Admit it, Ed has regressed as a songwriter/lyrcist

i am a target · October 2013

Let's be realistic. Ed hasn't written a good acoustic song in years. The acoustic tracks that he wrote on Lightning Bolt are just atrocious college-dorm-room G-D-C strumming stinkers. His lyrics are just god awful going back to Backspacer. 'Just Breathe', 'The End', 'Future Days', 'Sleeping By Myself' ...all of them are just plain bad. Even as songs qua songs they just aren't very good ...at all.

Be honest, if you heard a song on the radio with these lyrics you wouldn't give it a second listen:

I should have know there was someone else
Now I'm alone I always kept it to myself
Now I believe in nothing
Not today as I move myself out of your sight
Oh I'll be sleeping by myself tonight

You would laugh and think it was horrible and would probably wonder why you stopped on an adult contemporary/soft rock station anyway. His lyrics are just so damn maudlin and juvenile even as far back as 'Love Boat Captain' which, by the way, these songs make look like lyrical genius.

I will say, however, that Getaway is a solid tune.

whofeelslikeadrank · October 2013

The Waiting Trophy Man · October 2013

You're making yourself a target!

Spiritual_Chaos · October 2013

i am a target wrote:

Let's be realistic. Ed hasn't written a good acoustic song in years. The acoustic tracks that he wrote on Lightning Bolt are just atrocious college-dorm-room G-D-C strumming stinkers. His lyrics are just god awful going back to Backspacer. 'Just Breathe', 'The End', 'Future Days', 'Sleeping By Myself' ...all of them are just plain bad. Even as songs qua songs they just aren't very good ...at all.

Be honest, if you heard a song on the radio with these lyrics you wouldn't give it a second listen:

I should have know there was someone else
Now I'm alone I always kept it to myself
Now I believe in nothing
Not today as I move myself out of your sight
Oh I'll be sleeping by myself tonight

You would laugh and think it was horrible and would probably wonder why you stopped on an adult contemporary/soft rock station anyway. His lyrics are just so damn maudlin and juvenile even as far back as 'Love Boat Captain' which, by the way, these songs make look like lyrical genius.

I will say, however, that Getaway is a solid tune.

Isn't Sleeping by myself from like 2000 or something?

I like that one, even though the lyrics are very concrete and direct...

just breathe/future days/the end are.. not good though...

EC52468 · October 2013

I believe sleeping by myself is a cover from 70 yrs ago. I will have to go back and look at uekele album

Joey Eakins · October 2013

I love the new lyrics and music. I like the change in Eddie and his approach to writing songs.

i am a target · October 2013

I was hoping he would contain his boring songs to his solo album, but that doesn't appear to be the case. I'm equally as angry about that fact that his bland acoustic songs make it and Stone (the best songwriter in the group) only got one of his on there. The best music this band has written in a long time are the two Ament/Gossard songs ...enough of Ed and Mike and their just plain boring songs already.

The Waiting Trophy Man · October 2013

Enough of you and your bitching and whining already; we get it!

i am a target · October 2013

The Waiting Trophy Man wrote:

Enough of you and your bitching and whining already; we get it!

Sorry, I wasn't aware only Pearl Jam apologists were allowed to post on this message board. I actually hold this band to a higher standard because I know how great they are and how great they can be.

Ledbetterman10 · October 2013

i am a target wrote:

The Waiting Trophy Man wrote:

Enough of you and your bitching and whining already; we get it!

Sorry, I wasn't aware only Pearl Jam apologists were allowed to post on this message board. I actually hold this band to a higher standard because I know how great they are and how great they can be.

After 23 years, it's unrealistic to hold them to whatever "higher standard" you hold them to. So Ed's songwriting isn't as good as it was in 1996. Well neither is Michael Jordan's basketball playing.

dtnmusic · October 2013

Time to go upstairs, your mom has your cereal ready.

CROJAM95 · October 2013

Why do people get divorced?? Things change

If it's not doing it for you anymore, then.....

i am a target · October 2013

Ledbetterman10 wrote:

i am a target wrote:

The Waiting Trophy Man wrote:

Enough of you and your bitching and whining already; we get it!

