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Meaning/story behind Yellow Ledbetter?

eeriepadaveeeriepadave West Chester, PA Posts: 42,835
edited June 2015 in The Porch
I did a quick search on here but couldn't find anything about the meaning of the song. The reason I'm asking this is it a person? I just saw Love & Mercy. The autobiographical movie about Brian Wilson. I wasn't too familiar with his past and so forth, just a semi-casual fan. Anyway his wife's name is Melinda Ledbetter. It just got me thinking that's all.
8/28/98- Camden, NJ
10/31/09- Philly
5/21/10- NYC
9/2/12- Philly, PA
7/19/13- Wrigley
10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
10/21/13- Philly, PA
10/22/13- Philly, PA
10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
4/28/16- Philly, PA
4/29/16- Philly, PA
5/1/16- NYC
5/2/16- NYC
9/2/18- Boston, MA
9/4/18- Boston, MA
9/14/22- Camden, NJ
9/7/24- Philly, PA
9/9/24- Philly, PA
Tres Mts.- 3/23/11- Philly. PA
Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly, PA
RNDM- 3/9/16- Philly, PA
Post edited by eeriepadave on

Comments

  • red mosred mos Posts: 4,953
    http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Ledbetter
    PJ: 10/14/00 06/09/03 10/4/09 11/15/13 11/16/13 10/08/14
    EV Solo: 7/11/11 11/12/12 11/13/12
  • eeriepadaveeeriepadave West Chester, PA Posts: 42,835
    red mos said:

    http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Ledbetter

    That helped, thanks :smile:
    Never thought of Ledbetter as a last name until I I saw the movie
    8/28/98- Camden, NJ
    10/31/09- Philly
    5/21/10- NYC
    9/2/12- Philly, PA
    7/19/13- Wrigley
    10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
    10/21/13- Philly, PA
    10/22/13- Philly, PA
    10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
    4/28/16- Philly, PA
    4/29/16- Philly, PA
    5/1/16- NYC
    5/2/16- NYC
    9/2/18- Boston, MA
    9/4/18- Boston, MA
    9/14/22- Camden, NJ
    9/7/24- Philly, PA
    9/9/24- Philly, PA
    Tres Mts.- 3/23/11- Philly. PA
    Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly, PA
    RNDM- 3/9/16- Philly, PA
  • mookieb10mookieb10 Posts: 930
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JUzKg4G6bgU
  • CW55354CW55354 Posts: 200
    While I know it's not the case, I found interesting similarities in the words that I hear and "the summer of '42." Ed sings about seeing her and then seeing them on the front porch and they don't wave. In summer of '42 Raucher falls for a much older married woman, Dorothy and he spies her with her husband on their porch and they don't notice him. Her husband is off to join the WWII and Raucher befriends the woman. He helps her taking "boxes" to her attic and also helps her with her "bags" of groceries. Later on he is spying on her again on the front porch when he sees her getting notice that her husband has been killed. He goes to consoles her and ends up making love to her. Very quick synopsis of a good coming of age book/movie. I remember back when Yellow Ledbetter first came out trying to figure out the words and always thought if would be cool if I had figured them out. Of course that's not the case as there really are no set word, but it was fun to think about.
  • FrankieGFrankieG Abingdon MD Posts: 9,100
    If you can get a bootleg of this show, then you can hear Ed tell the story for yourself. ;)
    http://community.pearljam.com/discussion/17561/ed-solo-nj-fanviews-here-8-7-08/p1
    2003: 7/14 NJ ... 2006: 6/1 NJ, 6/3 NJ ... 2007: 8/5 IL ... 2008: 6/24 NY, 6/25 NY, 8/7 EV NJ ... 2009: 10/27 PA, 10/28 PA, 10/30 PA, 10/31 PA
    2010: 5/20 NY, 5/21 NY ... 2011: 6/21 EV NY, 9/3 WI, 9/4 WI ... 2012: 9/2 PA, 9/22 GA ... 2013: 10/18 NY, 10/19 NY, 10/21 PA, 10/22 PA, 10/27 MD
    2015: 9/23 NY, 9/26 NY ... 2016: 4/28 PA, 4/29 PA, 5/1 NY, 5/2 NY, 6/11 TN, 8/7 MA, 11/4 TOTD PA, 11/5 TOTD PA ... 2018: 8/10 WA
    2022: 9/14 NJ ... 2024: 5/28 WA, 9/7 PA, 9/9 PA ---- http://imgur.com/a/nk0s7
  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,413
    FrankieG said:

