Much as I hope Jessica gets her Moby, I can do without a song that reminds me of literally lighting a pillow on fire one fine evening on the streets while wishing for a tee-pees-R-Us.
Much as I hope Jessica gets her Moby, I can do without a song that reminds me of literally lighting a pillow on fire one fine evening on the streets while wishing for a tee-pees-R-Us.
Not sure about that but I will take the bump thanks lol.
Nice you were at this show too man! Given to Fly into Hard to Imagine into Alive. What a trio to close out the first encore. Also I had no idea they did Angie twice in Berlin. Gotta be a connection there with two partial plays like they did in 2009 and 2018.
One of my great PJ moments Jeff..
I bet it was! Such a powerful and cool song. Love it so much and love that my wife and I have the bond from it too.
It’s a top 5 song for me for sure (and probably my favorite studio vocal from Ed). I’ve been fortunate to see it 3 times (NJ 06, DC 08 and NY 08) but of course I welcome a 4th!! Still regret not making the trip for Ohana 19 when EV played it with the Strokes. So good.
California is home to the first time this song was played with recognizable lyrics at Slims Cafe in San Francisco way back in 1993. It was teased before and had different lyrics but I believe this is the first one that is close to the final version.
I was going through some old Hard to Imagine threads to see some comments from other fans that love this song as much as we do and found a great thread.
In it @Pap did a fantastic write up on what the song means and thought I would share it again with you guys. I agree with a lot of this.
I always thought it's about growing up, trying at the same time to hold on to your innocence ("In My Tree" pops into my mind). I could even see those two as a sequel: People stop (psychologically) supporting you as you grow old - it seems really hard to even offer you a good wish and be truly happy for you (I tell a story no one listens that long), lose their moral principles, become totally alienated, mean and hard-hearted, and forget all about what honest friendship or love means. To put it simply, people like giving fellow human beings really hard times. And that's just because we're living in a corrupted - all about money and power - society resembling more to jungle - even though nature (as its own religion) has managed to "function" properly ("Animal" and the line I'd rather be with an animal comes to mind). So finally, what remains is you trying to explain the whole thing (reality / life and the principles that govern it (it's an Inside Job today), and wishing that by offering an explanation (either to yourself or all the persons involved in a shitty situation like the one described in "Hard To Imagine") it's somehow going to ease your pain and even lead to reconciliation. But because I wave to all my friends and they don't seem to notice me, I'm going to tell them that I still got it (my inner sense and innocence and so I'm going to live the rest of my life in harmony and peace with myself). The overall message - as in most songs of the PJ catalogue (I know it sounds oxymoron but it's true) - is the positive attitude (how to turn a bad time ("Given To Fly") into something productive (after all one could say that Pearl Jam songs are mostly pessimistic or sad tunes - why let the sad songs play? - but the truth is that at the end they leave you with the positive feeling of hope) of forgiving (I will forgive but won't forget - "Rearviewmirror") and moving on ("Do The Evolution" in a more political and sarcastic way), allowing yourself to evolve and make it to the Other Side.
Encore shows on their 30th anniversary tells me the sets have a chance to go a little different than they usually do. Happy to hear whatever they play but hoping to hear some gems like HTI that get the rare play times!
21 days until the encore shows. Crazy how fast this is coming up on us. Eager to see the sets from the first two PJ shows and looking forward to following the them online.
Hope they do. That time they opened Hard To Imagine in Halifax blew my mind!
I was at this show too and there some great deep cuts that night. Loved hearing Ed to drifting to start out the night. You are was amazing.
Great deep cuts indeed! Hope they someday come back to Halifax.
That would be amazing! Moncton can hold 10K plus too for arenas. Would sell out instantly! Magnetic Hill I bet they would pull in more than they are for SHN. I know it will never happen but would be amazing for us locals!
I have been listening to a lot of Gigaton the last couple of days in prep for the Encore shows. What a great album and can't wait to hear it played finally live.
Lost Dogs also is my other go to when listening to music. Plenty of skippable songs on both sides but so many amazing songs as well. The run of Fatal/Otherside/Hard to Imagine/Footsteps/Wash is my favourite run of 5 songs on any album. Hard to Imagine is the only song we have yet to hear of those 5.
