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Gone

dbr_of_matrixdbr_of_matrix Posts: 29
edited May 2006 in Words and Music...Communication
how about this one?
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments

  • LedvedderLedvedder Posts: 2
    it definately about loss, but is it about death, or losing a love? i noticed on Jools Hollands show that Ed wasn`t wearing a wedding band, i dunno if he usually wears one or not, any one know?
    is there a gesture i could use to clearly express
    i'm at an utter loss for words...
  • dbr_of_matrixdbr_of_matrix Posts: 29
    I don't.

    ... I do not feel song's about death. it's kind of ''tired'' song, not rebellious. like giving up the fight.
  • DPrecisionist05DPrecisionist05 Posts: 61
    This is a terrific song, becuase I think everyone can relate to wanting to leave it all behind and start somehwere else, thats all the song is about..
    taking a long drive somewhere and not coming back,


    My problem with this song is that has Eddie wrote this from experience..????

    "If nothing is everything, I'll have it all...."

    What does he know about having nothing, what does he know about wanting to leave it all behind, in the last 20 years,...??

    This song caters to the regular people in life making a living, bbuilding a career etc, and ironically comes from a rock star who has everything...
    not saying they havent worked their tails off to get it, but
    I have a problem with the genuine empathy that it is written from/with
    I can see if it came off their 1st album,
    This song while i enjoy listening to it...
    I feel like Eddie's trying to put one over on me.....
  • DanyBRDanyBR Posts: 8
    I loved this song; that's probably one of the best of this album.

    To me the song is also about leaving things that you can't stand anymore. It's not a love song, about loss or death, at least to me it doesn't feel that way...
    As most of the songs in this album, it's about the situation in the world, and in US; it's right there in the first verses an evidence of it: 'this american dream I am disbelieving' - means that the guy on the song is tired of waiting for that ideal of work, money and prosperity for everyone... Perhaps, as the economy is not going well, there are not many new jobs, and he can't work... This song makes me think in things like that.

    And I'd like to disagree with DPrecisionist05 about only thing: the art doesn't have to reflect what one's experienced. It will probably be more accurate if the artist have really lived what he writes about, but it's not an obligation. The sensitivity of the artist may lead him/her and allow that a song/a painting/etc capture the reality.
  • dbr_of_matrixdbr_of_matrix Posts: 29
    just. artist feels no matter of his own experience. and knows how to put it in right words, colours, music, verses, whatever.

    this is great song and it doesn't refelect on someone's personal affairs althou it might be understood that way. and I strongly disagree on ''rock star having everything''. stars are only humans as we all are, maybe with few problems more.
  • JohnBriggsJohnBriggs Posts: 101
    Gone to me seems to take on a life of it's own and really represents that vibe that Betterman has.
  • xavier mcdanielxavier mcdaniel Posts: 9,294
    as someone that went through a long period of unemployment, gone is a song i can relate to.
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  • DPrecisionist05DPrecisionist05 Posts: 61
    You dont have to agree, but this is the least esoteric song on the album,
    the meaning and words are succint...I appreciate the meaning....
    but what does Eddie know about it?, why take a song and try to appeal to the masses side of cynicism and surrender, especially when you have everything-rockstar-lifestyle, you do your audience a disservice...
    -Why not sing/write about that same backdrop that many can relate to and advocate overcoming as opposed to running away from challenges, obstacles...

    I dont care if you agree...I know what I know...
    and this song while, terrific in the musical sense dissappoints me becuase of the message...people need hope in such times, not validation of their weak sides, that is overcome with persistence, hope, belief and faith...

    bad job with the message...not what people need.....

    Heres a band that likes to outspokenly write about the problems in the world, iraq, the president's positions- which is fine but then throws a song in there advocating running away from it all...and we wonder why we have a lack of leadership in this country!

    I'm not buying it..
  • Ms. HaikuMs. Haiku Posts: 7,265
    I thought this was one of the least or the least inspired song on this album. I think the album is incredible, though. Easy song for thousands of concert attendees to sing along to, eh? He forgot to add just a few hints of the neon signs ;)
    There is no such thing as leftover pizza. There is now pizza and later pizza. - anonymous
    The risk I took was calculated, but man, am I bad at math - The Mincing Mockingbird
  • dbr_of_matrixdbr_of_matrix Posts: 29
    hmmm... speaking of esoteric... one often needs to surrender or give up in order of getting things. :)
  • DPrecisionist05DPrecisionist05 Posts: 61
    ummmm, not quite sure I get what you mean.......
    Could you be more specific.....since the song alludes to leaving where you are....
  • Ms. HaikuMs. Haiku Posts: 7,265
    Surrender to the idea that this song may not mean anything in particular to enjoy it? Kindof like Money Money but the way Billy Idol does it? That's the first example in my head . . .
    There is no such thing as leftover pizza. There is now pizza and later pizza. - anonymous
    The risk I took was calculated, but man, am I bad at math - The Mincing Mockingbird
  • DPrecisionist05DPrecisionist05 Posts: 61
    Ms. Haiku wrote:
    Surrender to the idea that this song may not mean anything in particular to enjoy it? Kindof like Money Money but the way Billy Idol does it? That's the first example in my head . . .

