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Pearl Jam's 12 Most Significant Songs

Pearl SamPearl Sam Posts: 88
edited May 2009 in The Porch
I've identified what I think are the 12 songs that truly identify Pearl Jam. For most bands, Greatest Hits may suffice, but we all know that isn't the case here. To define significant - what songs do you think define Pearl Jam, are vintage Pearl Jam, and not necessarily the most famous? If I were making someone very important an all-encompassing compilation, here are the 12 songs I would include (in chronological order):

Alive
Black
Release
Daughter
Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town
Corduroy
Better Man
Immortality
In My Tree
Red Mosquito
Wishlist
Do the Evolution

Last 3 records? Maybe they haven't had long enough to age? Or, maybe an artists's early works tend to be more defining? I'm not sure here, but by no means am I saying the last three records aren't like Pearl Jam, or are in any way insignificant (no pun intended).

8 Honorable mention (if the compilation were extended to 20 songs): State of Love and Trust, W.M.A., Rearviewmirror, Indifference, Nothingman, Off He Goes, Present Tense, Given to Fly

And, my favorite song, which is not mentioned above: Faithfull
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • BeerBaronBeerBaron Toronto-ish Posts: 4,097
    Wishlist? Really? It is hard to argue with most of the songs in your list, but I would remove Wishlist and Red Mosquito.
    1996: Toronto 1998: Barrie 2000: Saratoga Springs 2003: Buffalo, Toronto 2005: Kitchener, London, Hamilton, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto 2006: Toronto x2, Cleveland, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Gorge #1 2007: London, Dusseldorf, Vic, Lolla 2008: WPB, Tampa, DC, MSG x2, Hartford, Boston x2, Beacon 2009: Toronto, Chicago x2, Seattle x2, LA #3&4, San Diego, Philly x4 2010: Cleveland, Buffalo, Hartford 2011: Montreal, Toronto x2, Hamilton 2012: Missoula 2013: London, Wrigley, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Hartford, Dallas, OKC
  • ledveddermanledvedderman Posts: 7,761
    NOTHING past Yield? Pearl Jam is a current band and to show someone they are good now you would pick songs all more than 11 years old?
    E8toX.gif

    http://www.reverbnation.com/brianzilm
  • mrshock13mrshock13 Posts: 472
    I can respect your list and consequently, your differing opinion, but I personally believe a good amount of songs from the last 3 albums can be considered, as well as songs on lost dogs.
  • Vedd HeddVedd Hedd Posts: 4,614
    Really depends on what "significat" means? Significant in terms of public knowledge? in terms of musical diversity? in terms of to themselves? It really depends.

    In no particular order:

    Jeremy
    Alive
    Even Flow
    Black
    Daughter
    Betterman
    Not For You
    Yellow Ledbetter
    Who You Are
    Given To Fly
    Do The Evolution
    And I am having trouble with the 12th. Its between:
    Bu$leaguer, World Wide Suicide, and Life Wasted. (and possibly I Got Shit)
    Turn this anger into
    Nuclear fission
  • Murderers.Murderers. Posts: 1,382
    Vedd Hedd wrote:
    Really depends on what "significat" means? Significant in terms of public knowledge? in terms of musical diversity? in terms of to themselves? It really depends.

    In no particular order:

    Jeremy
    Alive
    Even Flow
    Black
    Daughter
    Betterman
    Not For You
    Yellow Ledbetter
    Who You Are
    Given To Fly
    Do The Evolution
    And I am having trouble with the 12th. Its between:
    Bu$leaguer, World Wide Suicide, and Life Wasted. (and possibly I Got Shit)
    Bushleaguer? Hell no.
    What the fuck is this world?
  • Pearl SamPearl Sam Posts: 88
    Vedd Hedd wrote:
    Really depends on what "significat" means? Significant in terms of public knowledge? in terms of musical diversity? in terms of to themselves? It really depends.

    In no particular order:

    Jeremy
    Alive
    Even Flow
    Black
    Daughter
    Betterman
    Not For You
    Yellow Ledbetter
    Who You Are
    Given To Fly
    Do The Evolution
    And I am having trouble with the 12th. Its between:
    Bu$leaguer, World Wide Suicide, and Life Wasted. (and possibly I Got Shit)


    Nice list, and it's hard to argue with any of those. I also like Faithfull, which I didn't mention originally. Thanks for giving your opinion.
  • Drop The Leash 10Drop The Leash 10 Posts: 7,011
    id say brother for one of them. i mean it did reach number 1. that counts for something right?
    I will be what i could be
    Once I get out of this town


    9/29/04;6/27/08;6/30/08;8/23/09;08/24/09;5/17/10
  • Pearl SamPearl Sam Posts: 88
    ledvedderman wrote:
    NOTHING past Yield? Pearl Jam is a current band and to show someone they are good now you would pick songs all more than 11 years old?

    No. If my goal here was to persuade someone that Pearl Jam is still good, or still relevant, significant, important, etc., then I would have approached this differently. As always, you cater to what you are trying to do, right? :D

    But, I stand by my list above - being as objective as humanly possible about PJ, which may be a paradox for me.
  • Vedd HeddVedd Hedd Posts: 4,614
    Murderers wrote:
    Vedd Hedd wrote:
    Really depends on what "significat" means? Significant in terms of public knowledge? in terms of musical diversity? in terms of to themselves? It really depends.

