Yellow Ledbetter
CaptTaco
Posts: 2
Hey guys, quick question from a new member.
My girl just got me Pearl Jams dvd concert in the garden. Ive listened to PJ for about 10 years and the lyrics to Ledbetter is ALOT different on the DVD.
I even read an earlier post on this subject that said the song is about seing an old friend on the beach or something. But on the DVD the song is about a guy who's brother dies in a war and doesnt know if he weill come back in a box or a bag. And another set of lyrics is
My dad had it worse
My brother his son will com home in a box or a bag
And another line is
I never knew the reason why he was sent to war (or something like that)
This is the first time Ive seen the song in "concert" but I also downloaded 2 different versions of Ledbetter as well. One about the beach and one about the brother.
Anyone else ever notice this??
My girl just got me Pearl Jams dvd concert in the garden. Ive listened to PJ for about 10 years and the lyrics to Ledbetter is ALOT different on the DVD.
I even read an earlier post on this subject that said the song is about seing an old friend on the beach or something. But on the DVD the song is about a guy who's brother dies in a war and doesnt know if he weill come back in a box or a bag. And another set of lyrics is
My dad had it worse
My brother his son will com home in a box or a bag
And another line is
I never knew the reason why he was sent to war (or something like that)
This is the first time Ive seen the song in "concert" but I also downloaded 2 different versions of Ledbetter as well. One about the beach and one about the brother.
Anyone else ever notice this??
Post edited by Unknown User on
0
Comments
There's always a lot of discussion about this one. The original studio version was just made up by Ed on the spot, so there never has been set lyrics to the song. He sings different lyrics every time, so we'll never know. But this year it's had a lot of references to war because of the situation in Iraq.
I hope that helps!
Thomas Jefferson
I love listening to the Lost Dogs version in summer evenings when the woods shine in red, orange and yellow, cause of the sunset; i imagine sittin somewhere at the sea, with a beatiful white sand and watching the sunset there
and i don't care about the words ed sings
my feelings for the latg version are different; the lyrics are one of the best, or probably the best of pj and if you see mister mike mccready playing the guitar so unbeliveable good, so quick boa i have no words for it
When he was six, he believed that the moon overhead followed him
By nine, he deciphered the illusion, trading magic for fact, no trade-backs
So this is what it's like to be an adult?
If he only knew now what he knew then
The first time I heard Yellow Ledbetter I was standing in my husband's dark living room, holding him, falling in love.
We got married this year and we used this song for our first dance.
It was perfect.
"Make me cry now..."
The improv. aspect of this tune make it sort of like the Stones "Gimme Shelter". When the chick comes in wailing something about "a shot away" and her voice does that one in a million crack that makes your arms stand up.
I was lmao but thought - thats why its so awesome .. its open to interpretation .
alternate interpratations in (parenthasis)
UNSEALED, ON A PORCH THAT LETTER SAT
(ON THE SEE THERE) makes less since, but sounds more accurate
AND IT SAID, I WANNA LEAVE IT AGAIN
(THEN YOU SAID)
ONCE I SAW HER, ON A BEACH OF WEATHERED SAND
(HIM) impossible to tell
AND ON THE SAND, I WANNA LEAVE IT AGAIN, YEAH
ON A WEEKEND I WANNA WISH IT ALL AWAY
(ON THE WE THERE) again, less since, sounds more accurate
AND THE REASON, OUGHTA' LEAVE HER CALM I KNOW
I SAID I KNOW WHAT I WEAR, NOT THE BOX OR THE BAG
(BOXER OR THE BAG)
AH YEAH, CAN YOU SEE THEM, OUT ON THE PORCH YEAH,
BUT THEY DON'T WAVE, I SEE THEM, ROUND THE FRONT WAY, YEAH
AND I KNOW, AND I KNOW, I DON'T WANNA STAY
MAKE ME CRY
I SEE OOH, I DON'T KNOW WHY THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE
(OH I SEE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S ONTO NOW)
I WANNA GO MY OWN-A-WAY
(I WANNA GOLDMINE FAR AWAY)
OH I SAID I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IT WAS THE BOX OR THE BAG
(I WAS THE BOXER OR THE BAG)
AW YEAH, CAN YOU SEE THEM, OUT ON THE PORCH, YEAH
BUT THEY DON'T WAVE, BUT I SEE THEM ROUND THE FRONT WAY, YEAH (OH)
AND I KNOW, AND I KNOW, I DON'T WANNA STAY.....AT ALL
I DON'T WANNA STAY, YEAH
I DON'T WANNA STAY
I DON'T WANNA STAY
I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA, OH YEAH, OOH, OOH
so that's all the interpratations i've seen, anyone else ?
and yeah, we all know it changes with every peformance
(I consider this song the "Stairway To Heaven" of the nineties
Mike proves he's just as good a rythem guitarist as Stone baby, actually I read an article in Guitar, interviewing the two of them, and they said after playing together for eleven years, they've pretty much become the same guitarist, pretty cool, how they've fed of each other
I always see/hear people talking about 'the box or the bag' line and finding pop culture refernces to it (like Paul Riser saying it on Mad About You...who watched that show, anyway; good lord!), but I always sort of heard it a 'the boxer or the bag'. I know sometimes Ed improvises lines about funerals, or soldiers having to go overseas and I realize he IS saying 'box or bag' with these verses. However, for me, I swear the other half of the time he's saying (or at last drawing it out to) 'boxer'.
I always thought of 'boxer or the bag' meaning he didn't know whether he was the one throwing the punches, or taking them. And, i don't know...I just think that's a genius line from a song I hope closes every show I go to.
It is such a warm song live. It's like one last chance for the both the band and the crowd to say 'thanks' to each other and wave goodbye(loooooovvveeeee waving during the 'But they don't wave' line!). Matt leaving the drum set and joining the rest of the band to sit (yeah, how many times have I seen Ed actually sit!) on the stage and watch Mike finish the song, is simply awesome. And Mike drawing out those last chords, eyes closed, head lifted to the sky, soaking up all the crowd in its frenzied state, cheering, clapping, yelling all they have left, to show their appreciation.
I am so ready for another tour!
Unsealed on a porch a letter sat.
Then you said, "I wanna leave it again."
Once I saw her on a beach of weathered sand. And on the sand I wanna leave it again. Yeah.
On a weekend I wanna wish it all away, yeah.
And they called and I said that "I want what I said" and then I call out again.
And the reason oughta' leave her calm, I know.
I said "I know what I wear not the boxer or the bag."
Ah yeah, can you see them out on the porch? Yeah, but they don't wave.
But I see them round the front way. Yeah.
And I know, and I know. I don't want to stay.
Make me cry...
I see... Ooh I don't know why there's something else.
I wanna drum it all away...
Oh, I said, "I don't, I don't know wheather I was the boxer or the bag."
Ah yeah, can you see them out on the porch? Yeah, but they don't wave.
But I see them round the front way. Yeah.
And I know, and I know. I don't wanna stay at all.
I don't wanna stay. Yeah.
I don't wanna stay. (x2)
I don't... Don't wanna, oh... Yeah. Ooh... Ohh...
When he was six, he believed that the moon overhead followed him
By nine, he deciphered the illusion, trading magic for fact, no trade-backs
So this is what it's like to be an adult?
If he only knew now what he knew then
Even though I haven't watched Friends before, it was cool to have the bands tune incorporated.