Release

Ever since Given to Fly was released that has been my favorite Pearl Jam song. I LOVE that song.

Recently, I put a bunch of songs together including concert bootlegs for a hard time that I went through last year and early this year. I'm listening to the May 24, 2006 Boston concert, in particular Release.

With open heart surgery I became new in a sense. I have had four of them, and I remember the one from November 2013, and the one from February 1975. When I recovered from the 1975 surgery I came home and I felt of myself as sick (many new scars), and during the hospital I was extremely lonely. It was a loneliness so severe it was like holding a sustained coldness. For the next 38ish years I had to look at myself with that as the foundation.

However, with this 2013 surgery I look at things differently. For all the hospital stuff I went through I had many people helping me out; holding out their hands, and lifting me up. There was never a time when I was alone. I may have been in some pain, but not depressed. With this in mind, I think Release is the song for me. Release what is holding me back from the past-life in those 38 years, and take with me that big pink bubble of love that surrounded me during these recent difficult times.

Go bad time, shoo, be gone!
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

Comments

  • 23scidoo23scidoo Posts: 19,224
    edited April 2014
    sometimes life don't leave you alone.. ;)
    Post edited by 23scidoo on
    Athens 2006. Dusseldorf 2007. Berlin 2009. Venice 2010. Amsterdam 1 2012. Amsterdam 1+2 2014. Buenos Aires 2015.
    Prague Krakow Berlin 2018. Berlin 2022
    EV, Taormina 1+2 2017.

    I wish i was the souvenir you kept your house key on..
  • jonjoslynjonjoslyn Posts: 1
    Release, like several PJ/EV songs is inspired by waves and surfing. This song and and the "I'll ride the wave where it takes me" lyric helped my wife make it through natural child birth. Like many great songs it is very rooted in a respect and appreciation for nature. Also I work in emergency medicine so thanks for sharing your story of how art/music helped you though a medical situation. Often the science and routine of what we do in a hospital blind us to the human stories happening around us.
  • bethwalker1987bethwalker1987 Posts: 122
    edited May 2014
    Release is one of the most powerful songs period. The Words, the words left me speechless. It was what I was looking for as well, something, someone to relate too regarding my issue, my healing process. Who knew Ed would end up being that person for me. So Ill be brief, Im a too the point kinda gal ;) Me, I never knew my dad, he and mom got divorced after he returned from Vietnam, once back, he came out of the closet to my mom, long story short they went they're separate ways. When I was 5 I asked my Mom about it, she told me the truth, I told her Im gonna find him, she supported me, I called the Police, they said to call the Salvation Army, I did, I had some info from my mothers stuff (I snooped for it and found pertinent stuff at age 5 lol) I gave them the info, I checked with them off and on over the years then I got older and had fun growing up in Redondo Beach CA. My mom then found his social sec number on a tax return, I was 22ish, I called Salvation Army, gave it to them and they called the next day. He wanted to see me, of course I went, once there I found out he was dying of AIDS, he was in the final stages. So I quit my job and spent three months of his life with him. My Mom came up we hugged, we cried, we laughed, we forgave. He passed away 1 month after I left. I did video tape part of it, but its difficult for me to watch, only have once and it was hard. So Release for me means the world, it was a blessing, I found a release. I found RELEASE. Thank god long ago too! Im old now, well I can say Im younger than Ed, but not much :D
    Post edited by bethwalker1987 on
  • belfast1belfast1 Posts: 788
    I've always thought the lyrics were:

    I see the world on a rocking horse of time
    I see the words in the rain

    Does the official website have them wrong? Wondered about this for years now...
    dublin 1996 london 2000 dublin 2006 prague 2006 copenhagen 2007 london 2007 rotterdam 2009 london 2009 dublin 2010 belfast 2010 vienna 2014 amsterdam 2014 london 2018
  • SALLYROOSALLYROO Posts: 51
    It's a powerful song. It haunts me. My dad is alive but I have no idea where he is. So when I hear the words "oh dear dad, can you see me now. I am myself, like you somehow....I'll wait in the dark, for you to speak to me" it cuts me to the core, because the whole feeling of lack of "closure" re needing to be in touch with someone, and they're most probably gone, (and/or you know it's an opportunity that won't come your way) comes through for me in this song. I know there are discussions on the forum about which songs make you cry. This song does, and I'm not sure what would happen if I hear it open a show. I've already warned my partner!
  • PJSirenPJSiren Posts: 5,863
    belfast1 said:

    I've always thought the lyrics were:

    I see the world on a rocking horse of time
    I see the words in the rain

    Does the official website have them wrong? Wondered about this for years now...

