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Little love for "Parachutes"?

thelastspartanthelastspartan Tulsa, OK Posts: 14
edited December 2013 in The Porch
Okay, so I've lurked the forums over a year and I see very little mention of the song "Parachutes", and it has only been played a handful of times (20 according to this website) live and I must ask, why? It's one of my personal fave PJ songs and it's just great in my opinion. It sounds like it's laid back, almost gloomy but there is good trying to push and seep in and then it just erupts and gives you a calming, mellow warm feeling, or maybe I'm just weird. Anyways, just wondered if maybe this just isn't a popular song or a loved one!
10/08/14 - Tulsa, Oklahoma
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments

  • KC2917KC2917 Posts: 872
    100%. That song grew on me and now I love it. I hope they pull it out again someday...
  • Leezestarr313Leezestarr313 Temple of the cat Posts: 14,399
    I love Parachutes and I was overjoyed to hear it live for the first time on this tour, I think it was in Philly. One of the highlights of the tour for me :D
    Please, Pearl Jam, consider a Benaroya Hall vinyl reissue!
    http://community.pearljam.com/discussion/148993/please-pearl-jam-consider-a-vinyl-benaroya-hall-re-issue


  • YardenYarden Posts: 820
    it was a grower for me as well. now i love it.
  • Soulfire42Soulfire42 Posts: 404
    Of Pearl Jam's actual attempts at writing a song meant to be a proper song, this one might be the one I find the most painful to listen to. I absolutely hate it.
  • PapPap Serres, Greece Posts: 29,620
    thelastspartan wrote:
    It [...] gives you a calming, mellow warm feeling...

    It's Christmas-Eve! Now spin it! :P
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  • EraserheadEraserhead Stoke-on-Trent Posts: 2,969
    Along with Gremmie and Let the Records Play, one of my least fave songs.
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  • dannydanny Posts: 2,283
    great song they should play it a lot more
    danny d
  • WhyGo91WhyGo91 Posts: 639
    I love the song too, and with Unemployable right after that, so perfect.
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  • EdsonNascimentoEdsonNascimento Posts: 5,528
    Leezestarr313 wrote:
    I love Parachutes and I was overjoyed to hear it live for the first time on this tour, I think it was in Philly. One of the highlights of the tour for me :D

    I'm a fan. And the great thing was, this wasn't even a song I thought I'd hear this tour.
    Sorry. The world doesn't work the way you tell it to.
  • calvo17calvo17 Posts: 440
    It's one of the few songs in their catalog that I hate. Down there with Evacuation or Johnny Guitar... and I got it in Philly 2...
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  • drlovemonkeydrlovemonkey Posts: 394
    Soulfire42 wrote:
    Of Pearl Jam's actual attempts at writing a song meant to be a proper song, this one might be the one I find the most painful to listen to. I absolutely hate it.

    I agree - hated it the 1st time I heard it, still hate it now.
  • WEAPONX24WEAPONX24 Posts: 133
    Cant stand it....Even over time and hearing it live a few times now still cant get into it...
  • KB262864KB262864 Posts: 67
    I agree. I love it. No real chorus. It is like a poem. Beautiful song.

    Probably a hard one for Ed to remember all the lyrics live. But I would love it if they played it at a show I attended.
  • Driftin'AlongDriftin'Along Posts: 1,403
    I enjoy the song. At first I didn't so it was a grower for me too. I have a friend who, over the years, I have tried to get into Pearl Jam and the other day he told me he was listening to PJ on random on his iPod. He said I heard a song that I had to remove from my iPod right away. He said he never wants to hear it again. You guessed it, Parachutes. I think this song is for the faithful...and not all of us based on the responses in this thread.
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  • SVRDhand13SVRDhand13 Posts: 26,796
    EdsonNascimento wrote:
    Leezestarr313 wrote:
    I love Parachutes and I was overjoyed to hear it live for the first time on this tour, I think it was in Philly. One of the highlights of the tour for me :D

    I'm a fan. And the great thing was, this wasn't even a song I thought I'd hear this tour.

