On the 6/1 bootleg, after Man of The Hour, which he said was about when someone is going or right when someone is gone, and the next song, Come Back, is about two months later. I'd like to think of Man Of The Hour as a song about a loved one's death, considering how the song came about after the band saw Big Fish.
On the 6/1 bootleg, after Man of The Hour, which he said was about when someone is going or right when someone is gone, and the next song, Come Back, is about two months later. I'd like to think of Man Of The Hour as a song about a loved one's death, considering how the song came about after the band saw Big Fish.
oh my........ I think flirting with mad41 just made me gay!!!
ok... I'm ok with it, I'm sure she is cute!!!!
Funny your view of Man of the hour...... I see it as the guy left in a relationship when she leaves.....
A pessimist is a man who thinks all women are bad. An optimist is one who hopes they are.
Funny your view of Man of the hour...... I see it as the guy left in a relationship when she leaves.....
Interesting. I'll always think of it in the context of the movie though. Its funny because I got the single a few weeks before the movie came out, went to see it with my ex, and then the song starts playing over the credits, and I'm saying, I know this from somewhere, why is it familiar. Took until Ed started singing for it all to kick in.
Plus the lyrics are a bit of a giveaway, at least for me:
Now the man of the hour is taking his final bow
As the curtain comes down
I feel that this is just goodbye for now
Something about "final bow" kind of screams death to me. Thats just my two cents though.
After listening to Eddie sing the song last night (in Dever)I really thought it could have been about his relationship with Beth, even though the divorce was 6 yrs ago. I could be entirely wrong because I have been in the past. Maybe he just felt this was the time to include it on the album-? Whatever it's about it's the first song in a long time that really hit me.
The thought occured to me the other day that "Come Back" could be addressed to a dead loved one. Lyrical evidence:
"I have been planning out,... All that I'd say to you
Since you slipped away,... Know that I still remain true"
The loved one wouldn't care if the protagonist remained true if she had simply left him, but she might if she were dead (well, as much as a dead person can care, anyway).
"Please say, that if you hadn't of gone now
I wouldn't have lost you another way
From wherever you are,.... Come Back."
If you hadn't have gone now (died), I wouldn't have lost you another way (left him). "Wherever you are" could be a reference to not knowing where people go when they die.
"So you had to go,......... and I had to remain here"
Go=die, remain here=stay alive. "You had to go" could mean anything, but the fact that an equal time was given to "I had to remain here" indicates that "here" could be a bigger place than "the exact place he lives." (i.e. earth)
I am not attached to this theory by any means, but it is certainly worth pondering. Thoughts?
its gotta be about a soldier overseas baby, lets get serious
but you can still wish for someone to come back though.
that's what makes the song so powerful. that this wish isn't going to be fulfilled.
It could be about a soldier, and I like to think it is. but it's about a dead soldier.
"there must be an open door for you to come back ..."
as in, it feels so much like you're still here in spirit. I can almost feel you lying next to me. I can still meet you in my dreams. there must be some way, some way, for you to come back from death, to cross that bridge. some spiritual portal, some open door.
I mean, I just don't see how the song could be any clearer. all the death imagery. it's pretty straightforward.
everybody wants the most they can possibly get
for the least they could possibly do
I agree, Come Back could be figurative, not literal. However, I see both sides to the argument.
it's either about death or a breakup ... but I lean heavily to death for a couple reasons.
No. 1 -- "since you slipped away, know that I still remain true." How do you remain true to a person who broke up with you? You don't. They aren't yours anymore. But, in your heart, you can remain true to a lover who has passed. You hear about folks who have spouses die who won't date again.
No. 2 -- there must be an open door for you to come back. that line almost definitely deals with the spiritual state. I don't see how it could go any other way. If someone broke up with you and you still wanted them back, you would say "There IS an open door ..." in this case, it's more nebulous ... there must be an open door. it's a wish, not a certainty.
everybody wants the most they can possibly get
for the least they could possibly do
but you can still wish for someone to come back though.
that's what makes the song so powerful. that this wish isn't going to be fulfilled.