    The official website has them correct...as far as I've always known that exactly what Ed sings.
    Music is my Religion and Pearl Jam, my Savior!
    Tattooed Dissident!
  • PJSirenPJSiren Posts: 5,863
    I just shared this in what song means the most to you thread, as for me, it is Release...

    But it wasn't until I was older that this song had an impact on me....I didn't grow up with my dad in my life...we have a relationship now....a friendship rather, but that song just expresses so much about how it feels to not have your father around...I feel....and the "Oh dear dad, can you see me now, I am myself, like you somehow...." I am like my father, even though I didn't grow up around him, I have things in common with him that are so weird and random that you would think you'd need to grow up around him to have...and "I'll ride the wave, where it takes me, I'll hold the pain, release me...." I'm along for the ride in this "friendship", but I don't dare let on that I still hurt over him choosing to not be a part of my life....and "I'll wait up in the dark, for you to speak to me, I'll open up, release me..." sometimes I find myself waiting for his approval, and wanting it so badly...even though I know it should really go the other way around...but this song means so much to me that I plan to get the lyrics inked on me with a custom wave...
    Music is my Religion and Pearl Jam, my Savior!
    Tattooed Dissident!
  • belfast1belfast1 Posts: 788

    belfast1 said:

    I've always thought the lyrics were:

    I see the world on a rocking horse of time
    I see the words in the rain

    Does the official website have them wrong? Wondered about this for years now...

    The official website has them correct...as far as I've always known that exactly what Ed sings.

    Was listening to London 2009 bootleg the other night though and it definitely sounds like 'world on a rocking horse of time'...

    Anyone else have any thoughts on this?
    dublin 1996 london 2000 dublin 2006 prague 2006 copenhagen 2007 london 2007 rotterdam 2009 london 2009 dublin 2010 belfast 2010 vienna 2014 amsterdam 2014 london 2018
  • "Oh dear dad, can you see me now, I am myself, like you somehow...."

    The words, but more importantly how Eddie expresses them, makes me tear up pretty much every time I hear this line. I have a similar personal story to some of those who have posted here, about my father. And it just makes me heart ache, listening to the build and crescendo of this song. Definitely still one of my favorites.
    I gotta say it now, better loud than too late. 2014-10-19 St Paul, MN
  • belfast1belfast1 Posts: 788
    World on a rocking horse of time...

    After 95 Eddie sings that in concert

    Bfore then on all my boots it's 'words' on a rocking horse of time...

    That's the source of my confusion! :D
    dublin 1996 london 2000 dublin 2006 prague 2006 copenhagen 2007 london 2007 rotterdam 2009 london 2009 dublin 2010 belfast 2010 vienna 2014 amsterdam 2014 london 2018
  • I lost my dad 18 years ago and every time I hear release I think of him.

    I wait up in the dark for you to speak to me
    Happy up here in my tree
  • DreamyDanDreamyDan Posts: 83
    beautiful to read your reasons...

    for me it was both release from my mum's super-protective grip, as well as the relationship i've been in for far too long but don't know how to move away from...

    mentioned this in my top 3 PJ songs, but this song featured in a dream i had a few years ago, when i was watching the band play in this hall, and Eddie {.....} sort of helped me - without speaking a word - to move away from the person i was having so much trouble with releasing myself from... and then they played the song...

    and now i can;t hear it without getting a lump in my throat and seriously welling up...
     
  • gillsans75gillsans75 Posts: 13
    Release sounds like a beautiful hymn when the crowd sings along with EV. Most magical experience to witness :)
    EV / London 31/7/2012 PJ / Milan 20/6/2014 PJ / Milton Keynes 11/7/2014 "I don't question our existence , l just question our modern needs..."
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