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Unthought Known meaning?

musicismylife78musicismylife78 Posts: 6,117
edited September 2009 in The Porch
Seems like its Ed's take on how to deal with the world, and the trouble. Avocado seemed all about how one deals with the world, with Inside Job about how you need to be more introspective.

Unthought Known seems to expand on Inside Job, I picture sitting in a field, watching the night sky, and just thinking about how small we as humans are, how almost insignificant we are, how little our "problems" are, etc...

But what does the "nothing left, nothing here" repeated line mean?
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • mrveddersonmrvedderson Posts: 784
    i just read in an interview that this song is about a book and a conversation with some famous actress about the book.
  • candleofthought26candleofthought26 Posts: 81
    Expanding consciousness
  • mvwmvw Posts: 1,645
    mrvedderson said:
    i just read in an interview that this song is about a book and a conversation with some famous actress about the book.
    I remember hearing this, too.  I believe the actress was Catherine Keener. 
  • IndifferenceIndifference Posts: 2,633
    EV:
     It’s about a conversation with Catherine Keener, and a book—I think it might have even been called Unthought Known. I got back late to my hotel in New York, and I pushed it that extra hour. I pushed the limits of how much you can drink and smoke, and this song came out of it. I think the thought of the song is that there are things that you know, and they’re in us, but we just haven’t thought of them. But they’re there, and we base decisions on them.

    SHOW COUNT: (149) 1990's=3, 2000's=53, 2010/20's=89, US=109, CAN=15, Europe=19 ,New Zealand=2, Australia=2
    Mexico=1, Colombia=1 

    Upcoming:  Sacramento, Vegas x2, Manchester, London, Chicago x2, NYC x2, Fenway x2, Aucklandx2, Gold Coast, Melbournex2


  • ceskaceska New York Posts: 1,075
    Ed debuted Unthought Known at his solo show at NJPAC Newark in August 2008. That was also the night he told the Yellow Ledbetter story. How lucky to be in the crowd that night! and I couldn't even give away my extra ticket, every one I knew went for the Manhattan shows instead. They missed the magic.

    I think that the "nothing left, nothing here" repetition is tribute to/inspired by the "Nothing is, Everything is" repetition in Let's See Action by The Who.


  • fortyshadesfortyshades Posts: 1,834
    I know it is a scientific term in psychology and I think Ed Vedder sums up the meaning very well in the interview phrase. It is that we know things unconsiosly (or is it sub; I always mix those two up. Not my native tongue) and that we act upon it without realizing it. How that fits in the song, I am not certain. Some lines are beautiful (dream the dream of other men and you are no ones rival), but as a whole poetically the song seems what muddled. Especially if you take the scientific meaning into account. It seems that the lyrics are a stream of thought and maybe that is the point. By not interferring too much in the lyrics, the lyrics itself becomes unthought known: a meaning, or a set of meanings, that are true on some level but unknown to the narroter itself.

















    Ed debuted Unthought Known at his solo show at NJPAC Newark in August 2008. That was also the night he told the Yellow Ledbetter story. How lucky to be in the crowd that night! and I couldn't even give away my extra ticket, every one I knew went for the Manhattan shows instead. They missed the magic.

    I think that the "nothing left, nothing here" repetition is tribute to/inspired by the "Nothing is, Everything is" repetition in Let's See Action by The Who.



  • Lost In OhioLost In Ohio Posts: 6,765
    Feel the air up above
    Oh, pool of blue sky
    Fill the air up with love
    All black with starlight
    Feel the sky blanket you
    With gems and rhinestones!
    See the path cut by the moon
    For you to walk on

    See the path cut by the moon
    For you to walk on
    See the waves on distant shores
    Awaiting your arrival
    Dream the dreams of other men
    You'll be no one's rival
    Dream the dreams of others then
    You will be no one's rival
    You will be no one's rival

    For me...my interpretation...

    There's a young child (maybe age 5? 6?). They're full of limitless, positive energy. Their future is bright. They have all the supports they need...positive role models, parents there in their lives being attentive and attending...
    Presidential Advice from President-Elect Mike McCready: "Are you getting something out of this all encompassing trip?"
  • vercemanverceman Posts: 680
    At  Pearl Jam's Global Citizen Fest show  Ed said he wrote the song in New York while looking at Central Park at night.  
  • dadesdades Posts: 321
    Ed talks a lot.
    Glasgow Cathouse 1992
    Glasgow S.E.C.C. 2000
    Shepherds Bush 2009 - M.E.N 2009 - London O2 2009
    Boston 2010 - Newark 2010 - MSG1+2 2010 - Dublin 2010 - Belfast 2010
    London 2010
    Manchester 1+2 2012 EV Manchester 2012 EV London 31/7/2012
    Philly 1+2 2013 - Hartford 2013
    Berlin 2014 Leeds 2014
    Fenway 2 2016
    EV London 1+2 2017
    London 1+2 - Berlin 2018
  • KN219077KN219077 Montana Posts: 896
    One of the best song of the last decade from the band
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