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Confusion about "Animal"

funkyfoodfunkyfood Posts: 9
edited February 2007 in Words and Music...Communication
i had always considered "I'd rather be with an animal" to be an angry line in an angry song about how he hates a specific person and doesnt want to be with them. but considering eddie is a vegetarian, could he be saying that, in general, he likes animals better than people?
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  • ShE.dREAmS.in.CoLOrShE.dREAmS.in.CoLOr Posts: 341
    funkyfood wrote:
    i had always considered "I'd rather be with an animal" to be an angry line in an angry song about how he hates a specific person and doesnt want to be with them. but considering eddie is a vegetarian, could he be saying that, in general, he likes animals better than people?
    i kinda took it to mean that. he'd "rather be with an animal" than be with a person whos behavior and actions he disliked, someone/group that he was so disgusted with that an animal would be better company. that's my thought. :)
    1998 : 9/19
    2000 : 9/4
    2003 : 7/1
    2006 : 5/30
    2007 : 8/5
    2008 : 6/17; 6/19; 6/20; 6/22; 6/24; 6/25; 8/16 (EV); 8/21 (EV); 8/22 (EV)
    2009 : 6/11 (EV); 6/12 (EV); 8/23; 8/24; 10/27; 10/28; 10/30; 10/31
    2010 : 5/13
    2012 : 9/2; 9/21; 11/27 (EV); 11/28 (EV)
  • normnorm Posts: 31,146
    ShE.dREAmS.in.CoLOr wrote:
    i kinda took it to mean that. he'd "rather be with an animal" than be with a person whos behavior and actions he disliked, someone/group that he was so disgusted with that an animal would be better company. that's my thought. :)
    That's my thought too.
  • alice's pearl gardenalice's pearl garden Posts: 33
    eddies a a vegetarian?
  • Androgynous MindAndrogynous Mind Posts: 520
    alice's pearl garden wrote:
    eddies a a vegetarian?

    Oh yeah, eddie doesn't eat meat.

    I thought this song had to do with child abuse. A child who has no where to go and is scared of an abusive household they are stuck in.

    Torture from you to me
    Abducted from the street
    I'd rather be...
    I'd rather be with...
    I'd rather be with an animal

    Why would you wanna hurt me?
    So frightened of your pain...
    I'd rather be...
    I'd rather be with...
    I'd rather be with an animal
    Oh he fills it up with the love of a girl...
  • leshalesha Posts: 9
    funkyfood wrote:
    i had always considered "I'd rather be with an animal" to be an angry line in an angry song about how he hates a specific person and doesnt want to be with them. but considering eddie is a vegetarian, could he be saying that, in general, he likes animals better than people?

    Hey
    I also think its about child abuse- u know Eddies childhood etc... not that he was physically abused, but obviously what happened to him (you would call mental abuse)
    I also think that he might think he is an animal himself!
    Im soooo upset with myself that it took me 15 yrs to find out Eddie was a vegetarian!
    I am one myself. He doesnt come across as a vegetarian does he??
  • ShE.dREAmS.in.CoLOrShE.dREAmS.in.CoLOr Posts: 341
    Androgynous Mind wrote:
    Oh yeah, eddie doesn't eat meat.

    I thought this song had to do with child abuse. A child who has no where to go and is scared of an abusive household they are stuck in.

    Torture from you to me
    Abducted from the street
    I'd rather be...
    I'd rather be with...
    I'd rather be with an animal

    Why would you wanna hurt me?
    So frightened of your pain...
    I'd rather be...
    I'd rather be with...
    I'd rather be with an animal

    hmmm good call, i hadn't thought about it like that specifically but it makes sense.
    1998 : 9/19
    2000 : 9/4
    2003 : 7/1
    2006 : 5/30
    2007 : 8/5
    2008 : 6/17; 6/19; 6/20; 6/22; 6/24; 6/25; 8/16 (EV); 8/21 (EV); 8/22 (EV)
    2009 : 6/11 (EV); 6/12 (EV); 8/23; 8/24; 10/27; 10/28; 10/30; 10/31
    2010 : 5/13
    2012 : 9/2; 9/21; 11/27 (EV); 11/28 (EV)
  • UsmanIUsmanI Posts: 72
    I always thought it was pretty clear that it was about rape.