Sorry, I wasn't aware only Pearl Jam apologists were allowed to post on this message board. I actually hold this band to a higher standard because I know how great they are and how great they can be.

After 23 years, it's unrealistic to hold them to whatever "higher standard" you hold them to. So Ed's songwriting isn't as good as it was in 1996. Well neither is Michael Jordan's basketball playing.

Really? I don't think so at all. I guess I'm just not ok with their writing average, at best, songs considering the fact that they can still write great songs.

I think half of Lightning Bolt is outstanding (Getaway, Mind Your Manners, My Father's Son, Infallible, Pendulum, Yellow Moon) and I think Infallible/Pendulum are two of the best songs they've written in their career.

Ledbetterman10 · October 2013

i am a target wrote:

Really? I don't think so at all. I guess I'm just not ok with their writing average, at best, songs considering the fact that they can still write great songs.

I think half of Lightning Bolt is outstanding (Getaway, Mind Your Manners, My Father's Son, Infallible, Pendulum, Yellow Moon) and I think Infallible/Pendulum are two of the best songs they've written in their career.

Well there ya go, if half of it is outstanding, then he couldn't have regressed that much. Believe it or not, they've had many "average" songs over the years. I love "Animal" as much as the next guy but isn't it just a guy counting to 5 and repeating a refrain?

i am a target · October 2013

dtnmusic wrote:

Time to go upstairs, your mom has your cereal ready.

Kid, your insult is cute, but the real question here is who let you on the internet?

i am a target · October 2013

Ledbetterman10 wrote:

i am a target wrote:

Really? I don't think so at all. I guess I'm just not ok with their writing average, at best, songs considering the fact that they can still write great songs.

I think half of Lightning Bolt is outstanding (Getaway, Mind Your Manners, My Father's Son, Infallible, Pendulum, Yellow Moon) and I think Infallible/Pendulum are two of the best songs they've written in their career.

Well there ya go, if half of it is outstanding, then he couldn't have regressed that much.

My original post was concerning his acoustic/ukulele drivel ...the harder stuff he's more on point. I got away from that in my other posts. The rest of the band (aside from Mike) still write some damn great songs, but for whatever reason strumming open chords on an acoustic brings out the college student in Ed.

whofeelslikeadrank · October 2013

Ledbetterman10 wrote:

Well there ya go, if half of it is outstanding, then he couldn't have regressed that much. Believe it or not, they've had many "average" songs over the years. I love "Animal" as much as the next guy but isn't it just a guy counting to 5 and repeating a refrain?

mfc2006 · October 2013

I disagree. To each, their own.

Ledbetterman10 · October 2013

i am a target wrote:

Ledbetterman10 wrote:

i am a target wrote:

Really? I don't think so at all. I guess I'm just not ok with their writing average, at best, songs considering the fact that they can still write great songs.

I think half of Lightning Bolt is outstanding (Getaway, Mind Your Manners, My Father's Son, Infallible, Pendulum, Yellow Moon) and I think Infallible/Pendulum are two of the best songs they've written in their career.

Well there ya go, if half of it is outstanding, then he couldn't have regressed that much.

My original post was concerning his acoustic/ukulele drivel ...the harder stuff he's more on point. I got away from that in my other posts. The rest of the band (aside from Mike) still write some damn great songs, but for whatever reason strumming open chords on an acoustic brings out the college student in Ed.

Well I'm actually with ya on not liking the acoustic stuff over the past decade. Thumbing My Way, Just Breathe, Sirens....all total bores to me. But just because you and I don't like them doesn't mean they're not well-written songs. Just Breathe and Sirens seem to be very popular.

I'm a Truck · October 2013

:corn:

i am a target · October 2013

I love 'Infallible', but can anyone else hear Liam Gallagher singing this one (and that isn't an insult ...I love Oasis)?

Admit it, Ed has regressed as a songwriter/lyrcist

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