Unreleased Pearl Jam Song "Better Days" Leaks

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Comments

  • Blah
    Blah Posts: 469
    Shawshank wrote:
    I've been listening to this again, and I don't care if they say this song is from the Riot Act cutting room floor. I saw the recording history, and I know that it was listed there during the RA session. However, the sound, the lyrics and style are definitely ITW/BS era, and given the lack of accompanying instruments I'd have to put this with ITW. That is just my opinion, but I would bet some serious coin that this was recorded in the last 3 years. My theory is that it was resurrected for ITW, but maybe the lyrics didn't really fit the movie, so they dropped it.

    Total guess on your part.

    cool.
  • Hugh Freaking Dillon
    Hugh Freaking Dillon Posts: 14,010
    SoonForgotten2 wrote:
    Billy Pumpkin wrote:
    Shawshank wrote:
    I've been listening to this again, and I don't care if they say this song is from the Riot Act cutting room floor. I saw the recording history, and I know that it was listed there during the RA session. However, the sound, the lyrics and style are definitely ITW/BS era, and given the lack of accompanying instruments I'd have to put this with ITW. That is just my opinion, but I would bet some serious coin that this was recorded in the last 3 years. My theory is that it was resurrected for ITW, but maybe the lyrics didn't really fit the movie, so they dropped it.

    I've been listening to this song on repeat for pretty much the last 24 hours, and it smacks Riot Act to me. The vocals in it remind me alot of Arc.

    The lyrics are waaaay too positive and optimistic for Riot Act era material. By far.

    I would agree with that, but the style of the song is RA. And we don't know that Ed wrote the lyrics to this, as far as I know. And I think the fact that this song remained unreleased is a good indicator that it WAS during the RA sessions, as it wouldn't have fit the rest of the theme of the album. Maybe Ed was having an uplifting day when he wrote it! :D
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  • Hugh Freaking Dillon
    Hugh Freaking Dillon Posts: 14,010
    the way it sounds, this easily could have been written during the filming of Imagine In Cornice in a cafe in Italy. :D
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  • inhiding 1976
    inhiding 1976 NWI Posts: 580
    I can't wait to hear it!!

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  • Gonzo1977
    Gonzo1977 Posts: 1,696
    Probably concieved around the time of "Riot Act" ... But born around the time of "Into The Wild".

    Unless someone slipped a heavy dose Zoloft into Ed's wine...

    I find it hard to believe that somone can go from writing: "It's a hopeless situation" to "The Future's paved with Better Days" in one session.

    That kind of optimism did not exist in 2001-2002.
  • imissyoualready
    imissyoualready Posts: 438
    This is definitely not from "Riot Act". This is definitely recent. Here's the issue: This may be just Ed. There's nothing in there that screams of the other guys. As a musician, I'm pretty good at hearing this stuff (who did what). I think this is just ED and probably more recent than the "Into The Wild" stuff.

    There you go.
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  • ledvedderman
    ledvedderman Posts: 7,762
    Well...I'm going to rely on the list we've known about for almost 7 years of the songs from the Riot Act sessions to agree that it's from Riot Act. I could listen to Dead Man and think it was Into The Wild era, but it isn't. This is from Riot Act.
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  • justam
    justam Posts: 21,415
    The uplifting mood doesn't seem to fit the Riot Act era, but only they know for sure at the moment.

    I'm surprised we are being allowed to talk about this. :?

    Since I already entered this thread, I might as well comment that I LOVE the song. (!) ;)
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  • Electric_Delta
    Electric_Delta Posts: 977
    Where is this song found? How can I listen to it / acquire it?
    Bristow, VA (5/13/10)
  • ledvedderman
    ledvedderman Posts: 7,762
    justam wrote:
    The uplifting mood doesn't seem to fit the Riot Act era, but only they know for sure at the moment.

    I guess the same can be said for "Down"
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  • Veddernarian
    Veddernarian Posts: 1,924
    RollingStone.com. On their website, the term "Ten Club's Message Board" is linked to this thread. Enjoy:

    http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/17386/112916

    By Daniel Kreps
    Jun 10, 2010 12:35 PM EDT

    An unreleased Pearl Jam song titled "Better Days" has leaked after appearing unexpectedly on the official site of Pearl Jam's Monkeywrench Records. One eagle-eyed Pearl Jam fan discovered "Better Days" posted as a stream with a note reading, "Gary, Kelly wanted you to hear this please give it a listen." The "Kelly" in question is likely Pearl Jam manager Kelly Curtis, Antiquiet reports. Monkeywrench Records is the label created by Pearl Jam, now free from a major label record contract, to release their latest album Backspacer. The site had previously been dormant until the surprise appearance of "Better Days," however as news of the leak began to spread, the site went under lockdown and now requires a username and password. However, you can still listen to "Better Days" on Antiquiet.

