Wash

PineappleAna

Hey

I've never posted in here before but after some talks with vedhead27 I'm going to start.


During Mans 2 the thought occurred to me that Wash is about AIDS.





Sin to sell, buying just a need.
Just who planted all the devils seeds?
And what the truth, the truth that lies at home...
It's on the inside, and I can't get it off.

What's clean is pure, but hey,
I'm white on the outside, though I stray...
What she don't know today might kill us both tomorrow.
Bring it back someway...bring it back, bring it back...
Back to the clean form, to the pure form.

justam

That's an interesting idea PineappleAna.

Even if he didn't intend it to be about that, it could be seen as an extension of the behavior (straying) that's concerning the main character in the song. To bring another person into the mix does increase the possibility of being infected.

AmadeusD

I think thats reading abit too much into it.
Plus, knowing Eddie had it been about AIDS, it would no be as flippant as it is...

i think closer to hte truth would be the main character with a serious complaint about a relationship(my thoughts first jump to a family member) that will eventually destroy hte relationship, or perhaps he needs to let know he doesn't WANT the relationship?

slightofjeff

It's about infidelity. Straying from a long, comfortable relationship for no other reason than that it's "a clean new taste."

It's about the feelings of guilt associated with that. The protagonist in this son hasn't been caught. But he feels almost guilty enough to confess -- even though it will probably doom the old relationship. Very tell-tale heartish, in a way.

"What's clean is pure, but I'm white on the outside ... though I stray
What she don't know today might kill us both tomorrow."

The only solution is to "washy my love" -- make it pure again -- but the kicker of that song is, that can't be done. Once the deed is done, and love is dirty, there's nothing that can get the stain off.

I actually think this is one of Ed's more obvious songs ... though it's still very good.

decides2dream

slightofjeff wrote:

It's about infidelity. Straying from a long, comfortable relationship for no other reason than that it's "a clean new taste."

It's about the feelings of guilt associated with that. The protagonist in this son hasn't been caught. But he feels almost guilty enough to confess -- even though it will probably doom the old relationship. Very tell-tale heartish, in a way.

"What's clean is pure, but I'm white on the outside ... though I stray
What she don't know today might kill us both tomorrow."

The only solution is to "washy my love" -- make it pure again -- but the kicker of that song is, that can't be done. Once the deed is done, and love is dirty, there's nothing that can get the stain off.

I actually think this is one of Ed's more obvious songs ... though it's still very good.

agreed, absolutely. always have thought that from the first listen, and it only grows more and more, the more i listen and read the lyrics. there is another thread on this forum dedicated to wash with some truly interesting discussion and interpretation of the lyrics. it's always so cool to read various perspectives.


i fully agree about it being one of the more 'obvious' songs as well, but particularly in that other thread and the various interpretations presented....obviously, it ain't all that obvious, i guess...;)


hereya go:
http://forums.pearljam.com/showthread.php?t=96952


and no, i don't bring it up to be a wise-ass about the search function or any such BS :rolleyes:....just posting the link b/c if you are interested, there really ARE some excellent posts/ideas presented.