    "Torture from you to me
    Abducted from the street

    Why would you wanna hurt me?
    So frightened of your pain..."

    and the line "I'd rather be, I'd rather be with an ANIMAL!!"

    implies that the woman being raped is expressing that she'd rather be with a beast than the man raping her.
  • JeanieJeanie Posts: 9,446
    UsmanI wrote:
    I always thought it was pretty clear that it was about rape.


    "Torture from you to me
    Abducted from the street

    Why would you wanna hurt me?
    So frightened of your pain..."

    and the line "I'd rather be, I'd rather be with an ANIMAL!!"

    implies that the woman being raped is expressing that she'd rather be with a beast than the man raping her.

    Yeah same except I read somewhere it was about pack rape.
    1,2,3,4,5 against 1.
    5,5,5 against 1.
    NOPE!!!

    *~You're IT Bert!~*

    Hold on to the thread
    The currents will shift
  • Pearl Jam and toastPearl Jam and toast Posts: 4,475
    You're all wrong. :p

    Personal adaptation is worth more than anything, but it's obvious what Ed was talking about.

    1993. Vs.

    In the era of songs like "Blood" and near Vitalogy...

    The album in response to one of the best most unpredictable music explosions in history..

    The band considered to be at the top of the list (even if it's shared with Nirvana)..

    1 2 3 4 5 against 1.

    5 members of Pearl Jam..

    against the world.

    5 against 1. The original planned title for "Versus".

    It's about fame.
    Come on pilgrim you know he loves you..

    http://www.wishlistfoundation.org

    Oh my, they dropped the leash.



    Morgan Freeman/Clint Eastwood 08' for President!

    "Make our day"
  • JeanieJeanie Posts: 9,446
    Pearl Jam and toast wrote:
    You're all wrong. :p

    Personal adaptation is worth more than anything, but it's obvious what Ed was talking about.

    1993. Vs.

    In the era of songs like "Blood" and near Vitalogy...

    The album in response to one of the best most unpredictable music explosions in history..

    The band considered to be at the top of the list (even if it's shared with Nirvana)..

    1 2 3 4 5 against 1.

    5 members of Pearl Jam..

    against the world.

    5 against 1. The original planned title for "Versus".

    It's about fame.

    I'm sorry but I disagree I'm sure I read it's about pack rape, but seriously why don't you see it your way and I'll see it mine. Yours is also an interesting theory. :)
    NOPE!!!

    *~You're IT Bert!~*

    Hold on to the thread
    The currents will shift
  • Pearl Jam and toastPearl Jam and toast Posts: 4,475
    Jeanie wrote:
    I'm sorry but I disagree I'm sure I read it's about pack rape, but seriously why don't you see it your way and I'll see it mine. Yours is also an interesting theory. :)
    So the title of the album is a pack rape reference? :D

    psshh

    I'm sticking with my theory.
    Come on pilgrim you know he loves you..

    http://www.wishlistfoundation.org

    Oh my, they dropped the leash.



    Morgan Freeman/Clint Eastwood 08' for President!

    "Make our day"
  • JeanieJeanie Posts: 9,446
    Pearl Jam and toast wrote:
    So the title of the album is a pack rape reference? :D

    psshh

    I'm sticking with my theory.

    ***insert whatever dismissive sound you like here*****
    Yeah, and I'm sticking to mine. Could just be that the band decided to tie in the album name with the opening lyric of a song about pack rape as a general overview of how they were feeling at the time. They might have identified their situation with that of a pack rape victim. Who knows? Certainly not me and, unless you are a member of the band yourself, probably not you either. Even the band member might not remember now. Who cares anyway. Everything is open to interpretation. Like I said before, interesting theory you have. So you stick to yours and I'll stick to mine. This is such a waste of space as a conversation anyway.:)
    NOPE!!!

    *~You're IT Bert!~*

    Hold on to the thread
    The currents will shift
  • Pearl Jam and toastPearl Jam and toast Posts: 4,475
    Jeanie wrote:
    Could just be that the band decided to tie in the album name with the opening lyric of a song about pack rape as a general overview of how they were feeling at the time. They might have identified their situation with that of a pack rape victim.
    *eyes widen*

    !

    Maybe!
    Come on pilgrim you know he loves you..

    http://www.wishlistfoundation.org

    Oh my, they dropped the leash.



    Morgan Freeman/Clint Eastwood 08' for President!

    "Make our day"
  • JeanieJeanie Posts: 9,446
    Pearl Jam and toast wrote:
    *eyes widen*

    !

    Maybe!

    So I really can't tell if you are being sarcastic or just.....a harmless little f**k!
    The reason I posted on this thread is because I didn't want a great song hijacked by PETA! ;)
    NOPE!!!

    *~You're IT Bert!~*

    Hold on to the thread
    The currents will shift
  • dan_vedderdan_vedder Posts: 213
    Song about a gang rape on the streets. The victem would rather be having sex with an animal than being raped by the people on the streets. This also makes the statement that the rapists are behaving worse than any animal.

    Just my interpretation :)
    Ten Club member 363***


    7/11/06, 8/11/06, 18/11/06

    escape is never the safest plan...
  • JeanieJeanie Posts: 9,446
    dan_vedder wrote:
    Song about a gang rape on the streets. The victem would rather be having sex with an animal than being raped by the people on the streets. This also makes the statement that the rapists are behaving worse than any animal.

    Just my interpretation :)

    Thank you dan_vedder, I think it's an accurate interpretation. And a fairly commonly held one. :)
    NOPE!!!

    *~You're IT Bert!~*

    Hold on to the thread
    The currents will shift
  • dan_vedderdan_vedder Posts: 213
    Jeanie wrote:
    Thank you dan_vedder, I think it's an accurate interpretation. And a fairly commonly held one. :)

    haha no worries anytime
    Ten Club member 363***


    7/11/06, 8/11/06, 18/11/06

    escape is never the safest plan...
  • HorosHoros Posts: 4,518
    Wow such deep thoughts for simple song.

    IMO it's just telling us how much people suck so he'd rather be with an animal.
    #FHP
  • Pearl Jam and toastPearl Jam and toast Posts: 4,475
    Jeanie wrote:
    So I really can't tell if you are being sarcastic or just.....a harmless little f**k!
    The reason I posted on this thread is because I didn't want a great song hijacked by PETA! ;)
    No I was being serious. I try to avoid angry talk on song interpretation threads. :)
    Come on pilgrim you know he loves you..

    http://www.wishlistfoundation.org

    Oh my, they dropped the leash.



    Morgan Freeman/Clint Eastwood 08' for President!

    "Make our day"
  • luxpjamerluxpjamer Posts: 837
    Pearl Jam and toast wrote:
    You're all wrong. :p

    Personal adaptation is worth more than anything, but it's obvious what Ed was talking about.

    1993. Vs.

    In the era of songs like "Blood" and near Vitalogy...

    The album in response to one of the best most unpredictable music explosions in history..

    The band considered to be at the top of the list (even if it's shared with Nirvana)..

    1 2 3 4 5 against 1.

    5 members of Pearl Jam..

    against the world.

    5 against 1. The original planned title for "Versus".

    It's about fame.
    I think that you're wright, why does almost everyone always want to find out that it is about rape, violence, bad childhood. Yes Pearl Jam made songs which are dealing with that stuff but they made much more, or ?
    Beavis : Is this Pearl Jam?
    Butt-head: This guy makes faces like Eddie Vedder.
    Beavis: No, Eddie Vedder makes faces like this guy.
    Butt-head: I heard these guys, like, came first and Pearl Jam ripped them off.
    Beavis: No, Pearl Jam came first.
    Butt-head: Well, they both suck.
  • darthvedder88darthvedder88 Posts: 1,023
    From the first time I heard the song, I thought it was an anti-rape song, kinda like Nirvana's "Rape Me."
    "Darth Vader would say 'Impressive'."

    -Eddie Vedder

    6/24/06 Cincinatti, Ohio
    6/14/08 Manchester, Tennessee
  • yield2meyield2me Posts: 1,291
    lesha wrote:
    Hey
    I also think its about child abuse- u know Eddies childhood etc... not that he was physically abused, but obviously what happened to him (you would call mental abuse)
    I also think that he might think he is an animal himself!
    Im soooo upset with myself that it took me 15 yrs to find out Eddie was a vegetarian!
    I am one myself. He doesnt come across as a vegetarian does he??


