Which Pearl Jam song means the most to you?

wishlisa76

I got shit

erobb79

Just Breathe. My mother passed away on September 4th. She had lost her hearing some time ago, so I would write out lyrics to songs I knew she loved, or knew she would love if she could hear them. About 6 months ago I had given her the lyrics to Just Breathe. It meant the world to her so I requested it to be played at her memorial service so she could hear it as she made her way to heaven. The song meant a lot to me before that, now it means the world to me!

I miss you, Mom...

AlexFab

erobb79@gmail.com wrote:

Just Breathe. My mother passed away on September 4th. She had lost her hearing some time ago, so I would write out lyrics to songs I knew she loved, or knew she would love if she could hear them. About 6 months ago I had given her the lyrics to Just Breathe. It meant the world to her so I requested it to be played at her memorial service so she could hear it as she made her way to heaven. The song meant a lot to me before that, now it means the world to me!

I miss you, Mom...

Wow. Left speechless here. I'm so sorry for you loss :(

vomikus39

It changes, as life changes.

Right now, for me, it's Footsteps. Like so many PJ songs, it rings true.

Unthought Known, Down, Hail Hail, and Present Tense are always on my list.

Eraserhead

Release

Hearing it live for the first time in 2009 (Adelaide) was one of the greatest moments of my life. My dad passed away 10 years ago, and he'd be pretty proud to see me enjoying myself down under in Oz ("Ooooh dear dad...").

:thumbup:

Buffer19

Too many really, as a previous poster said, different times in my life give importance to different songs.
Just Breathe and Man of the Hour will have a special place forever.
From the first time I heard Man of The Hour it reminded me of my grandfather, a larger than life figure who meant so much to so many different people for so many different reasons. When he passed away in May it just seemed so fitting "a snowflake falls in May". I decided I wanted to speak at his funeral (very out of character of me as I have been somewhat terrified of public speaking) and used a line from Just Breathe in the speech and closed it by saying "The Man of the hour has taken his final bow, this is just goodbye for now"

k9s4Bern

ALIVE

In November of 1991, I was hit by a truck while crossing a street - I was an avid runner - miraculously, I survived with two broken legs, fractured ribs and vertebrae. THIS song became my creed as I healed and the doctors told me if I were lucky enough to walk again, it would be with a severe limp & complications. Above the expectations of many, I not only walked again, but climbed Mt. Warning In Australia eight months later!

Knowing the actual meaning of the lyrics did not alter my love for the song. For me it meant, and still does at age 45, that I am ALIVE - against numerous odds, I'm still alive - Thank you Pearl Jam, you have inspired me ever since!

Pap

k9s4Bern wrote:

ALIVE

In November of 1991, I was hit by a truck while crossing a street - I was an avid runner - miraculously, I survived with two broken legs, fractured ribs and vertebrae. THIS song became my creed as I healed and the doctors told me if I were lucky enough to walk again, it would be with a severe limp & complications. Above the expectations of many, I not only walked again, but climbed Mt. Warning In Australia eight months later!

Knowing the actual meaning of the lyrics did not alter my love for the song. For me it meant, and still does at age 45, that I am ALIVE - against numerous odds, I'm still alive - Thank you Pearl Jam, you have inspired me ever since!

Bravo for your strength and courage! I applause you! Hats off! Excellent first post! :thumbup: Welcome! :wave: :-D

Loulou

k9s4Bern wrote:

ALIVE

In November of 1991, I was hit by a truck while crossing a street - I was an avid runner - miraculously, I survived with two broken legs, fractured ribs and vertebrae. THIS song became my creed as I healed and the doctors told me if I were lucky enough to walk again, it would be with a severe limp & complications. Above the expectations of many, I not only walked again, but climbed Mt. Warning In Australia eight months later!

Knowing the actual meaning of the lyrics did not alter my love for the song. For me it meant, and still does at age 45, that I am ALIVE - against numerous odds, I'm still alive - Thank you Pearl Jam, you have inspired me ever since!

Wow! :shock: that's incredible! Like Pap said, great first post! :thumbup:

I think Rearview Mirror is probably the most important to me lyrics wise. I have always loved Oceans though.

TalonTedd

Over the years there have been a few. Lately, it is "Sleight of Hand". I sometines feel like the man who is wondering about wandering! Can it be just circumstance or am I really dizzy enough to be moved by sleight of hand....hope not.

YLed2

Release

Hard To Imagine

Come Back

LA98

So many mean so much to me, but if I have to pick one it's I Am Mine, my mantra whileI was going through a seriously shitty time...

KnZiE94

Given To Fly, it has to be the one that means the most to me.

PJSEMPRE

Present Tense, Sleight of Hand, I am Mine

meveret

Release is probably number one. Alive and Jeremy may be tied with it though. Those three songs have just been with me so much over the years. Other close seconds would be Immortality, Inside Job, Once and of course Hard to Imagine .

papa_pearls_jam.pj20

Inside Job

gibsonguitars

Rearview mirror, this song reminds me of my life as a teenager and my high school days. Even though it's been close to 30 years, many painful memories remain. Have I forgiven those people? I don't know.

Pap

Corduroy! The first PJ song that I've ever learned to sing by heart.

Burton

I couldn't attempt to answer this question,
but a few people have mentioned "present tense" and i'd like to tell a story

I'm a musician, Making an album is all I've wanted to do with my life since i first heard "no code" and Live's "Throwing Copper", Present Tense was my first ever favorite song.

Much later, I was going to see a girl.
This was a big deal, I've suffered greatly from social anxiety most of my life, girls hate me, i'm ugly, a nerd, weird etc etc... you know the type.

It had reached the point that i literally get the shakes trying to buy something at a shop if theirs a woman behind the counter.

Just turning up at her door was the most difficult and courageous thing I've ever done.

All the way there (was a 20 minute drive) i had Present Tense on repeat in the my car.
I stopped 5 times in fear, 2 of those times i turned around and started heading home.
Took over an hour to get there, but i did get there.

About a year later the whole fiasco turned out to be about as productive as swallowing a cluster grenade, BUT that's not the point

The point is, that song gave me the strength to face a full-blown phobia

Pap

Burton wrote:

I couldn't attempt to answer this question,
but a few people have mentioned "present tense" and i'd like to tell a story

I'm a musician, Making an album is all I've wanted to do with my life since i first heard "no code" and Live's "Throwing Copper", Present Tense was my first ever favorite song.

Much later, I was going to see a girl.
This was a big deal, I've suffered greatly from social anxiety most of my life, girls hate me, i'm ugly, a nerd, weird etc etc... you know the type.

It had reached the point that i literally get the shakes trying to buy something at a shop if theirs a woman behind the counter.

Just turning up at her door was the most difficult and courageous thing I've ever done.

All the way there (was a 20 minute drive) i had Present Tense on repeat in the my car.
I stopped 5 times in fear, 2 of those times i turned around and started heading home.
Took over an hour to get there, but i did get there.

About a year later the whole fiasco turned out to be about as productive as swallowing a cluster grenade, BUT that's not the point

The point is, that song gave me the strength to face a full-blown phobia

Nice story! Good for you! :thumbup: Welcome to the forums! :wave: