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Footsteps. Best PJ song ever?

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    Foriginal SinForiginal Sin Scottsdale, AZ Posts: 1,752
    FrankY59 said:

    With or without the harmonica?

    Without. Hands down one of the best vocal performances by EV on the studio version. Ever.
    Chicago 6/29/98, Alpine Valley(EV) 6/13/99, Alpine Valley 10/08/00, Chicago 10/09/00, Phoenix 10/20/00, Orlando 4/12/03, Tampa 4/13/03, San Diego 6/05/03, Vegas 6/06/03, Phoenix 6/07/03, Chicago 6/18/03, Alpine Valley 6/21/03, Orlando 10/08/04, D.C. 10/11/04, Chicago 5/16/06, Chicago 5/17/06, LA 7/12/08, Chicago 8/23/09, Chicago 8/24/09, LA 10/07/09, San Diego 10/09/09 (Front Row Center, Finally), Phoenix(EV) 11/4/11, Wrigley 7/19/13, Phoenix 11/19/13, Denver 10/22/14, Wrigley 8/20/16, Wrigley 8/22/16
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    Foriginal SinForiginal Sin Scottsdale, AZ Posts: 1,752
    edited June 2014
    That's right I said EVER!
    Post edited by Foriginal Sin on
    Chicago 6/29/98, Alpine Valley(EV) 6/13/99, Alpine Valley 10/08/00, Chicago 10/09/00, Phoenix 10/20/00, Orlando 4/12/03, Tampa 4/13/03, San Diego 6/05/03, Vegas 6/06/03, Phoenix 6/07/03, Chicago 6/18/03, Alpine Valley 6/21/03, Orlando 10/08/04, D.C. 10/11/04, Chicago 5/16/06, Chicago 5/17/06, LA 7/12/08, Chicago 8/23/09, Chicago 8/24/09, LA 10/07/09, San Diego 10/09/09 (Front Row Center, Finally), Phoenix(EV) 11/4/11, Wrigley 7/19/13, Phoenix 11/19/13, Denver 10/22/14, Wrigley 8/20/16, Wrigley 8/22/16
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    BinFrogBinFrog MA Posts: 7,292
    whoyouare72 said:

    Rearview Mirror is the best PJ song of all time.
    RVM has withstood the test of time for me as #1 and this will always be my favorite.
    I have had a number of "2nd" favorites over the years but RVM ALWAYS comes out on top!!!

    RVM is always up there with Porch for sure.
    Bright eyed kid: "Wow Typo Man, you're the best!"
    Typo Man: "Thanks kidz, but remembir, stay in skool!"
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    oftenreadingoftenreading Victoria, BC Posts: 12,836
    whoyouare72 said:

    Rearview Mirror is the best PJ song of all time.
    RVM has withstood the test of time for me as #1 and this will always be my favorite.
    I have had a number of "2nd" favorites over the years but RVM ALWAYS comes out on top!!!

    I'm right with you on that. I never get tired of listening to RVM.

    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
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    pledgeagrievancepledgeagrievance Posts: 2,822
    With harmonica!
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    JimmyVJimmyV Boston's MetroWest Posts: 18,940
    A top ten song for me and my most sought after white whale. Cannot say it is there "best" song, though. Not with Black in the catalogue.
    ___________________________________________

    "...I changed by not changing at all..."
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    KCjamKCjam Posts: 135
    Great song no doubt. But certainly not their best. Just heard it from the Spokane show and it was a solid version. Many others rank way higher in my opinion at least.
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    JimmyVJimmyV Boston's MetroWest Posts: 18,940
    Love the Philly 3 version, but it is only a placeholder. My favorite version will be when I get to hear it live. :-)
    ___________________________________________

    "...I changed by not changing at all..."
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    FrankY59FrankY59 Posts: 1,048
    I like without the harmonica myself.
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    AponeApone Posts: 581
    One of my favourites without a doubt

    Hoping for it this Tuesday at Leeds
    2006: Leeds; 2012: Manchester 1; 2014: Leeds; 2017: London 1 (EV); 2018: Amsterdam 1, London 1, London 2; 2019: Amsterdam 1 (EV), Dublin (EV); 2022: Berlin, London 1, London 2, Budapest, Krakow, Amsterdam 1, Amsterdam 2; 2023: Chicago 1, Chicago 2
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    ontheroadontheroad Posts: 250
    What’s the best version? 

    94 Bridge School with Benmont on piano?
    03 Mansfield preset?


    "I remember when you sang that song about today, now it's tomorrow and everything has changed." - Bu$hleaguer
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    on2legson2legs Standing in the Jersey rain… Posts: 14,465
    Checked my stats... I’ve seen it live 7 times.  I need to listen to the boots and figure out which one is best. 
    1996: Randall's Island 2  1998: East Rutherford | MSG 1 & 2  2000: Cincinnati | Columbus | Jones Beach 1, 2, & 3 | Boston 1 | Camden 1 & 2 2003: Philadelphia | Uniondale | MSG 1 & 2 | Holmdel  2005: Atlantic City 1  2006: Camden 1 | East Rutherford 1 & 2 2008: Camden 1 & 2 | MSG 1 & 2 | Newark (EV)  2009: Philadelphia 1, 2 & 4  2010: Newark | MSG 1 & 2  2011: Toronto 1  2013: Wrigley Field | Brooklyn 2 | Philadelphia 1 & 2 | Baltimore  2015: Central Park  2016: Philadelphia 1 & 2 | MSG 1 & 2 | Fenway Park 2 | MSG (TOTD)  2017: Brooklyn (RnR HOF)  2020: MSG | Asbury Park  2021: Asbury Park  2022: MSG | Camden | Nashville  2024: MSG 1 & 2 (#50) | Philadelphia 1 & 2 | Baltimore


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    VeddernarianVeddernarian Posts: 1,919
    Very qualitative question as everyone has different tastes.  For me, Footsteps is in my bottom third however there are some fantastic live versions that I like way more than the studio version.  
    Up here so high I start to shake, Up here so high the sky I scrape, I've no fear but for falling down, So look out below I am falling now, Falling down,...not staying down, Could’ve held me up, rather tear me down, Drown in the river
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    densandensan Posts: 563
    I like the live raw version they did on the radio...Rockline? Not sure.
    I was at the 95 show in Red Rocks, and that version was pretty intense live.
    I miss those times, but so thankful to have lived the PJ dream. 
    Happy Friday!
    Sweet Euphoria Pearl jam Jeff ament Eddie vedder
    Be different & make a difference. Decency & kindness @ a grassroots level works.
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    ceskaceska New York Posts: 1,082
    There was a time when Footsteps was *the* Pearl Jam Holy Grail. Yellow Ledbetter was big on the radio around 94-95.. a friend of mine said "Yeah, but the song you want to hear is Footsteps. See if you can find the Jeremy single." This being pre-internet.

    Hard To Imagine was also of that caliber.
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    FranswayFransway Posts: 9
    Love the song, but I wouldn’t consider it their best. For me that would be Present Tense.

    That said, I think it’s probably among the top 2 or 3 vocal performances that Eddie has ever put on tape.
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    WMAmoricanWMAmorican Posts: 217
    One of my favorites for sure...still remember the first time I heard it live, at the Greek in Berkeley on Halloween 1993, I thought they were doing a cover of "Times Of Trouble" until Eddie started singing!

    But I can't consider any PJ song their "best ever" without some tasty Mike McCready lead playing, so this one can't be it for me. But it probably makes my Top 10...
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    pjhawkspjhawks Posts: 12,215
    no
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    Abe FromanAbe Froman Posts: 5,085
    pjhawks said:
    no
    Not even close for me. I like it but could probably name 50+ songs I like more
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    JimmyVJimmyV Boston's MetroWest Posts: 18,940
    Nah but it's a great one. Chased it for years, always seeing it played either the night before or night after my show. Finally got it in St Louis in 2014. Flew from Boston to Chicago that day only to have our connecting flight cancelled, so we rented a car and drove the rest of the way. Absolutely worth it!
    ___________________________________________