    As opposed to the harder-edged, guitar-based tracks on Backspacer, the soaring ballad "Better Days" recalls Pearl Jam songs like "Long Road" and "Off He Goes." Mandolins and accordions crescendo as Vedder sings, "Our future is paved in better days" in the song's triumphant climax. The experts on Pearl Jam's Ten Club message board speculate that "Better Days" dates back to 2003's Riot Act — a song of the same title was listed among the tracks recorded during that album's studio sessions — but this version was likely recorded more recently as Vedder's vocals more closely resemble his present-day singing voice.

    Pearl Jam haven’t released any comment about the "Better Days" leak, but fans have whipped themselves into a frenzy hypothesizing the track could appear on the group's next album, the band's annual Christmas singles, a possible upcoming reissue of Riot Act or as a B side to Backspacer.
    Up here so high I start to shake, Up here so high the sky I scrape, I've no fear but for falling down, So look out below I am falling now, Falling down,...not staying down, Could’ve held me up, rather tear me down, Drown in the river
  • justam
    justam Posts: 21,415
    ledvedderman wrote:
    justam wrote:
    The uplifting mood doesn't seem to fit the Riot Act era, but only they know for sure at the moment.

    I guess the same can be said for "Down"

    Good point.
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  • imissyoualready
    imissyoualready Posts: 438
    and there goes ledvetterman again. Trust me. This cannot have been recorded during the riot act sessions. riot act wasnt recorded at 24 bit and this clearly was. maybe they recorded another version of the song or ed reused the title or something (not the first time). This is newer than backspacer.
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  • PearlJamPatriot
    PearlJamPatriot Posts: 2,426
    I havent read through this whole post, but here a list of songs from the Riot Act recording sessions and Better Days is on it.:

    February/March2002 - Studio X - Seattle, WA
    Ed Vedder - vocals, guitar, background vocals, ukulele; Stone Gossard - guitar; Mike McCready - guitar; Jeff Ament - bass; Matt Cameron - drum kit, percussion, background vocals, guitar on 'Cropduster' and 'You Are'; Kenneth "Boom" Gaspar - organ, piano on 'All Or None'; Adam Kasper - piano on 'You Are'

    * 1/2 Full
    * 4/20/02
    * All Or None
    * April Bear
    * Arc
    * Backfire
    * Better Days
    * Brokenhearted
    * Bu$hleaguer
    * Can't Keep
    * Code Red
    * Cropduster
    * Don't Follow
    * Down
    * Faster
    * Get Right
    * Ghost
    * Green Disease
    * Goodbye
    * Had Enough
    * helphelp
    * I Am Mine
    * Islands
    * It's Too Late
    * Keep Goin'
    * Last Soldier
    * Levels
    * Longing To Belong
    * Love Boat Captain (a.k.a. Boom B3)
    * Meteorologist
    * No Good Reason
    * Other Side
    * Sad
    * Say Goodbye
    * Satellite
    * Save You
    * Searchlight
    * Spin Cycle
    * Thumbing My Way
    * Undone
    * Upside Downside
    * You Are (a.k.a. Undone)
    * You're True
    Pearl Jam Shows: 1998 - 9/11 New York, NY (MSG night 2); 9/13 Hartford, CT || 2000 - 8/24 Wantagh, NY (Jones Beach 2); 8/27 Saratoga Springs; 8/29 Mansfield, MA (night 1); 8/30 Mansfield, MA (night 2) || 2003 - 4/29 Albany, NY; 5/3 State College, PA; 7/2 Mansfield (night 1); 7/6 Camden, NJ (night 2); 7/8 New York, NY (MSG night 1) || 2004 - 9/28 Boston, MA (night 1); 9/29 Boston, MA (night 2) || 2005 - 10/3 Philadelphia, PA || 2006 - 5/12 Albany, NY; 5/13 Hartford, CT; 5/24 Boston, MA (night 1); 5/25 Boston, MA (night 2); 5/27 Camden, NJ (night 1); 5/28 Camden, NJ (night 2)|| 2008 - 6/19 Camden, NJ (night 1); 6/24 New York, NY (MSG night 1); 6/25 New York, NY (MSG night 2); 6/27 Hartford, CT; 6/28 Mansfield, MA (night 1); 6/30 Mansfield, MA (night 2); 7/1 New York, NY (Beacon Theater)|| 2009 - 9/21 Seattle, WA (night 1); 9/22 Seattle, WA (night 2); 10/27 Philadelphia, PA (Spectrum night 1); 10/28 Philadelphia, PA (Spectrum night 2); 10/30 Philadelphia, PA (Spectrum night 3); 10/31 Philadelphia, PA (Spectrum night 4)|| 2010 - 5/15 Hartford, CT; 5/17 Boston, MA; 5/20 New York, NY (MSG night 1); 5/21 New York, NY (MSG night 2)|| 2011 - 9/3 East Troy, WI (PJ20); 9/4 East Troy, WI (PJ20) || 2012 - 9/2 Philadelphia, PA, 9/30 Missoula, MT || 2013 - 7/19 Chicago, IL (Wrigley Field), 10/12 Buffalo, NY, 10/15 Worcester, MA (night 1), 10/16 Worcester, MA (night 2), 10/18 Brooklyn, NY (night 1), 10/19 Brooklyn, NY (night 2), 10/25 Hartford, CT || 2014 - 10/22 Denver, CO || 2015 -  9/26 New York, NY (Global Citizen Festival) || 2016 - 5/1 New York, NY (night 1), 5/2 New York, NY (night 2), 8/5 Boston, MA (Fenway Park night 1), 8/7 Boston, MA (Fenway Park night 2) || 2018 - 9/2 Boston, MA (Fenway Park night 1) || 2020 - 3/30 New York, NY
    Eddie Vedder solo: 2008 - Boston night 1 & 2 || 2009 - Albany, NY night 1 & 2 || 2011 - Hartford, CT, Boston, MA

  • ledvedderman
    ledvedderman Posts: 7,762
    Again?
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  • PearlJamPatriot
    PearlJamPatriot Posts: 2,426
    Better Dyas was on the list of songs recorded during the Riot Act sessions:

    February/march 2002 - Studio X - Seattle, WA
    Ed Vedder - vocals, guitar, background vocals, ukulele; Stone Gossard - guitar; Mike McCready - guitar; Jeff Ament - bass; Matt Cameron - drum kit, percussion, background vocals, guitar on 'Cropduster' and 'You Are'; Kenneth "Boom" Gaspar - organ, piano on 'All Or None'; Adam Kasper - piano on 'You Are'

    * 1/2 Full
    * 4/20/02
    * All Or None
    * April Bear
    * Arc
    * Backfire
    * Better Days
    * Brokenhearted
    * Bu$hleaguer
    * Can't Keep
    * Code Red
    * Cropduster
    * Don't Follow
    * Down
    * Faster
    * Get Right
    * Ghost
    * Green Disease
    * Goodbye
    * Had Enough
    * helphelp
    * I Am Mine
    * Islands
    * It's Too Late
    * Keep Goin'
    * Last Soldier
    * Levels
    * Longing To Belong
    * Love Boat Captain (a.k.a. Boom B3)
    * Meteorologist
    * No Good Reason
    * Other Side
    * Sad
    * Say Goodbye
    * Satellite
    * Save You
    * Searchlight
    * Spin Cycle
    * Thumbing My Way
    * Undone
    * Upside Downside
    * You Are (a.k.a. Undone)
    * You're True
    Pearl Jam Shows: 1998 - 9/11 New York, NY (MSG night 2); 9/13 Hartford, CT || 2000 - 8/24 Wantagh, NY (Jones Beach 2); 8/27 Saratoga Springs; 8/29 Mansfield, MA (night 1); 8/30 Mansfield, MA (night 2) || 2003 - 4/29 Albany, NY; 5/3 State College, PA; 7/2 Mansfield (night 1); 7/6 Camden, NJ (night 2); 7/8 New York, NY (MSG night 1) || 2004 - 9/28 Boston, MA (night 1); 9/29 Boston, MA (night 2) || 2005 - 10/3 Philadelphia, PA || 2006 - 5/12 Albany, NY; 5/13 Hartford, CT; 5/24 Boston, MA (night 1); 5/25 Boston, MA (night 2); 5/27 Camden, NJ (night 1); 5/28 Camden, NJ (night 2)|| 2008 - 6/19 Camden, NJ (night 1); 6/24 New York, NY (MSG night 1); 6/25 New York, NY (MSG night 2); 6/27 Hartford, CT; 6/28 Mansfield, MA (night 1); 6/30 Mansfield, MA (night 2); 7/1 New York, NY (Beacon Theater)|| 2009 - 9/21 Seattle, WA (night 1); 9/22 Seattle, WA (night 2); 10/27 Philadelphia, PA (Spectrum night 1); 10/28 Philadelphia, PA (Spectrum night 2); 10/30 Philadelphia, PA (Spectrum night 3); 10/31 Philadelphia, PA (Spectrum night 4)|| 2010 - 5/15 Hartford, CT; 5/17 Boston, MA; 5/20 New York, NY (MSG night 1); 5/21 New York, NY (MSG night 2)|| 2011 - 9/3 East Troy, WI (PJ20); 9/4 East Troy, WI (PJ20) || 2012 - 9/2 Philadelphia, PA, 9/30 Missoula, MT || 2013 - 7/19 Chicago, IL (Wrigley Field), 10/12 Buffalo, NY, 10/15 Worcester, MA (night 1), 10/16 Worcester, MA (night 2), 10/18 Brooklyn, NY (night 1), 10/19 Brooklyn, NY (night 2), 10/25 Hartford, CT || 2014 - 10/22 Denver, CO || 2015 -  9/26 New York, NY (Global Citizen Festival) || 2016 - 5/1 New York, NY (night 1), 5/2 New York, NY (night 2), 8/5 Boston, MA (Fenway Park night 1), 8/7 Boston, MA (Fenway Park night 2) || 2018 - 9/2 Boston, MA (Fenway Park night 1) || 2020 - 3/30 New York, NY
    Eddie Vedder solo: 2008 - Boston night 1 & 2 || 2009 - Albany, NY night 1 & 2 || 2011 - Hartford, CT, Boston, MA

