Nothingman

Miles Apart

This is the other song that I can relate to the most. I lost both of my only brothers and this song makes me feel like it was written about someone who passed away. I don't know. It just touches a deep part of my soul.

"Could have been something....nothingman."

stonesgstring

Hmm that's a good interpretation of the song.
Ed himself said that it was written about a relationship that went wrong, someone messing up and the relationship ultimately ending.
However I can definitely see the angle you are coming from.

VEDHEAD27

~*LOVE BUMP*~

It's a rainy day here and this one seems to hit me extra hard on days like today. I'm currently stuck in a massive repeat session. *sigh*

Miles Apart...I completely agree with you! I have always loved this song but one day the meaning and feeling of it just completely changed. I heard it live a few times before and was moved but something really changed in me MSG '03. For the first time ever I was left paralyzed by it's power and was standing there crying my eyes out!!! It just completely ripped me apart. It never had THAT kinda effect on me before. I remember standing there kinda in shock afterwards. Like "whoa! what just happened?" haha. A really beautiful thing was that the very same thing happened to the person I shared the show with. What are the odds? My dear friend Meddledeal had the exact same reaction and, also, for the very first time!!! Too beautiful! We were holding hands and just looked over at each other in the middle of our sob fest. It was so comforting knowing we were BOTH going through this! That is and always will be one of my fav PJ moments right there. Beyond intense!

Ever since then this song really touches my soul in such a different way. Yes, a very deep part of my soul too. Everytime I hear it now it really gets me. Half of me wants to cry because of how beautiful it is...I mean it's just SO FRICKIN GORGEOUS it makes me weep! And then the other half of me wants to cry because the song just exudes emptiness and a feeling of loss so perfectly.

Oh amen BeerBaron! These lyrics are painfully amazing. RIGHT from the beginning...they just floor me!

"he who forgets will be destined to remember."

Brilliant!! Without a doubt one of the greatest PJ lines!

"Future's above, but in the past he's slow and sinking" has always really stuck with me too. SO many lines pack a serious punch!


I love this song so very much! Easily one of the best from the boys imo. Everything about it literally makes me sigh out loud. From the 'delivered straight from heaven' music to Ed belting out "into the suuuuuuun"????? **chills all over** TO THIS ENTIRE PART....

She once believed in every story he had to tell.
One day she stiffened. Took the other side.
Empty stares from each corner of a shared prison cell.
One just escapes. One's left inside the well.
And he who forgets will be destined to remember.



MY GOD! **chills all over**
Just...everything!
It's one of the most amazing things I've ever heard.

Isn't it something??
HELL YES IT IS!

Whatever it means to you...this MAN is powerful!

little_wish

My name says it all really, this song speaks to everyone on a personal level I think.

This album helped me through some personal things and I'm glad I remember this song in a nice way

comebackwoman

I love this song...it gives me chills as well....my favorite lines:

"Empty stares...from each corner of a shared prison cell..."

"Caught a bolt of lightening...cursed the day he let it go"

and

"He who forgets, will be destined to remember"

Just amazing and powerful

Hunger Strike

I can't agree more! This is actually my favorite PJ song. The lyrics and music are beautiful, sole retching, and very often brings tears to my eyes!

VEDHEAD27

I'm glad we all agree on this gem.

I just responded to a LOVE thread on The Porch and wanted to come and BUMP this LOVE thread while I'm at it.

I'm listening to the Prague version right now. Damn! *jaw on floor* I get stuck on this one everytime. It's seriously flawless. Straight up crystal clear bliss. It sounds AMAZING!! The crowd singing along gives me chills and adds even more to the overflowingly gorgeousness!! How perfect does this guitar sound? Strumming you straight to heaven. Wow. And Eddie is definitely the voice of angel more so than ever here. Everything about it = heaven.
What a version! What a song!

PJ...feel free to play this heaven in PARADISE.

I was diving...

VEDHEAD27 wrote:

I'm glad we all agree on this gem.

I just responded to a LOVE thread on The Porch and wanted to come and BUMP this LOVE thread while I'm at it.

I'm listening to the Prague version right now. Damn! *jaw on floor* I get stuck on this one everytime. It's seriously flawless. Straight up crystal clear bliss. It sounds AMAZING!! The crowd singing along gives me chills and adds even more to the overflowingly gorgeousness!! How perfect does this guitar sound? Strumming you straight to heaven. Wow. And Eddie is definitely the voice of angel more so than ever here. Everything about it = heaven.
What a version! What a song!

PJ...feel free to play this heaven in PARADISE.

I have a friend living in another state here in Oz and I promised her if they played Nothingman at Sydney 1 that I'd ring her straight away and let her listen in for a bit. Kinda wasn't expecting it and took a second to register but when it did, my jaw dropped not to the floor, but below and through it! :eek:

Listening to the boot now kinda does it justice but doesn't compare to being there

Jeanwah

I'm feeling the love!
It's such an intense song, and Jeff's such a great songwriter.

Nothingman54

I think the songs about a bad relationship and he misses her. "Some words unspoken cant be taken back." "Caught a bolt of lighting, cursed the day he let it go" I love this song.......cant you tell.

chrisg72

My uncle who was 47 was a huge pearl jam fan loved this song and always told us to play this song at his funeral. We thought he was crazy talking about his funeral. Then he was diagnosed with cancer and died shortly after and we played this song at his funeral. It was unbelievable. I couldn't listen to it for a good year and a half after his death until recently and boy it's hard. This is just a powerful song. I am also glad my uncle got to see pj play it live in camden back in 2000.

Jeremy1012

this song stands out on vitalogy for me because, while the album is filled with beauty in my opinion, a lot of it is dark or fractured beauty where as Nothingman is just such a touching, moving song.

"and he who forgets will be destined to remember" is the best line Eddie ever wrote.

mumi

It's one of the best songs I've ever listened to.
And I think it's beacuse the lyrics are as great as the melody.
When I think about wich line I like the best, I must say, every line fits perfectly with the music, and that's just too powerfull. I love each line on this song, separated or all together.

VEDHEAD27

*sniff sniff*

Gets me everytime.

"into the suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun"

threecrookedhearts6

i love this song so much...it just gives me a sad, almost sick feeling in the pit of my stomach when i hear the emotion in eddies voice. the line "he who forgets will be destined to remember" get me every time. its important to learn from your mistakes and remember the past but not dwell on it.

leavin here

This song is so gorgeous, every line gives me chills and this song is a huge tear jerker for me, I love this song! I love when its live and you can hear everybody say "Into the SUUUUN!" Amazing, there are not enough special words to describe this song for me.

mole1985

I relate to this song more then anyother PJ song. It should be played more often i can't believe its a bit of a rareity.

born to play drums

Yeah this song lyrically, touches me more than any other PJ song.I guess the line that hits me the most is "caught a bolt of lightning, cursed the day he let it go..." That brings my thoughts back to my ex everytime.The love of my life still I think! "she once believed.. in every story he had to tell.. one day she stiffened...took the other side" ouch.But the line that actually somes me up as a person and something, for my own sanity's sake I have to change is "futures above... but in the past he's slow and sinking..." Living in the past doesn't get me anywhere and I really will be a nothingman if I carry on doing that! Anyway me rambling on.Basically GREAT GREAT lyrics and as a whole Vitalogy probably my favourite album.Got me through some real bad times

Strutter

do you think that dissident and nothingman are connected?
ed mentioned how in the dissident she was saving him from the law and when she couldn't hold, she folded....and in nothingman it's mentioned the shared prision cell....
the song is absolutely moving and touching...and ed performs it perfectly...with the anger and disappointmen that you can hear

My3rdEye

This is by far one of the best vocal performances by Eddie.

Amazing how well this song is written as well. Telling the story from both sides of the relationship. It's like verse one is his side and verse two is her side. Ed even changes his voice from the 1st to the 2nd verse too which really takes this song to another level.

Amazing song!!

dcfaithful

I bought Vitalogy when i was trying my hardest to get into Pearl Jam and still wasn't being able to grasp them. I listened to it all and thought it was good, but nothing special...and then track 5 came on. WOW. I was currently experiencing a lot of difficult shit with my then girlfriend...and the song seemed to not miss a beat on the situation that was going on. Almost as if my stereo in my car was watching my life unfurl. The lyrics are so powerful, emotional, and touching. I have cried from this song, I have laughed form this song and I have found determination and inspiration in this song. PJ is my favorite band of all time and I know that I will go to the grave with Pearl Jam in my heart. Out of PJ's entire catalog, 'Nothingman' is definitely my favorite. It's so sad that it's completely uplifting and leaves you destined to not feel the same way as the characters ever, or once again.