    "...I changed by not changing at all..."
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    GigatonofbricksGigatonofbricks Philadelphia, PA Posts: 148
    Definitely a top 10 PJ song for me.  
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    Foriginal SinForiginal Sin Scottsdale, AZ Posts: 1,752
    They played this version live on the radio, just Stone and Ed, forgot the station but had to be 91-92. It was perfect. Love the voice in this song 
    Chicago 6/29/98, Alpine Valley(EV) 6/13/99, Alpine Valley 10/08/00, Chicago 10/09/00, Phoenix 10/20/00, Orlando 4/12/03, Tampa 4/13/03, San Diego 6/05/03, Vegas 6/06/03, Phoenix 6/07/03, Chicago 6/18/03, Alpine Valley 6/21/03, Orlando 10/08/04, D.C. 10/11/04, Chicago 5/16/06, Chicago 5/17/06, LA 7/12/08, Chicago 8/23/09, Chicago 8/24/09, LA 10/07/09, San Diego 10/09/09 (Front Row Center, Finally), Phoenix(EV) 11/4/11, Wrigley 7/19/13, Phoenix 11/19/13, Denver 10/22/14, Wrigley 8/20/16, Wrigley 8/22/16
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    Niko80Niko80 Posts: 1,564
    The version on the Jeremy single is fantastic. Eddie and Stone performs it perfectly, stripped down and full of soul. 
    I will swallow poison
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    glbglb Posts: 356
    Sometimes it is 
    "I've got things to do and things to say in my own way..."
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    Hankj25Hankj25 Posts: 258
    edited April 2020
    Look, this is all subjective but one thing I know for sure is that my rankings are the correct ones. 

    RVM
    Hail Hail
    Release
    Present Tense
    Light Years
    SOLAT
    Severed Hand
    In Hiding
    DTE
    Breath

    there is your top 10. 
    Seattle 8-8-18
    Chicago 8-18-18
    Chicago 8-20-18
    St. Louis 4-4-20
    Denver 4-9-20
    Denver 9-22-22
    Noblesville 9-10-23
    Vancouver 5-6-24
    Portland 5-10-24

    EV
    Chicago 2-9-22
    Tempe 2-26-23
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    pledgeagrievancepledgeagrievance Posts: 2,822
    Top 5 for me 

    Hard to Imagine 
    Present Tense
    Faithful
    Footsteps
    In My Tree

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    JF116983JF116983 Posts: 173
    pledgeagrievance said:
    I was listening to PJ radio on the way home and Footsteps came on. The case for it being the best song they've recorded is as follows: The lyrics. "I've got scratches all over my arms/one for each day since I fell apart" encapsulates the universality of the song as a whole. Even if someone hasn't been through a bad breakup, the lyric can apply to just about any feeling of loss or hopelessness. The history of the music. Its relation to temple of the dog and times of trouble Please feel free to add more . . . For me, present tense was on top for a long time but today it's got to be footsteps
    It was part of the Mamason Trilogy I think the guy confessing he did what he had to do - I think the Trilogy is Alive Once Footsteps if I remember correctly. 

    I always preferred Times of Trouble musically and lyrically but enjoyed footsteps as well
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    Chasing FootstepsChasing Footsteps Posts: 315
    JimmyV said:
    Nah but it's a great one. Chased it for years, always seeing it played either the night before or night after my show. Finally got it in St Louis in 2014. Flew from Boston to Chicago that day only to have our connecting flight cancelled, so we rented a car and drove the rest of the way. Absolutely worth it!
    Yes sir! Chasing Footsteps 😀
    Ft. Laud 96, WPB I and II 98, WPB I and II 2000, San Sebastian, Spain 2000, WPB 03, Tampa 03, MSG I and II 03, Kissimmee 04, Atlantic City I and II 05, Mansfield I 08, Toronto 09, Noblesville 10, Alpine Valley I and II 11, Wrigley 13, Baltimore 13, Ft. Lauderdale 2016, Miami 2016, Wrigley 2 2016
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    CS160564CS160564 Posts: 34
     don't like Footsteps at all, never have.  Always found it too sparse 
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    BF89905BF89905 Posts: 1,346
    Abe Froman said:
    pjhawks said:
    no
    Not even close for me. I like it but could probably name 50+ songs I like more

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