Home› Words and Music...Communication

Present Tense

presenttense70presenttense70 Posts: 15
edited February 2006 in Words and Music...Communication
As you can see in my name, Present Tense has a LOT of meaning to me. I got married about 8 years ago, and my wife put me through school so I could get a good job and raise a family. Well, that all happened, and then with 9/11 and working in Boston, the economy went crazy and all. I was a homeowner, with 2 little girls and my wife is a stay at home mom. I was out of work for 8 months and finally decided to go back into the military. So, I had to start over, basic training and all, and quite often the line from present tense would go through my head:


you can spend your time alone
redigesting past regrets
you can come to terms and realize
your the only one that cannot forgive yourself
makes much more sense
to live, in the present tense.

This one song has helped me in ways I wouldn't think possible.
Now I'm here in Iraq for the next 11-13 months, and thinking about how I'm leaving my wife and 2 girls, and when I doubt whether or not I made the right decision, I think about this song. It is so profound to me. My wife is a country fan, doesn't like Pearl Jam, but she thinks it's a great song. Just has a hard time understanding Eddie, but so does most people.

Just a fantastic song. Thanks Eddie for writing it.
Makes much more sense to live....in the present tense

I know I was born and I'll know that I'll die
The inbetween is mine, I am mine

Why go home??

www.pearljamlive.com/iraq
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • restlesssoulrestlesssoul Posts: 6,951
    great song



    reallly a life lesson to be learned.....

    always puts a smile on my face and my gf s
    Van '98, Sea I+II '00, Sea '01, Sea II '02, Van '03, Gorge, Van, Cal, Edm '05, Bos I+II, Phi I+II, DC, SF II+III, Port, Gorge I+II '06, DC, NY I+II '08, Sea I+II, Van, Ridge , LA III+IV' 09, Indy '10, Cal, Van '11, Lond, Van, Sea '13, Memphis '14, RRHOF '17, Sea I+II '18, Van I+II, Vegas I+II '24
  • darthvedder88darthvedder88 Posts: 1,023
    This is one of the greatest Pearl Jam songs ever written!!!! One of the greatest period!!! It's so true. The past can't be fixed, and we never know what the future will bring us, therefore we should focus on the present...
    "Darth Vader would say 'Impressive'."

    -Eddie Vedder

    6/24/06 Cincinatti, Ohio
    6/14/08 Manchester, Tennessee
  • eldermanelderman Posts: 180
    That songs lyrics are so amazing, as is the song itself. Remember still the very first time I heard it, absolutely moved me.
    Hope you make it home safely Presentense70.
  • PiCTuReKePTPiCTuReKePT Posts: 311
    the best song ever written that questions the meaning of life!that's all i can say...
  • restlesssoulrestlesssoul Posts: 6,951
    i heard somewhere that ed was given the music and when writing this he only started with Pete Townshend initials.

    PT - present tense.



    gimme some truth if im wrong
    Van '98, Sea I+II '00, Sea '01, Sea II '02, Van '03, Gorge, Van, Cal, Edm '05, Bos I+II, Phi I+II, DC, SF II+III, Port, Gorge I+II '06, DC, NY I+II '08, Sea I+II, Van, Ridge , LA III+IV' 09, Indy '10, Cal, Van '11, Lond, Van, Sea '13, Memphis '14, RRHOF '17, Sea I+II '18, Van I+II, Vegas I+II '24
  • Jeremy1012Jeremy1012 Posts: 7,170
    this one song sums up everything i'm feeling right now. one of the greatest songs ever written. the opening verse floors me everytime

    "Do you see the way that tree bends?
    Does it inspire?
    Leaning out to catch the sun's rays,
    A lesson to be applied
    Are you getting something out of this all-encompassing trip?"
    "I remember one night at Muzdalifa with nothing but the sky overhead, I lay awake amid sleeping Muslim brothers and I learned that pilgrims from every land — every colour, and class, and rank; high officials and the beggar alike — all snored in the same language"
  • Dirty MosquitoDirty Mosquito Posts: 621
    This is my second favorite PJ song. It would be my first but Release is my first because I lost my father at 13 and the song really hits home. I really can relate to PT because I have a tendency to dwell on the past and mistakes I've made and often life can pass you by by doing that. Both of have changed my life
    Alpine Valley 06-13-99 [EV-Solo]
    Alpine Valley 10-8-00 (The Icebowl)
    Chicago 05-16-06, 05-17-06
    Lollapalooza 08-05-07
    Chicago 08-22-08 [EV Solo]
    Chicago 08-23-09, 08-24-09
    Chicago 06-28-11, 06-29-11 [EV Solo]
    PJ20 Alpine Valley 09-03-11, 09-04-11
    Wrigley Field 07-19-13
    Wrigley Field 08-20-16, 08-22-16
  • trebmaltrebmal Posts: 102
    yeah present tense is amazing... that's why I immortalized the lyrics on my myspace
    http://www.myspace.com/trebmal007
    9.15.98, 8.29.00, 8.30.00, 7.02.03, 7.03.03, 7.11.03 Mansfield, MA | 9.28.04, 9.29.04 Boston, MA, 5.12.06 Albany, NY | 5.13.06 Hartford, CT | 5.24, 5.25.06 Boston, MA | 8.05.07 Chicago, IL (lolla) | 6.27.08 Hartford, CT | 6.28, 6.30.08 Mansfield, MA | 10.4.09 Austin, TX (ACL), 10.30 | 10.31.09, Philadelphia, PA 5.17.10 Boston, MA, 10.15 | 10.16.2013 Worcester, MA, 10.25.13 Hartford, CT, 10.16.14 Detroit, MI, 4.18.16 Hampton, VA, 5.1 | 5.2.16 NYC, 8.5 | 8.7.16 Boston, MA, 7.3.18 Kraków, PL | 8.8 - 8.10.18 Seattle, WA | 8.13.18 Missoula, MT | 8.18.18 Chicago, IL | 9.2 - 9.4.18 Boston, MA | 9.18.21 Asbury Park, NJ | 9.1.22 Québec City, CAN | 9.3.22 Ottawa, CAN
  • OmaramaOmarama Posts: 267
    DAVIDFTEN wrote:
    This is my second favorite PJ song. It would be my first but Release is my first because I lost my father at 13 and the song really hits home. I really can relate to PT because I have a tendency to dwell on the past and mistakes I've made and often life can pass you by by doing that. Both of have changed my life

    thats the same reason i love pt
    Monty Got a Raw Deal

    " makes much more sense to live in the present tense "
Sign In or Register to comment.