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Yellow Ledbetter

katlenkokatlenko Posts: 3
edited September 2006 in Words and Music...Communication
Hi,

I am new to the site...

Maybe this has been discussed before but what's a Ledbetter ?


Greetz,
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Rhinocerous SurpriseRhinocerous Surprise Posts: 4,423
    Methinks it's a reference to the old bluesman, Huddie 'Leadbelly' Ledbetter... He wrote Where Did You Sleep Last Night.
    Smokey Robinson constantly looks like he's trying to act natural after being accused of farting.
  • DarkStarDarkStar Posts: 734
    katlenko wrote:
    Hi,

    I am new to the site...

    Maybe this has been discussed before but what's a Ledbetter ?


    Greetz,

    the song was originally titled yellow letter...ed changed it to yellow ledbetter in honor of a friend, tim ledbetter...so to answer your question...ledbetter is a person's last name. :)

    ds
    And no one sings me lullabyes
    And no one makes me close my eyes
    So I throw the windows wide
    And call to you across the sky....
  • katlenkokatlenko Posts: 3
    Thanks for the info !!!
  • CosmoCosmo Posts: 12,225
    katlenko wrote:
    Hi,

    I am new to the site...

    Maybe this has been discussed before but what's a Ledbetter ?


    Greetz,
    Here what I think...
    I think the actual name was 'Yellow Letter'. Why?
    Because the U.S. Department of Defense will send the notification of death in the military in time of war via telegram that comes in a yellow envelope and printed on yellow letterhead.
    In the song... the recipient of the notice already knows what recieving the letter means... that whoever was sent away to war had been killed... that's why the letter remains unopened. It was dropped on the front porch as she walks off to the beach, in a slight state of shock and gazes off towards the horizon on a grey Winter's day. He sees her, but he wasn't sure how he got back home... in a wooden box or a body bag.
    The words are from the soldier who was killed... and now is unseen. He see his friends and loved ones gather on the porch... but, they don't see him... so, they don't wave back.
    ...
    As for the name... after hearing Mike's intro... a tribute to the blues greats... the name morphed into Ledbetter... paying homage to Huddie "Leadbelly" Ledbetter, an old time bluesman that many rock and rollers steal riffs from.
    ...
    I know it's not the truth... but, it works for me.
    ...
    Oh... and, "Hey... and welcome to the board".
    Allen Fieldhouse, home of the 2008 NCAA men's Basketball Champions! Go Jayhawks!
    Hail, Hail!!!
  • BlackKeithBlackKeith Posts: 8
    At Reading Ed changed the lyrics, more references to the war in Iraq and Tosser Bush..... Listen and watch on YouTube - search using "Reading Pearl Jam Yellow" There are two excellent clips one from lowlight02 and one from resusnegative.
    Now my bitter hands shake beneath the clouds

    Jools Holland 25/4/06
    Reading Festival 27/8/06

    one better than Ed

    WHO with Keith Moon - Oct 1975 Stafford
    Led Zep with John Bonham - May 1975 London
  • OlivavuOlivavu Posts: 1,683
    Cosmo wrote:
    Here what I think...
    I think the actual name was 'Yellow Letter'. Why?
    Because the U.S. Department of Defense will send the notification of death in the military in time of war via telegram that comes in a yellow envelope and printed on yellow letterhead.
    In the song... the recipient of the notice already knows what recieving the letter means... that whoever was sent away to war had been killed... that's why the letter remains unopened. It was dropped on the front porch as she walks off to the beach, in a slight state of shock and gazes off towards the horizon on a grey Winter's day. He sees her, but he wasn't sure how he got back home... in a wooden box or a body bag.
    The words are from the soldier who was killed... and now is unseen. He see his friends and loved ones gather on the porch... but, they don't see him... so, they don't wave back.

    Yep, yep, yep...
    Wembley 2000 • Reading 2006 • Paris 2006 • Wembley 2007 • Shepherds Bush 2009 • Manchester 2009 • O2 Arena 2009 • Hyde Park 2010 • Arras 2010 • Manchester 2012 • Manchester II 2012 • Leeds 2014 • Milton Keynes 2014 • Amsterdam 2018 • Amsterdam II 2018 • London 2018 • London II 2018 • Hyde Park II 2022

    http://www.last.fm/user/olivavu


  • negationistnegationist Posts: 237
    Cosmo wrote:
    Here what I think...
    I think the actual name was 'Yellow Letter'. Why?
    Because the U.S. Department of Defense will send the notification of death in the military in time of war via telegram that comes in a yellow envelope and printed on yellow letterhead.
    In the song... the recipient of the notice already knows what recieving the letter means... that whoever was sent away to war had been killed... that's why the letter remains unopened. It was dropped on the front porch as she walks off to the beach, in a slight state of shock and gazes off towards the horizon on a grey Winter's day. He sees her, but he wasn't sure how he got back home... in a wooden box or a body bag.
    The words are from the soldier who was killed... and now is unseen. He see his friends and loved ones gather on the porch... but, they don't see him... so, they don't wave back.
    ...
    As for the name... after hearing Mike's intro... a tribute to the blues greats... the name morphed into Ledbetter... paying homage to Huddie "Leadbelly" Ledbetter, an old time bluesman that many rock and rollers steal riffs from.
    ...
    I know it's not the truth... but, it works for me.
    ...
    Oh... and, "Hey... and welcome to the board".

    That's a brilliant take on the song, and in my opinion probably the best one i've heard. Actually starting to make sense of some of the mumblings of Ed on the song (they've never really released the lyrics, and some say, even Ed doesn't know them.
    If Pearl Jam was a beer, they'd probably be the best beer in the world!!
  • Ms. HaikuMs. Haiku Posts: 7,265
    I got the war reference from hearing the lyrics, and I wrote them as I thought they should be - since you never really know what they are. But, he doesn't say box or bag, it's boxer. Let me find where I had my interpretation of the lyrics, and what they are suppose to be. Actually, I can't find what I posted, but upon searching there are tons of threads for this song. Someone even posted it was from the perspective of a dead soldier. Lots of interpreations. Really interesting to get all the threads together on this one.
    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
  • lennybennylennybenny Posts: 37
    Ms. Haiku wrote:
    I got the war reference from hearing the lyrics, and I wrote them as I thought they should be - since you never really know what they are. But, he doesn't say box or bag, it's boxer. Let me find where I had my interpretation of the lyrics, and what they are suppose to be. Actually, I can't find what I posted, but upon searching there are tons of threads for this song. Someone even posted it was from the perspective of a dead soldier. Lots of interpreations. Really interesting to get all the threads together on this one.

    The box or bag/ boxer or the bag changes and depends which version you listen to. I think the studio version he says 'I don't know whether i'm the boxer or the bag.' On the MSG dvd I'm pretty sure he says 'I don't know whether my friends comin' home in a box or in a bag...'
  • OlivavuOlivavu Posts: 1,683
    negationist wrote:
    That's a brilliant take on the song, and in my opinion probably the best one i've heard. Actually starting to make sense of some of the mumblings of Ed on the song (they've never really released the lyrics, and some say, even Ed doesn't know them.

    As far as I know, that is what the song is about...a solider's body being returned to his family.
    Wembley 2000 • Reading 2006 • Paris 2006 • Wembley 2007 • Shepherds Bush 2009 • Manchester 2009 • O2 Arena 2009 • Hyde Park 2010 • Arras 2010 • Manchester 2012 • Manchester II 2012 • Leeds 2014 • Milton Keynes 2014 • Amsterdam 2018 • Amsterdam II 2018 • London 2018 • London II 2018 • Hyde Park II 2022

    http://www.last.fm/user/olivavu


  • dancolostatedancolostate Posts: 8
    It's cetainly a nod to this songs' changing lyrics that PJ.com has "lyrics unavailable" for this tune. Upon watching some vids and listening to some differnt audio versions of this, I have yet to find two that are the same.

    The Alpine '03 version may have to most alternative lyrics...on the "Green Habit" compilation that is circulating.

    I guess we all agree about the yellow letter issued to families that have lost someone in a war...and that the line goes "boxer or the bag" or "comin' home in a box or a bag" or "whether is was a box or a bag".

    Could anyone with a good ear, or extensive listening experience give us a transcription of the common lyrics? We can revise from there to try to reach a consensus.

    Good thread, whoever started this one...
  • dancolostatedancolostate Posts: 8
    Didn't spell the thread title correctly, but you get my drift.
  • dancolostatedancolostate Posts: 8
    ...From another thread...and a great answer!

    Bravo.
    boxes, bags and porches
    The #1 question in Pearl Jam fandom (after the 'sun' or 'star' question) is probably, "What are the words to Yellow Ledbetter?" Let us take this moment to point out (or remind you), for the record, that THERE ARE NO OFFICIAL WORDS TO YELLOW LEDBETTER, nor is there even really a storyline. As documented by Kim Neely in 5 Against 1, when they recorded the song, Eddie improvised the lyrics:
    "There would be countless interpretations of "Yellow Ledbetter" batted around over the years, and Pearl Jam's fan organization, the Ten Club, would regularly receive pleading letters from fans who wanted the "real" lyrics. In fact, there never were any real lyrics. Eddie had simply improvised them during the one-take session, singing whatever phrases happened to pop into his head. The song's odd title was a joke, in honor of a Chicago friend of Eddie's named Tim Ledbetter. In concert, Eddie has outfitted "Yellow Ledbetter" with countless different sets of lyrics over the years, further thwarting fans' attempts to sniff out the elusive "real" meaning of the song."
    And he hasn't sang them the same, not once, since that time. I'd bet he probably couldn't if you asked him to! :-)
    So, there ARE words, but they're still an improvisation. It's almost at the point where it doesn't matter, really; everyone has their own words by now, and Ed's unintelligible vocals on this song doesn't stop entire stadiums from singing along at the top of their lungs -- in fact, it encourages it. They're all wrong, and they're all right. It's a tremendous moment of audience-band communion, and as much as I would choose to hear something else if I had that choice, I always love that moment when it happens.
  • One Song GloryOne Song Glory Posts: 710
    dancolostate wrote:
    ...From another thread...and a great answer!

    Bravo.
    boxes, bags and porches
    The #1 question in Pearl Jam fandom (after the 'sun' or 'star' question) is probably, "What are the words to Yellow Ledbetter?" Let us take this moment to point out (or remind you), for the record, that THERE ARE NO OFFICIAL WORDS TO YELLOW LEDBETTER, nor is there even really a storyline. As documented by Kim Neely in 5 Against 1, when they recorded the song, Eddie improvised the lyrics:
    "There would be countless interpretations of "Yellow Ledbetter" batted around over the years, and Pearl Jam's fan organization, the Ten Club, would regularly receive pleading letters from fans who wanted the "real" lyrics. In fact, there never were any real lyrics. Eddie had simply improvised them during the one-take session, singing whatever phrases happened to pop into his head. The song's odd title was a joke, in honor of a Chicago friend of Eddie's named Tim Ledbetter. In concert, Eddie has outfitted "Yellow Ledbetter" with countless different sets of lyrics over the years, further thwarting fans' attempts to sniff out the elusive "real" meaning of the song."
    And he hasn't sang them the same, not once, since that time. I'd bet he probably couldn't if you asked him to! :-)
    So, there ARE words, but they're still an improvisation. It's almost at the point where it doesn't matter, really; everyone has their own words by now, and Ed's unintelligible vocals on this song doesn't stop entire stadiums from singing along at the top of their lungs -- in fact, it encourages it. They're all wrong, and they're all right. It's a tremendous moment of audience-band communion, and as much as I would choose to hear something else if I had that choice, I always love that moment when it happens.

    Sounds about right to me.
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    2006: Toronto 1 & 2
    2008: Hartford/EV Toronto 1 & 2
    2009: Toronto/Philadelphia 3 & 4
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    2011: Montreal/Toronto 1 & 2/Hamilton
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    2016: Toronto 1 & 2
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  • UpSideDownUpSideDown Posts: 1,966
    isnt the first chorus box or the bag

    and the second chorus boxer or the bag

    thats the way i remember hearing it most of the time
  • normnorm Posts: 31,146
    dancolostate wrote:
    ...From another thread...and a great answer!

    Bravo.
    boxes, bags and porches
    The #1 question in Pearl Jam fandom (after the 'sun' or 'star' question) is probably, "What are the words to Yellow Ledbetter?" Let us take this moment to point out (or remind you), for the record, that THERE ARE NO OFFICIAL WORDS TO YELLOW LEDBETTER, nor is there even really a storyline. As documented by Kim Neely in 5 Against 1, when they recorded the song, Eddie improvised the lyrics:
    "There would be countless interpretations of "Yellow Ledbetter" batted around over the years, and Pearl Jam's fan organization, the Ten Club, would regularly receive pleading letters from fans who wanted the "real" lyrics. In fact, there never were any real lyrics. Eddie had simply improvised them during the one-take session, singing whatever phrases happened to pop into his head. The song's odd title was a joke, in honor of a Chicago friend of Eddie's named Tim Ledbetter. In concert, Eddie has outfitted "Yellow Ledbetter" with countless different sets of lyrics over the years, further thwarting fans' attempts to sniff out the elusive "real" meaning of the song."
    And he hasn't sang them the same, not once, since that time. I'd bet he probably couldn't if you asked him to! :-)
    So, there ARE words, but they're still an improvisation. It's almost at the point where it doesn't matter, really; everyone has their own words by now, and Ed's unintelligible vocals on this song doesn't stop entire stadiums from singing along at the top of their lungs -- in fact, it encourages it. They're all wrong, and they're all right. It's a tremendous moment of audience-band communion, and as much as I would choose to hear something else if I had that choice, I always love that moment when it happens.
    That's very cool. I'm glad to know that I have been mumbling the right and wrong words all these years.
  • T C HT C H Posts: 85
    Cosmo wrote:
    Here what I think...
    I think the actual name was 'Yellow Letter'. Why?
    Because the U.S. Department of Defense will send the notification of death in the military in time of war via telegram that comes in a yellow envelope and printed on yellow letterhead.

    Yeah yeah yeah... this is really well dramatised in the film "We Were Soldiers"
    I've got a Gibson without a case, but I can't get that even tanned look on my face...
  • Larry ZisstansLarry Zisstans Posts: 167
    dancolostate wrote:
    So, there ARE words, but they're still an improvisation. It's almost at the point where it doesn't matter, really; everyone has their own words by now, and Ed's unintelligible vocals on this song doesn't stop entire stadiums from singing along at the top of their lungs -- in fact, it encourages it. They're all wrong, and they're all right. It's a tremendous moment of audience-band communion, and as much as I would choose to hear something else if I had that choice, I always love that moment when it happens.

    these words are very cool--
    we all choose what we want it to mean to ourselves--

    it's about what You think it's about--

    it is what it is, man; it is what it is--

    peace
    lz
    The world is like a ride in an amusement park, and when you choose to go on it you think it's real because that's how powerful our minds are. The ride goes up and down, around and around, it has thrills and chills, and it's very brightly colored, and it's very loud, and it's fun for a while. Many people have been on the ride a long time, and they begin to wonder, "Hey, is this real, or is this just a ride?" And other people have remembered, and they come back to us and say, "Hey, don't worry; don't be afraid, ever. Because this is just a ride." And we...kill those people. "Shut him up! I've got a lot invested in this ride, shut him up! Look at my furrows of worry, look at my big bank account, and my family. This has to be real." It's just a ride. But we always kill the good guys who try and tell us that, you ever notice that? And let the demons run amok? But it doesn't matter, because it's just a ride. And we can change it any time we want. It's only a choice. No effort, no work, no job, no savings of money. Just a simple choice, right now, between fear and love. The eyes of fear want you to put bigger locks on your doors, buy guns, close yourself off. The eyes of love instead see all of us as one. Here's what we can do to change the world, right now, to a better ride. Take all that money we spend on weapons and defenses each year and instead spend it feeding and clothing and educating the poor of the world, which it would pay for many times over, not one human being excluded, and we could explore space, together, both inner and outer, forever, in peace.
    --Bill Hicks
  • DaveHDaveH Posts: 3
    what is the "sun or star" question?
  • mwachsmanmwachsman Posts: 474
    DaveH wrote:
    what is the "sun or star" question?

    It's talking about the lyrics in Black.

    I know someday you'll have a beautiful life, I know you'll be a sun/star........
    "So, you must really love Led Zeppelin. That’s the oldest shirt I’ve ever seen on someone who wasn’t a bum."
    "Hey, if God didn’t want me to wear it so much, he wouldn’t have made them rock so hard."
  • GRIMMYGRIMMY Posts: 370
    katlenko wrote:
    Hi,

    I am new to the site...

    Maybe this has been discussed before but what's a Ledbetter ?


    Greetz,
    In laymens terms...... Its one bad ass song!!!!!!lololol
    grimmy
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