This is a cause I am very much behind. Would love to see HTI for the first time. Also, if they play I Got Shit, Parting Ways, Around the Bend or You Are I would not complain!
words seem so out of place.
8.21.00 Columbus | 6.24.03 Columbus | 7.9.03 NYC | 10.2.04 Toledo | 9.11.05 Kitchener | 5.20.06 Cleveland | 8.5.07 Chicago | 5.6.10 Columbus | 5.7.10 Noblesville | 5.9.10 Cleveland | 9.3.11 East Troy | 9.4.11 East Troy | 7.19.13 Chicago | 10.11.13 Pittsburgh | 10.1.14 Cincinnati | 4.8.16 Ft. Lauderdale | 4.9.16 Miami | 8.8.18 Seattle | 8.10.18 Seattle | 9.26.21 Dana Point | 10.1.21 Dana Point | 10.2.21 Dana Point | 9.16.22 Nashville | 9.17.22 Louisville | 9.18.22 St. Louis | 9.2.23 St. Paul | 9.15.23 Ft. Worth 6.26.11 Detroit (EdVed) | 9.23.17 Louisville (EdVed) | 9.25.21 Dana Point (EdVed) | 10.01.22 Dana Point (EdVed) | 2.6.22 Newark (EdVed)
This is a cause I am very much behind. Would love to see HTI for the first time. Also, if they play I Got Shit, Parting Ways, Around the Bend or You Are I would not complain!
Parting Ways is definitely my white whale. If I had to pick my 4 white whales in order it would be
1.Parting Ways 2. Hard to Imagine 3. I Got Shit 4. Around the Bend
I didn’t get long road but I have a feeling you ll get hti.
Looks like the setlist for SHN was very thought out and HTI would not have fit into it at all I think. I am hoping they open up more a bit with the set for Encore but excited for whatever they play. You will get Long Road in the spring man!
I didn’t get long road but I have a feeling you ll get hti.
Looks like the setlist for SHN was very thought out and HTI would not have fit into it at all I think. I am hoping they open up more a bit with the set for Encore but excited for whatever they play. You will get Long Road in the spring man!
Comments
Please play at the Encore shows thanks!!!
In it @Pap did a fantastic write up on what the song means and thought I would share it again with you guys. I agree with a lot of this.
https://community.pearljam.com/discussion/28109/hard-to-imagine-meaning-or-inspiration
Lost Dogs also is my other go to when listening to music. Plenty of skippable songs on both sides but so many amazing songs as well. The run of Fatal/Otherside/Hard to Imagine/Footsteps/Wash is my favourite run of 5 songs on any album. Hard to Imagine is the only song we have yet to hear of those 5.
8.21.00 Columbus | 6.24.03 Columbus | 7.9.03 NYC | 10.2.04 Toledo | 9.11.05 Kitchener | 5.20.06 Cleveland | 8.5.07 Chicago | 5.6.10 Columbus | 5.7.10 Noblesville | 5.9.10 Cleveland | 9.3.11 East Troy | 9.4.11 East Troy | 7.19.13 Chicago | 10.11.13 Pittsburgh | 10.1.14 Cincinnati | 4.8.16 Ft. Lauderdale | 4.9.16 Miami | 8.8.18 Seattle | 8.10.18 Seattle | 9.26.21 Dana Point | 10.1.21 Dana Point | 10.2.21 Dana Point | 9.16.22 Nashville | 9.17.22 Louisville | 9.18.22 St. Louis | 9.2.23 St. Paul | 9.15.23 Ft. Worth
6.26.11 Detroit (EdVed) | 9.23.17 Louisville (EdVed) | 9.25.21 Dana Point (EdVed) | 10.01.22 Dana Point (EdVed) | 2.6.22 Newark (EdVed)
Likely a ton of giga will be the norm for a bit.
1.Parting Ways
2. Hard to Imagine
3. I Got Shit
4. Around the Bend
It'll fit in for Ohana.