    In no particular order:

    Jeremy
    Alive
    Even Flow
    Black
    Daughter
    Betterman
    Not For You
    Yellow Ledbetter
    Who You Are
    Given To Fly
    Do The Evolution
    And I am having trouble with the 12th. Its between:
    Bu$leaguer, World Wide Suicide, and Life Wasted. (and possibly I Got Shit)
    Bushleaguer? Hell no.

    Do you remember all the outrage that song created? Do you remember the Denver show in 2003? the fake bomb threats?

    I would call that song very significant in those terms.
    Turn this anger into
    Nuclear fission
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    ledvedderman wrote:
    NOTHING past Yield? Pearl Jam is a current band and to show someone they are good now you would pick songs all more than 11 years old?

    They haven't done anything since Yield that is career-defining. There's not a single song or album since that gets the kind of universal praise and admiration that those first 5 albums got. That's nothing to be ashamed of though... how many bands have ever had that kind of run?
  • DPrival78DPrival78 CT Posts: 2,263
    insignificance should be on the list
    i'm more a fan of popular bands.. like the bee-gees, pearl jam
  • South of SeattleSouth of Seattle West Seattle Posts: 10,724
    Alive
    Black
    Even Flow
    Better Man
    Given To Fly
    I Am Mine
    Nothing As It Seems
    RearviewMirror
    Daughter
    Jeremy
    Corduroy
    Smile
    NERDS!
  • SPEEDY MCCREADYSPEEDY MCCREADY Posts: 25,873
    saustin wrote:
    I've identified what I think are the 12 songs that truly identify Pearl Jam. For most bands, Greatest Hits may suffice, but we all know that isn't the case here. To define significant - what songs do you think define Pearl Jam, are vintage Pearl Jam, and not necessarily the most famous? If I were making someone very important an all-encompassing compilation, here are the 12 songs I would include (in chronological order):

    Alive
    Black
    Release
    Daughter
    Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town
    Corduroy
    Better Man
    Immortality
    In My Tree
    Red Mosquito
    Wishlist
    Do the Evolution

    Last 3 records? Maybe they haven't had long enough to age? Or, maybe an artists's early works tend to be more defining? I'm not sure here, but by no means am I saying the last three records aren't like Pearl Jam, or are in any way insignificant (no pun intended).

    8 Honorable mention (if the compilation were extended to 20 songs): State of Love and Trust, W.M.A., Rearviewmirror, Indifference, Nothingman, Off He Goes, Present Tense, Given to Fly

    And, my favorite song, which is not mentioned above: Faithfull
    ya know.....

    thats a pretty damned good list you made ....................

    im not gonna argue with it....

    NICE JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Take me piece by piece.....
    Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
  • South of SeattleSouth of Seattle West Seattle Posts: 10,724
    SPEEDY MCCREADY wrote:
    saustin wrote:
    I've identified what I think are the 12 songs that truly identify Pearl Jam. For most bands, Greatest Hits may suffice, but we all know that isn't the case here. To define significant - what songs do you think define Pearl Jam, are vintage Pearl Jam, and not necessarily the most famous? If I were making someone very important an all-encompassing compilation, here are the 12 songs I would include (in chronological order):

    Alive
    Black
    Release
    Daughter
    Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town
    Corduroy
    Better Man
    Immortality
    In My Tree
    Red Mosquito
    Wishlist
    Do the Evolution

    Last 3 records? Maybe they haven't had long enough to age? Or, maybe an artists's early works tend to be more defining? I'm not sure here, but by no means am I saying the last three records aren't like Pearl Jam, or are in any way insignificant (no pun intended).

    8 Honorable mention (if the compilation were extended to 20 songs): State of Love and Trust, W.M.A., Rearviewmirror, Indifference, Nothingman, Off He Goes, Present Tense, Given to Fly

    And, my favorite song, which is not mentioned above: Faithfull
    ya know.....

    thats a pretty damned good list you made ....................

    im not gonna argue with it....

    NICE JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I thought your track listing would look like this SPEEDY?

    1. Can't Keep
    2. Love Boat Captain
    3. Cropduster
    4. Ghost
    5. I Am Mine
    6. Thumbing My Way
    7. You Are
    8. Get Right
    9. Green Disease
    10. Helphelp
    11. Bushleaguer
    12. All or None

    :mrgreen:
    NERDS!
  • evolvedmammalevolvedmammal Posts: 187
    Bugs
    Aye Davanita
    Hey Foxymophandlemama, That's Me
    I'm Open
    Untitled
    Push Me, Pull Me
    Rival
    Bu$hleaguer
    arc
    Wasted Reprise
    :D
    05 - St. Johns I II
    06 - Toronto I II
    08 - DC NYC I II
    09 - Calgary Toronto
    11 - Calgary Edmonton
    13 - Calgary

    Openers : Cant Keep, Small Town, Severed Hand, Release X3, Hard to Imagine X2, Why Go, Of the Girl X2, Wash,.......
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