It could be about a soldier, and I like to think it is. but it's about a dead soldier.
"there must be an open door for you to come back ..."
as in, it feels so much like you're still here in spirit. I can almost feel you lying next to me. I can still meet you in my dreams. there must be some way, some way, for you to come back from death, to cross that bridge. some spiritual portal, some open door.
I mean, I just don't see how the song could be any clearer. all the death imagery. it's pretty straightforward.
i dont think so man, death is obviously the main fear and the song can be filped around so its eaither or, but.......
But the strangest thing to date
So far away
and yet you feel so close
I'm not going to question it any other way
There must be an open door for you
To come back
i think this is deffffffinitly talking about overseas and defffffffinitly talking about how the whole thing could be ending and everyone could just come home.
i dont think so man, death is obviously the main fear and the song can be filped around so its eaither or, but.......
But the strangest thing to date
So far away
and yet you feel so close
I'm not going to question it any other way
There must be an open door for you
To come back
i think this is deffffffinitly talking about overseas and defffffffinitly talking about how the whole thing could be ending and everyone could just come home.
i mean music is interpretative. but I just don't see it your way. and I never will. not in a million years.
"I'm not going to question it any other way" -- again, that supports my point.
I'm seeing visions of you, I dream of you, I can feel you close. I know your spirit is around here. I don't know any other way to explain it, except that there HAS to be a way for you to cross over, to come back. It's like a seance, almost.
I really think you're wrong. There's no sense arguing and what not. but you should try to see it my way. it makes a lot more sense that way
everybody wants the most they can possibly get
for the least they could possibly do
i mean music is interpretative. but I just don't see it your way. and I never will. not in a million years.
"I'm not going to question it any other way" -- again, that supports my point.
I'm seeing visions of you, I dream of you, I can feel you close. I know your spirit is around here. I don't know any other way to explain it, except that there HAS to be a way for you to cross over, to come back. It's like a seance, almost.
I really think you're wrong. There's no sense arguing and what not. but you should try to see it my way. it makes a lot more sense that way
cant do it baby
"Please say that if you hadn't have gone now
I wouldn't have lost you another way"
and all the "if i keep holdin out" and " days lingering on" is too much hoping and uncertainty for just a flat out death as far as i can see.
please say that if you hadn't have died now, I wouldn't have lost you in some other fashion.
i donno, i dont think its death. obviously when someone dies you lose them. and obviously at some point everyone is gonna lose someone to death. i think this is more of a "we wouldnt have to be apart if it wasnt for this" type of thing. but again, it can easily be looked at both ways, i just think the overseas one holds more water, after observing whats going on in the world and Pearl Jam's views about whats going on in the world. i'll be downloading the MP3s and listening for a possible on-stage explanation so i can gloat.
you've never had anyone close to you die, have you?
because that's exactly how it feels.
no i have, trust me. i dont want to get into details on the pearl jam message board with a complete stranger but i've been to 2 funerals in the past 4 months and one of them was due to an overdose of one of my good friends. this is the best thing about pearl jam songs and the reason why vedder likes to keep shit open to intepretation. as long as it means something to you thats all that matters.
Comments
thanks!
and you are always welcome in NYC!
ok... I'm ok with it, I'm sure she is cute!!!!
Funny your view of Man of the hour...... I see it as the guy left in a relationship when she leaves.....
Interesting. I'll always think of it in the context of the movie though. Its funny because I got the single a few weeks before the movie came out, went to see it with my ex, and then the song starts playing over the credits, and I'm saying, I know this from somewhere, why is it familiar. Took until Ed started singing for it all to kick in.
Plus the lyrics are a bit of a giveaway, at least for me:
Now the man of the hour is taking his final bow
As the curtain comes down
I feel that this is just goodbye for now
Something about "final bow" kind of screams death to me. Thats just my two cents though.
