My rant on Yellow Ledbetter

2

Comments

  • mickeyrat
    mickeyrat Posts: 45,581
    let the flame begin


    FUCK ED on this song .

    As I understand it , it's more of a showcase/goodbye from Mike anyway. His Riff (maybe stolen) To JAM us OUT the door with.The Lyrics ,to begin with ,were written on the spot without any "deep" thought to them . more of a free flow as to what he was feeling when Mike played it.
    _____________________________________SIGNATURE________________________________________________

    Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
    you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
    memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
    another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
  • TrixieCat
    TrixieCat Posts: 5,756
    Lanegan7 wrote:
    The first few times I 've listened to this song I thought it was great. I didn't pay much attention to what Ed was saying, to me it was just another mumbling song. However when I found out that there were no actual lyrics I grew frustrated and now I can hardley stand to hear it. This song is good, but it could have been far far better had Ed taken the time to write lyrics and sing them clearly without the mumbling, it would have been an all time American classic. It detracts any meaning from the song and it can't be taken seriously, it's embarrassing to listen to. I don't care if Ed changes the lyrics every time he sings it live, but YL had so much potential and it was wasted away. It was too bad because everything else is perfect except for the inability to hear any of the "words". Lord knows Ed mumbles on enough songs, but to do it on YL is a slap on the listener's face. Just my opinion.
    Read thru this thread.
    http://forums.pearljam.com/showthread.php?t=298304
    Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
    And I don't feel right when you're gone away
  • EPOTTSIII
    EPOTTSIII Posts: 190
    I was fortunate enough to be at the best show I will ever attend. NJPAC Newark Ed Show.... He explained the meaning of YL because some dude asked about the lyrics. He pretty much sings what he was thinking, it was just an on the spot song. Google or look up his quoted story on the thread of that show and you will understand what I mean and what he was tryin to express in the original song. I love the song and enjoy hearing it everytime live to see what he's gonna add to it.
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  • urbanhippie
    urbanhippie Posts: 3,007
    Don't care what he says, don't care what it means. Love it.
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  • celebration
    celebration Posts: 318
    Lanegan7 wrote:
    The first few times I 've listened to this song I thought it was great. I didn't pay much attention to what Ed was saying, to me it was just another mumbling song. However when I found out that there were no actual lyrics I grew frustrated and now I can hardley stand to hear it. This song is good, but it could have been far far better had Ed taken the time to write lyrics and sing them clearly without the mumbling, it would have been an all time American classic. It detracts any meaning from the song and it can't be taken seriously, it's embarrassing to listen to. I don't care if Ed changes the lyrics every time he sings it live, but YL had so much potential and it was wasted away. It was too bad because everything else is perfect except for the inability to hear any of the "words". Lord knows Ed mumbles on enough songs, but to do it on YL is a slap on the listener's face. Just my opinion.

    you got it all ass backwards

    focus on the guitar

    and hope for little wing
    ########################
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  • zenith
    zenith Posts: 3,191
    the lyrics the crowd hears is its reward for being good little patrons throughout the show

    and i like ed mumbling
    impatience is a gift ........
  • Stone Irons
    Stone Irons Posts: 430
    EPOTTSIII wrote:
    I was fortunate enough to be at the best show I will ever attend. NJPAC Newark Ed Show.... He explained the meaning of YL because some dude asked about the lyrics. He pretty much sings what he was thinking, it was just an on the spot song. Google or look up his quoted story on the thread of that show and you will understand what I mean and what he was tryin to express in the original song. I love the song and enjoy hearing it everytime live to see what he's gonna add to it.

    It's described here - http://www.twofeetthick.com/tft/cc2008ev.action and here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Ledbetter#Lyrics
    Can't escape from the common rule...
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  • Jack_C_Gregory
    Jack_C_Gregory Posts: 540
    washedinblack91 wrote:
    right on. it can evolve so much depending on the current issue, whether it be a person coming back from war not getting any respect or the current suckiness of a president in office

    ...or when Rachel boards the plane and Ross is standing there like ..."der" :D
  • motsy27
    motsy27 Posts: 8
    no matter what lyrics eddie is singing, watching him sing it and seeing his passion and emotion takes my breath away every time.
  • pc_loadletter
    pc_loadletter Posts: 164
    Lanegan7 wrote:
    The first few times I 've listened to this song I thought it was great. I didn't pay much attention to what Ed was saying, to me it was just another mumbling song. However when I found out that there were no actual lyrics I grew frustrated and now I can hardley stand to hear it. This song is good, but it could have been far far better had Ed taken the time to write lyrics and sing them clearly without the mumbling, it would have been an all time American classic. It detracts any meaning from the song and it can't be taken seriously, it's embarrassing to listen to. I don't care if Ed changes the lyrics every time he sings it live, but YL had so much potential and it was wasted away. It was too bad because everything else is perfect except for the inability to hear any of the "words". Lord knows Ed mumbles on enough songs, but to do it on YL is a slap on the listener's face. Just my opinion.


    i think the song has turned into a classic.... and the fact that there are no lyrics to it just adds to its "mystique" (sorry, im tired, couldnt think of a better word). not to mention it has a kick as solo and an amazing chorus that EVERYONE loves to sing along to. give it 10 years and YL will be regarded as one of pearl jams best.
  • Left Porch
    Left Porch Posts: 846
    pc_loadletter wrote:
    i think the song has turned into a classic.... and the fact that there are no lyrics to it just adds to its "mystique" (sorry, im tired, couldnt think of a better word). not to mention it has a kick as solo and an amazing chorus that EVERYONE loves to sing along to. give it 10 years and YL will be regarded as one of pearl jams best.