Jeff Ament wrote this song along with others like 'Low Light', 'Nothing As It Seems', and 'Pilate'. All of these songs are huge favorites of mine. Jeff should be penning a lot more of Pearl Jam's tunes. The man has a lot of potential and loads of creativity. Look at his artwork

legend_killer1

threecrookedhearts6 wrote:

i love this song so much...it just gives me a sad, almost sick feeling in the pit of my stomach when i hear the emotion in eddies voice. the line "he who forgets will be destined to remember" get me every time. its important to learn from your mistakes and remember the past but not dwell on it.

Totally agree there. It's just one more of those great, emotional PJ tunes.. I mean there's so many, but this was one of the first to get to me after buying the album..

deadnote

nothingman always makes me think of cobain

DiRtyFranK38

dcfaithful wrote:

I bought Vitalogy when i was trying my hardest to get into Pearl Jam and still wasn't being able to grasp them. I listened to it all and thought it was good, but nothing special...and then track 5 came on. WOW. I was currently experiencing a lot of difficult shit with my then girlfriend...and the song seemed to not miss a beat on the situation that was going on. Almost as if my stereo in my car was watching my life unfurl. The lyrics are so powerful, emotional, and touching. I have cried from this song, I have laughed form this song and I have found determination and inspiration in this song. PJ is my favorite band of all time and I know that I will go to the grave with Pearl Jam in my heart. Out of PJ's entire catalog, 'Nothingman' is definitely my favorite. It's so sad that it's completely uplifting and leaves you destined to not feel the same way as the characters ever, or once again.

Jeff Ament wrote this song along with others like 'Low Light', 'Nothing As It Seems', and 'Pilate'. All of these songs are huge favorites of mine. Jeff should be penning a lot more of Pearl Jam's tunes. The man has a lot of potential and loads of creativity. Look at his artwork

to be honest, most of jeff's songs are amongst my very fav pj tunes. nothingman = amazing.

Ellrick

This song reads and sounds like a bleeding, formerly idealistic, heart.

DeetroitBaasketball

It's a great song to sing in bars too. Get all drunk and have a big sing-a-long. Can't beat it.

For me too, song has a lot of meaning. Not necessarily the lyrics (have been lucky enough to not go through a big lonely break-up), but it was my brother's favorite and he died a few years back. So I reflect many of the same sentiments that have been said.

dcfaithful

DiRtyFranK38 wrote:

to be honest, most of jeff's songs are amongst my very fav pj tunes. nothingman = amazing.

yes...thank you, it's good to see someone who knows about jeff's amazing songwriting ability. HE should get another side project together. Three Fish was totally kick ass...WE NEED MORE AMENT!!!

psychedelic1

VEDHEAD27 wrote:

*sniff sniff*

Gets me everytime.

"into the suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun"

4/6/07-friday(day of Mars)...
"into the Sun"---to/for me this reflects where i choose to come from, and where i go back to-even if there is NO Sun around...i will let my SOUL be purified each and everytime i get the human metaphorical "shit" thrown at me---i do not have to accept it anymore---sometimes one can not get away from it(the shit)it seems(but)i can/will remain forever CLEAN, Safe and PURE when i live from my Heart and PURE SOUL/Spirit...i am and will remain FREE and Safe in this human realm of earth...until i am TRULY "Forever"-FREE in ETERNITY!!!

that is my wish, Hope/BELIEF(and )Faith-for this ENTIRE human race...TRUE FREEDOM---Real-Life, coming from Our TRUEST-Honest-Selves.

can ya dig it?........if you can(then)i say---LIVE it...

"Universally-Speaking---from My Flow"---
Highest Regards and many thanks,
psychedelic1(peace)

ezekiels_oblivion

aaaaaaaahhhh i'm listening it right now.....

PJSEMPRE

My3rdEye wrote:

This is by far one of the best vocal performances by Eddie.

Amazing how well this song is written as well. Telling the story from both sides of the relationship. It's like verse one is his side and verse two is her side. Ed even changes his voice from the 1st to the 2nd verse too which really takes this song to another level.

Amazing song!!

Great observation for a brilliant song.

VEDHEAD27

Wow! Yes. That really is a great observation My3rdEye. I'd never even thought of it like that before. The voice changes reflecting the 'his' and 'hers' sides. I love it! Thank you! You've opened my 3rd eye.

*sigh*
This song is something else.
Always digging deeper.