    I expected more from someone self-proclaimed Ms. Haiku.
    A pearl jam song that isnt supposed to mean anything, is that your position...everything the freaking guy says he wants to mean something..

    Green party, political positions,.....

    This song is precise in it's meaning...and really not open to differing intepretations, maybe in slight nuances, but its clear what he is saying...
    from the first two lines.......read.

    No offense, Ms. Haiku, but youre not one of those people that says something and then when dosent get the reaction she wants, says ..
    I didn't mean it.....???????
  • Ms. HaikuMs. Haiku Posts: 7,265
    I wrote exactly what I meant. No, your response is not what I expected. I was responding in good nature to the post with the smiley face (a response in good nature by dbr_of_matrix). I was not responding to you. I should have included dbr_of_matrix's quote for clarity, and a smiley face myself, but I didn't. Your response definitely surprised me.
    There is no such thing as leftover pizza. There is now pizza and later pizza. - anonymous
    The risk I took was calculated, but man, am I bad at math - The Mincing Mockingbird
  • DPrecisionist05DPrecisionist05 Posts: 61
    Debate can be in good nature..

    You wrote,
    Surrender to the idea that this song may not mean anything in particular and to enjoy it..........regardless of who you "responded to"...
    then compared it to mony-mony...

    I disagree with you, in good nature.
  • burtschipsburtschips Posts: 734
    Nothing is a re-occurring theme in eddies lyrics. Nothing man, leather man, lots and lots. I don't think that someone with lots of cash and fame can not feel like nothing from time to time.

    gone is genuine in my view.
    Salut baloo
  • slightofjeffslightofjeff Posts: 7,762
    DPrecisionist05 wrote:
    This is a terrific song, becuase I think everyone can relate to wanting to leave it all behind and start somehwere else, thats all the song is about..
    taking a long drive somewhere and not coming back,


    My problem with this song is that has Eddie wrote this from experience..????

    "If nothing is everything, I'll have it all...."

    What does he know about having nothing, what does he know about wanting to leave it all behind, in the last 20 years,...??

    This song caters to the regular people in life making a living, bbuilding a career etc, and ironically comes from a rock star who has everything...
    not saying they havent worked their tails off to get it, but
    I have a problem with the genuine empathy that it is written from/with
    I can see if it came off their 1st album,
    This song while i enjoy listening to it...
    I feel like Eddie's trying to put one over on me.....

    It doesn't say he DOES have nothing ... it says, in the context of the song, that he WILL have nothing. It's a song about giving up everything .... your life, your home, your possessions, your fame ... and finding happiness.

    It's very Henry David Thoreau.

    Ed isn't saying here that he has nothing. It's saying that he WANTS to have nothing. That some of the "richest" people in the world are the ones without these things weighing them down.
    everybody wants the most they can possibly get
    for the least they could possibly do
  • slightofjeffslightofjeff Posts: 7,762
    DPrecisionist05 wrote:
    .people need hope in such times
    I'm not buying it..

    the song is very hopeful (see my previous post). You're just misinterpreting it. The song IS about overcoming a sense of disillusionment. You're just misinterpreting it.
    everybody wants the most they can possibly get
    for the least they could possibly do
  • burtschipsburtschips Posts: 734
    slightofjeff wrote:
    the song is very hopeful (see my previous post). You're just misinterpreting it. The song IS about overcoming a sense of disillusionment. You're just misinterpreting it.

    that's an interesting reading but i don't agree with it... i don't think is about what he has or does not have it is about what he feels... i don't think he is giving things up to have nothing he's there already. but i do agree that the leaving is an attempt to get out of where he is so is positive.
    Salut baloo
  • DPrecisionist05DPrecisionist05 Posts: 61
    Ok,.....You make a very fair point..and of course you could choose to extrapolate that meaning that way and be at peace with it...and more power to you..

    But, the American dream I'm disbelieving...
    If anyone should believe in the American dream it should be him....!

    So when you arent singling out one sentence, but reading them all, interpreting them all with consideration to all the lyrics of the song....

    Hes not a rich guy giving it all up to ride a bike cross country...

    He's speaking as a regular person......who pursues the American Dream?.....in the traditional definition.. regular people, blue collar, white collar, whatever..
  • slightofjeffslightofjeff Posts: 7,762
    DPrecisionist05 wrote:

    But, the American dream I'm disbelieving...
    If anyone should believe in the American dream it should be him....!