    I agree, I think it's already one of their best.
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  • UsmanI
    UsmanI Posts: 72
    ok there may not be official lyrics, but there's tons out there on the net, and most of them seem to be pretty accurate if you listen to the song.

    http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Yellow-Ledbetter-lyrics-Pearl-Jam/71E379F9314EE6A248256862000B9699

    "Unsealed on a porch a letter sat.
    Then you said I wanna leave it again.
    Once I saw him on a beach of weathered sand. And on the sand; I wanna leave it again.
    On a weekend I wanna wish it all away.
    And they called and I said that "I want what I said" and then I call out again.
    And the reason oughta' leave her calm, I know.
    I said i don't know whether i'm the boxer or the bag.
    Ah yeah, can you see them out on the porch? Yeah, but they don't wave.
    I see them round the front way. Yeah.

    And I know, and I know. I don't want to stay.
    Make me cry...

    I see... Ooh I don't know why there's something else.
    I wanna drum it all away...
    Oh, I said, "I don't, I don't know whether I was the boxer or the bag."

    Ah yeah, can you see them out on the porch? Yeah, but they don't wave.
    I see them round the front way. Yeah.
    And I know, and I know. I don't wanna stay at all.
    I don't wanna stay. Yeah.
    I don't wanna stay. (x2)

    Oh..."
  • EP1973
    EP1973 Posts: 112
    I don't care what anyone thinks about this song, BUT the highlight of the Cleveland 2006 show was Mike playing the whole song with the guitar behind his back. Not behind his head, behind his back. It was a trip. I do think, IMO, many PJ fans are the most complacent fans I've ever seen.
  • NorthShoreBlues
    NorthShoreBlues Posts: 181
    Lanegan7 wrote:
    The first few times I 've listened to this song I thought it was great. I didn't pay much attention to what Ed was saying, to me it was just another mumbling song. However when I found out that there were no actual lyrics I grew frustrated and now I can hardley stand to hear it. This song is good, but it could have been far far better had Ed taken the time to write lyrics and sing them clearly without the mumbling, it would have been an all time American classic. It detracts any meaning from the song and it can't be taken seriously, it's embarrassing to listen to. I don't care if Ed changes the lyrics every time he sings it live, but YL had so much potential and it was wasted away. It was too bad because everything else is perfect except for the inability to hear any of the "words". Lord knows Ed mumbles on enough songs, but to do it on YL is a slap on the listener's face. Just my opinion.


    I totally understand your point of view, in fact to a certain extent i understand your view of wasting it, however, I like the song b/c of the mumbled lyrics and b/c its a very personal song. The listener is given the choice of what it means, dare i say this on this board, thats what "grunge and/or post-punk" used to be . . . in the immortal words of Kurt Cobain, "music first, lyrics second". Cobain also once said, which I believe has been echoed by Vedder, regarding what a particular song means, "its whatever you want it to mean". Man so called "grunge" used to be fun!!!!
    But, again i understand your frustration and respect your point of view . . .
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  • Vedderlution_Baby
    Vedderlution_Baby Posts: 2,535
    Leave Yellow Ledbetter Alone!!!



    Leave Yellow Ledbetter Alone!
  • G Force
    G Force Posts: 1,393
    hopethatuchoke wrote:
    Yellow Trafficbeater - Official closing song of the 2008 tour

    This is a funny post. I'm not guilty of this of course... but I do find this funny.
  • webberf1
    webberf1 Posts: 160
    Dumb thread, because I think that the song had a focus right from the start - a man getting news of his brother's death in the war.
  • morgie2
    morgie2 Posts: 1,065
    Lanegan7 wrote:
    The first few times I 've listened to this song I thought it was great. I didn't pay much attention to what Ed was saying, to me it was just another mumbling song. However when I found out that there were no actual lyrics I grew frustrated and now I can hardley stand to hear it. This song is good, but it could have been far far better had Ed taken the time to write lyrics and sing them clearly without the mumbling, it would have been an all time American classic. It detracts any meaning from the song and it can't be taken seriously, it's embarrassing to listen to. I don't care if Ed changes the lyrics every time he sings it live, but YL had so much potential and it was wasted away. It was too bad because everything else is perfect except for the inability to hear any of the "words". Lord knows Ed mumbles on enough songs, but to do it on YL is a slap on the listener's face. Just my opinion.
    You completely missed the point.
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  • Lanegan7
    Lanegan7 Posts: 124
    Ok, mind telling me what the point is?
  • bootlegger10
    bootlegger10 Posts: 16,306
    Unless someone told you there were no official lyrics with the original version, you wouldn't have known it. Ed mumbles all the time.

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