    If you can get a bootleg of this show, then you can hear Ed tell the story for yourself. ;)
    http://community.pearljam.com/discussion/17561/ed-solo-nj-fanviews-here-8-7-08/p1

    That is very interesting! I was really starting to think it didn't have any meaning at all, lol.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • red mosred mos Posts: 4,953
    edited June 2015
    eeriepadave said:

    red mos said:

    http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Ledbetter

    That helped, thanks :smile:
    Never thought of Ledbetter as a last name until I I saw the movie
    I work with a guy who's last name is Ledbetter.
    Post edited by red mos on
    PJ: 10/14/00 06/09/03 10/4/09 11/15/13 11/16/13 10/08/14
    EV Solo: 7/11/11 11/12/12 11/13/12
  • eeriepadaveeeriepadave West Chester, PA Posts: 42,835
    red mos said:

    eeriepadave said:

    red mos said:

    http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Ledbetter

    That helped, thanks :smile:
    Never thought of Ledbetter as a last name until I I saw the movie
    I work with a guy who's last name is Ledbetter.
    cool
    FrankieG said:

    If you can get a bootleg of this show, then you can hear Ed tell the story for yourself. ;)
    http://community.pearljam.com/discussion/17561/ed-solo-nj-fanviews-here-8-7-08/p1

    don't think i have that boot.
    8/28/98- Camden, NJ
    10/31/09- Philly
    5/21/10- NYC
    9/2/12- Philly, PA
    7/19/13- Wrigley
    10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
    10/21/13- Philly, PA
    10/22/13- Philly, PA
    10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
    4/28/16- Philly, PA
    4/29/16- Philly, PA
    5/1/16- NYC
    5/2/16- NYC
    9/2/18- Boston, MA
    9/4/18- Boston, MA
    9/14/22- Camden, NJ
    9/7/24- Philly, PA
    9/9/24- Philly, PA
    Tres Mts.- 3/23/11- Philly. PA
    Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly, PA
    RNDM- 3/9/16- Philly, PA
  • mcgruff10mcgruff10 New Jersey Posts: 29,027
    It was very cool hearing Ed explain yellow at the newark show in 08.
    I'll ride the wave where it takes me......
  • dankinddankind Posts: 20,840
    eeriepadave said:

    red mos said:

    http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Ledbetter

    That helped, thanks :smile:
    Never thought of Ledbetter as a last name until I I saw the movie
    Lead Belly's real name was Huddie Ledbetter.

    Goodnight, Irene.
    I SAW PEARL JAM
  • dankinddankind Posts: 20,840
    CW55354 said:

    While I know it's not the case, I found interesting similarities in the words that I hear and "the summer of '42." Ed sings about seeing her and then seeing them on the front porch and they don't wave. In summer of '42 Raucher falls for a much older married woman, Dorothy and he spies her with her husband on their porch and they don't notice him. Her husband is off to join the WWII and Raucher befriends the woman. He helps her taking "boxes" to her attic and also helps her with her "bags" of groceries. Later on he is spying on her again on the front porch when he sees her getting notice that her husband has been killed. He goes to consoles her and ends up making love to her. Very quick synopsis of a good coming of age book/movie. I remember back when Yellow Ledbetter first came out trying to figure out the words and always thought if would be cool if I had figured them out. Of course that's not the case as there really are no set word, but it was fun to think about.

    image
    I SAW PEARL JAM
  • ceskaceska New York Posts: 1,130
    mcgruff10 said:

    It was very cool hearing Ed explain yellow at the newark show in 08.

    The whole venue was so damn chatty, but when everyone realized Ed was actually telling the story of Yellow Ledbetter, everybody shut the fuck up at once. I had an extra ticket (granted, it was way up top) that I could not give away to this show. No one I knew wanted to go to NJ, they all were content with the Palace Theater shows. We got the YL story and the debut of Unthought Known ;)

  • badbrainsbadbrains Posts: 10,255
    mcgruff10 said:

    It was very cool hearing Ed explain yellow at the newark show in 08.

    Another show I could've met you at hahaha.
  • Last-12-ExitLast-12-Exit Charleston, SC Posts: 8,661
    To this day, my Mon thinks Eddie Vedders name is Eddie Ledbetter.
  • mcgruff10mcgruff10 New Jersey Posts: 29,027
    edited June 2015
    badbrains said:

    mcgruff10 said:

    It was very cool hearing Ed explain yellow at the newark show in 08.

    Another show I could've met you at hahaha.
    Damn!!! We suck yet again.
    That nj show was easily my favorite ev solo show.
    I'll ride the wave where it takes me......
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