  • LikeAnOcean
    LikeAnOcean Posts: 7,718
    justam wrote:
    The uplifting mood doesn't seem to fit the Riot Act era, but only they know for sure at the moment.

    I'm surprised we are being allowed to talk about this. :?

    Since I already entered this thread, I might as well comment that I LOVE the song. (!) ;)
    Down is one of their most uplifting songs.. and its from the Riot Act sessions. Chances are, the uplifting songs didn't make Riot Act because they didn't fit. Makes sense.


    Everyone's guess would be as good as mine. It was recorded sometime between Binaural and now.
  • imissyoualready
    imissyoualready Posts: 438
    This is why I dont post. "lukin" was 'recorded' for the vitalogy record but that version didnt make it on and they re-recorded it later. This is how stuff works. From a technical standpoint alone, this song is newer. Songs were not recorded at this resolution prior to 2006 or so. Ed did not sing like this in 2002. The list goes on believe me. It's just Ed and it's new.
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    Washington D.C. '04, London '05,Hamilton '05,Grand Rapids '06,
    Cleveland '06, Detroit '06,Pittsburgh '06,Cincinnati '06,Chicago '07
    NYC '08, NYC '08, Chicago '09, Chicago '09, ACL '09, Columbus 2010, Noblesville 2010, Cleveland 2010, Buffalo 2010.
  • ledvedderman
    ledvedderman Posts: 7,762
    imissyoualready wrote:
    This is why I dont post. "lukin" was 'recorded' for the vitalogy record but that version didnt make it on and they re-recorded it later. This is how stuff works. From a technical standpoint alone, this song is newer. Songs were not recorded at this resolution prior to 2006 or so. Ed did not sing like this in 2002. The list goes on believe me. It's just Ed and it's new.

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  • imissyoualready
    imissyoualready Posts: 438
    ledvedderman wrote:
    imissyoualready wrote:
    This is why I dont post. "lukin" was 'recorded' for the vitalogy record but that version didnt make it on and they re-recorded it later. This is how stuff works. From a technical standpoint alone, this song is newer. Songs were not recorded at this resolution prior to 2006 or so. Ed did not sing like this in 2002. The list goes on believe me. It's just Ed and it's new.

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    LOL. Effing Word!
    Toledo '96, Cleveland '98, Columbus '00, Cleveland '03, Toledo '04
    Washington D.C. '04, London '05,Hamilton '05,Grand Rapids '06,
    Cleveland '06, Detroit '06,Pittsburgh '06,Cincinnati '06,Chicago '07
    NYC '08, NYC '08, Chicago '09, Chicago '09, ACL '09, Columbus 2010, Noblesville 2010, Cleveland 2010, Buffalo 2010.

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