Come Back is about death.
Now may this debate rest in peace.
you have the best username ever (bet you've never heard that one).
In other news, I'm listening to VS and it's awesome.
He's an amazing writer and singer.
I'll also add that I don't think it's a coincidence that it comes right after Army Reserve on the album. It's basically a sequel to that song.
AR is about a wife yearning for her husband overseas.
Come Back is her lamenting the fact that he'll never come back, because he's gone.
for the least they could possibly do
its gotta be about a soldier overseas baby, lets get serious
you dont COME BACK from the dead
but you can still wish for someone to come back though.
that's what makes the song so powerful. that this wish isn't going to be fulfilled.
It could be about a soldier, and I like to think it is. but it's about a dead soldier.
"there must be an open door for you to come back ..."
as in, it feels so much like you're still here in spirit. I can almost feel you lying next to me. I can still meet you in my dreams. there must be some way, some way, for you to come back from death, to cross that bridge. some spiritual portal, some open door.
I mean, I just don't see how the song could be any clearer. all the death imagery. it's pretty straightforward.
for the least they could possibly do
it's either about death or a breakup ... but I lean heavily to death for a couple reasons.
No. 1 -- "since you slipped away, know that I still remain true." How do you remain true to a person who broke up with you? You don't. They aren't yours anymore. But, in your heart, you can remain true to a lover who has passed. You hear about folks who have spouses die who won't date again.
No. 2 -- there must be an open door for you to come back. that line almost definitely deals with the spiritual state. I don't see how it could go any other way. If someone broke up with you and you still wanted them back, you would say "There IS an open door ..." in this case, it's more nebulous ... there must be an open door. it's a wish, not a certainty.
for the least they could possibly do
i dont think so man, death is obviously the main fear and the song can be filped around so its eaither or, but.......
But the strangest thing to date
So far away
and yet you feel so close
I'm not going to question it any other way
There must be an open door for you
To come back
i think this is deffffffinitly talking about overseas and defffffffinitly talking about how the whole thing could be ending and everyone could just come home.
I wouldn't have lost you another way"
so your saying the the person could not have died any other way? its very "straightfoward".
i mean music is interpretative. but I just don't see it your way. and I never will. not in a million years.
"I'm not going to question it any other way" -- again, that supports my point.
I'm seeing visions of you, I dream of you, I can feel you close. I know your spirit is around here. I don't know any other way to explain it, except that there HAS to be a way for you to cross over, to come back. It's like a seance, almost.
I really think you're wrong. There's no sense arguing and what not. but you should try to see it my way. it makes a lot more sense that way
for the least they could possibly do
http://www.wishlistfoundation.org
Oh my, they dropped the leash.
Morgan Freeman/Clint Eastwood 08' for President!
"Make our day"
I don't understand your question.
please say that if you hadn't have died now, I wouldn't have lost you in some other fashion.
for the least they could possibly do
cant do it baby
"Please say that if you hadn't have gone now
I wouldn't have lost you another way"
and all the "if i keep holdin out" and " days lingering on" is too much hoping and uncertainty for just a flat out death as far as i can see.
you've never had anyone close to you die, have you?
because that's exactly how it feels.
for the least they could possibly do
i donno, i dont think its death. obviously when someone dies you lose them. and obviously at some point everyone is gonna lose someone to death. i think this is more of a "we wouldnt have to be apart if it wasnt for this" type of thing. but again, it can easily be looked at both ways, i just think the overseas one holds more water, after observing whats going on in the world and Pearl Jam's views about whats going on in the world. i'll be downloading the MP3s and listening for a possible on-stage explanation so i can gloat.
no i have, trust me. i dont want to get into details on the pearl jam message board with a complete stranger but i've been to 2 funerals in the past 4 months and one of them was due to an overdose of one of my good friends. this is the best thing about pearl jam songs and the reason why vedder likes to keep shit open to intepretation. as long as it means something to you thats all that matters.