    There was a discussion about Ed being a vegetarian a few weeks back, and apparently he used to be a vegetarian but I think that now he eats meat every now and again....somebody that met him posted how he was eating a hamburger at the time they met
    “May you live to be 100 and may the last voice you hear be mine.” - Frank Sinatra
  • UsmanIUsmanI Posts: 72
    Jeanie wrote:
    Yeah same except I read somewhere it was about pack rape.
    1,2,3,4,5 against 1.
    5,5,5 against 1.


    yeah, that's it, someone being raped by 5 animals.
  • poorgirl23poorgirl23 Posts: 194
    yield2me wrote:
    There was a discussion about Ed being a vegetarian a few weeks back, and apparently he used to be a vegetarian but I think that now he eats meat every now and again....somebody that met him posted how he was eating a hamburger at the time they met

    It could've easily been a veggie burger... most look just like the real thing.
    Common sense is not so common.
  • Pearl Jam and toastPearl Jam and toast Posts: 4,475
    poorgirl23 wrote:
    It could've easily been a veggie burger... most look just like the real thing.
    And fucking delicious too! A lot of restaurants are carrying them now.
    Come on pilgrim you know he loves you..

    http://www.wishlistfoundation.org

    Oh my, they dropped the leash.



    Morgan Freeman/Clint Eastwood 08' for President!

    "Make our day"
  • JeanieJeanie Posts: 9,446
    Pearl Jam and toast wrote:
    And fucking delicious too! A lot of restaurants are carrying them now.

    mmmm.......with sweet chili sauce!;)
    NOPE!!!

    *~You're IT Bert!~*

    Hold on to the thread
    The currents will shift
  • Pearl Jam and toastPearl Jam and toast Posts: 4,475
    Jeanie wrote:
    mmmm.......with sweet chili sauce!;)
    yes!
    Come on pilgrim you know he loves you..

    http://www.wishlistfoundation.org

    Oh my, they dropped the leash.



    Morgan Freeman/Clint Eastwood 08' for President!

    "Make our day"
  • ComatosedComatosed Posts: 93
    Pearl Jam and toast wrote:
    You're all wrong. :p

    Personal adaptation is worth more than anything, but it's obvious what Ed was talking about.

    1993. Vs.

    In the era of songs like "Blood" and near Vitalogy...

    The album in response to one of the best most unpredictable music explosions in history..

    The band considered to be at the top of the list (even if it's shared with Nirvana)..

    1 2 3 4 5 against 1.

    5 members of Pearl Jam..

    against the world.

    5 against 1. The original planned title for "Versus".

    It's about fame.

    I have an autobiography which mentions that it is about the band and label being against Ed. He said he felt like an outsider and that it was like he was on his own, not wanting to head in a direction that the label and rest of the band wanted at that particular time.
    Pearl Jam                                                         Eddie Vedder  
    Sydney - 11/3/1995                                           Sydney - 18/3/2011  
     Sydney - 9/3/1998                                            Sydney - 19/3/2011
     Sydney - 11/3/1998                                          Sydney - 13/2/2014
     Sydney - 12/3/1998
     Sydney - 11/2/2003
     Sydney - 13/2/2003
     Sydney - 14/2/2003
     Sydney - 7/11/2006
     Sydney - 8/11/2006
     Sydney - 18/11/2006
     Sydney - 22/11/2009
     Sydney - 26/1/2014

  • ComatosedComatosed Posts: 93
    darthvedder88 wrote:
    From the first time I heard the song, I thought it was an anti-rape song, kinda like Nirvana's "Rape Me."

    As far as I know it has nothing at all to do with rape....(see last posting)
    Pearl Jam                                                         Eddie Vedder  
    Sydney - 11/3/1995                                           Sydney - 18/3/2011  
     Sydney - 9/3/1998                                            Sydney - 19/3/2011
     Sydney - 11/3/1998                                          Sydney - 13/2/2014
     Sydney - 12/3/1998
     Sydney - 11/2/2003
     Sydney - 13/2/2003
     Sydney - 14/2/2003
     Sydney - 7/11/2006
     Sydney - 8/11/2006
     Sydney - 18/11/2006
     Sydney - 22/11/2009
     Sydney - 26/1/2014

  • leshalesha Posts: 9
    Whatever!!!! I think its good that everyone has different interpretations (s) of their songs, Im sure Eddie would love all our different thoughts of what the lyrics mean, dont you? He would be sitting there going "oh my God, I didnt even think of that"!
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