or leave it... but now, to think the song is completely inspired (lyrically) through the act of urination, I have a different respect for it. period.

Bobbak

Personally I like Johnny Guitar, I think the lyrics are easily relatable, who among us has looked at an album cover or a picture in a magazine and wondered what the story behind the photo represented. This is what I feel the song is trying to capture, and this is why I like the song, and it definitely ranks as one of my favorite tracks on Backspacer.
I like the song so much I even changed my avatar to the Johnny Guitar Watson's “What the Hell is This?' album cover that Eddie makes reference to in the song. :arrow:

kiljoythemerciful

drummerboy_73 wrote:

Well, for a different opinion, I love it - it's in my top 3 from the album, along with Unthought Known and Got Some. Probably has to do with the off-time drum groove and it's just great fun to play along to. Same reason I love songs like "Evacuation" which doesn't seem to be a popular choice around here either.

I agree. I think, as far as the guitar work goes, both of these songs are great fun. Very diverse songs that have great grooves to play. They are two of my favs for sure.

crazygeo

Big Wave>Supersonic

....no comparison

crazygeo

and Johnny Guitar (B-Side at best)