    I'm not sure this is meant to be a purely economical, blue-collar, white-collar line. I think in this instance ed is disillusioned with everything it means to be an American these days. ... the war, unemployment, high gas prices, etc etc ... I don't think you have to be poor to be a disillusioned American these days.
    everybody wants the most they can possibly get
    for the least they could possibly do
  • slightofjeffslightofjeff Posts: 7,762
    burtschips wrote:
    that's an interesting reading but i don't agree with it... i don't think is about what he has or does not have it is about what he feels... i don't think he is giving things up to have nothing he's there already. but i do agree that the leaving is an attempt to get out of where he is so is positive.

    not really sure what you mean.

    "I'm gonna leave it all behind me ..." obviously, there is something TO leave behind, no?
    everybody wants the most they can possibly get
    for the least they could possibly do
  • DPrecisionist05DPrecisionist05 Posts: 61
    slightofjeff wrote:
    the song is very hopeful (see my previous post). You're just misinterpreting it. The song IS about overcoming a sense of disillusionment. You're just misinterpreting it.


    I'm not misinterpreting it.....
    read the song....

    disillusionment?? can you clarify?


    I felt at one time, exactly how this song feels.....
    The song is too good!
    I just don't buy it...i think it's somewhat phony of him to write this song...and feel he's trying to capture the minds of the masses who are fighting for the American dream, whether lawyer, electrician, teacher...whatever..
  • DPrecisionist05DPrecisionist05 Posts: 61
    slightofjeff wrote:
    I'm not sure this is meant to be a purely economical, blue-collar, white-collar line. I think in this instance ed is disillusioned with everything it means to be an American these days. ... the war, unemployment, high gas prices, etc etc ... I don't think you have to be poor to be a disillusioned American these days.


    Read before you post please...
  • burtschipsburtschips Posts: 734
    slightofjeff wrote:
    not really sure what you mean.

    "I'm gonna leave it all behind me ..." obviously, there is something TO leave behind, no?

    yes. but i read it as the situation, i don't think it's his lifestyle that's the problem and i don't think he needs to live in a log cabin to feel better.
    Salut baloo
  • slightofjeffslightofjeff Posts: 7,762
    DPrecisionist05 wrote:
    Read before you post please...

    not sure what you mean
    everybody wants the most they can possibly get
    for the least they could possibly do
  • slightofjeffslightofjeff Posts: 7,762
    burtschips wrote:
    yes. but i read it as the situation, i don't think it's his lifestyle that's the problem and i don't think he needs to live in a log cabin to feel better.

    lol. I didn't say that. but I think comes to the realization that it's OK to leave whatever situation it is, even if means leaving behind a lot more than just the situation (friends, family, home and even possession).

    And discovering that there is actually some freedom and salvation in that realization.
    everybody wants the most they can possibly get
    for the least they could possibly do
  • burtschipsburtschips Posts: 734
    slightofjeff wrote:
    lol. I didn't say that. but I think comes to the realization that it's OK to leave whatever situation it is, even if means leaving behind a lot more than just the situation (friends, family, home and even possession).

    And discovering that there is actually some freedom and salvation in that realization.

    yeah its an interesting way of looking at it.. but i still think it's his state of mind, the feeling of nothing that is what is making him leave not an aspiration to it. it's not about things.
    Salut baloo
  • DPrecisionist05DPrecisionist05 Posts: 61
    1st paragraph,...
    no more painful mornings
    no more trying evenings,
    this american dream, Im disbelieving...

    Who can relate to this? Anyone who is not a celebrity or wealthy, anyone who has to work for a living, again, white collar, blue collar dosent matter..

    What is an American Dream?, something to be attained, definition can vary,,
    house and 2 kids in subs, etc,...whatever but parallel concept..
    he's disbelieving it...

    If nothing is everything, I'll have it all...
    this wouldnt be hypocritical if he was alluding to leaving all material things behind getting on Harley and living off the land, but thats not the backdrop hes created earlier in the song...... thats my point

    But hes talking about giving up on the American Dream, and leaving where he's at......and gone......jsut dosent jive for me,,,and I like this song.....
  • slightofjeffslightofjeff Posts: 7,762
    burtschips wrote:
    yeah its an interesting way of looking at it.. but i still think it's his state of mind, the feeling of nothing that is what is making him leave not an aspiration to it. it's not about things.

    but doesn't the song SOUND far too triumphant (esp. in the chorus and outro) to be completely despairing?

    The words, coupled with the way they are sung and the music they are sung on top of, leave you with the feeling that getting gone is a GOOD thing ... that having nothing IS having it all ... and that's a good thing, because there is freedome in that.

    I don't neccesarily mean ed is leaving seattle to become a monk. It's more a state of mind than anything.

    If ed really was trying to be completely despairing in this song ... well, I think he failed miserably then. because the music doesn't create that feeling. at all.
    everybody wants the most they can possibly get
    for the least they could possibly do
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