    Agree with both if these comments :)
    severed hand thirteen
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  • gimmesometruth27gimmesometruth27 St. Fuckin Louis Posts: 23,365
    for some reason i really liked it when i first heard it. i always seem to like the songs that people consider "growers" right away. i wonder why that is..
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  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,352
    I LOOOOOOOOOOVE Parachutes!!! And did the first time I heard it. It on my list of songs I am DYING to hear live. It's my favorite from Avocado (and I love that album - it's in the top 5 for me). I don't really get why more people aren't in love with this song, but that's okay.... I'm just glad I love it. :D
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  • CharliePCharlieP Copenhagen, Denmark Posts: 1,035
    Always loved it. And here's why: it's Beatles-esque, quite different sounding for a PJ song. It has an odd time signature during the verses. It actually has a rather complex chord progression even though the melody flows easily. The melody is strong.
    I find there's a lot of songwriting quality to it and I think it's one of their most underrated songs

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  • CM189191CM189191 Posts: 6,927
    Love me some Parachutes!!!
    :D
    Maybe i'll even get to hear it live one day....
    :cry:
  • Leezestarr313Leezestarr313 Temple of the cat Posts: 14,399
    CharlieP wrote:
    Always loved it. And here's why: it's Beatles-esque, quite different sounding for a PJ song. It has an odd time signature during the verses. It actually has a rather complex chord progression even though the melody flows easily. The melody is strong.
    I find there's a lot of songwriting quality to it and I think it's one of their most underrated songs

    :thumbup:

    And the lyrics are great too :)

    What a different life had I not found this love with you ...
    Please, Pearl Jam, consider a Benaroya Hall vinyl reissue!
    http://community.pearljam.com/discussion/148993/please-pearl-jam-consider-a-vinyl-benaroya-hall-re-issue


  • CharliePCharlieP Copenhagen, Denmark Posts: 1,035
    Leezestarr313 wrote:
    CharlieP wrote:
    Always loved it. And here's why: it's Beatles-esque, quite different sounding for a PJ song. It has an odd time signature during the verses. It actually has a rather complex chord progression even though the melody flows easily. The melody is strong.
    I find there's a lot of songwriting quality to it and I think it's one of their most underrated songs

    :thumbup:

    And the lyrics are great too :)

    What a different life had I not found this love with you ...

    Oh yes!

    Roskilde 2000, Berlin 2006, Athens 2006, Dusseldorf 2007, Copenhagen 2007, New York NY 1 + 2 2008, Berlin 2009, London 2009, London 2010, Berlin 2010, Manchester 2 2012, Berlin 1 2012, Stockholm 2012, Oslo 2012, Copenhagen 2012, Amsterdam 1 + 2 (EV solo) 2012, Amsterdam 1 + 2 2014, Stockholm 2014, Oslo 2014, Leeds 2014, Milton Keynes 2014, Heartland Festival DK (EV solo) 2017, Berlin 2018, Barcelona 2018, Copenhagen 2022, Prague 2022 (Cancelled)



  • shetellsherselfshetellsherself New Jersey Posts: 8,835
    I love parachutes and was also so happy to hear it in Philly. I think it's beautiful how the lyrics play with the phrasing on the melody.
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  • 12345AGNST112345AGNST1 Posts: 4,906
    I love all of ST. Parachutes being one of them. I love how the acoustic guitar notes emphasize the up beats. It creates a bit of a shuffle groove even though matts note playing one.
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  • SVRDhand13SVRDhand13 Posts: 26,796
    EV read the lyrics off a sheet at Philly 1 ( :lol:) and I'm happy he did because the boot sounds great
    severed hand thirteen
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    2010: Newark 5/18 MSG 5/20-21 2011: PJ20 9/3-4 2012: Made In America 9/2
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  • CM189191CM189191 Posts: 6,927
    Had to come back to this thread to comment again.

    Parachutes strikes a sentimental chord with me much in the same way Sirens does. Just without the overthetopcheesiness.

    Parachute into Target Field 2014!!!
  • LF55358LF55358 Minnesota Posts: 71
    Love the song and hopefully it is played at target field in 2014.
  • KateAKateA Posts: 182
    Loved Parachutes from the first listen, still do. Actually I can not imagine how anyone can hate it. :shock:
    Well I guess we are all different. The beauty of it is we all managed to find the common denominator - PJ ;)
    <hr>Normality is the death of personality.
  • CrookedTomCrookedTom Posts: 252
    Not a great one - and I had high hopes, being a rare (at least these days) Vedder/Gossard combination.
    The early verse is great, but it goes nowhere and Eddie is straining his voice over all the high notes. His
    voice is far too high in the mix...Actually thought it sounded a little better live (Paris 06 is a good one)
  • given2fly23given2fly23 Evanston, IL Posts: 5,994
    The whole album has aged VERY well. I get pretty excited when WWS or SH come up on my iPod these days, and every song on the album (other than Comatose, IMO) is pretty awesome.
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  • CaelumCaelum Illinois Posts: 25
    I completely ignored this song at first, but its subtle melodies really dug into me over repeated listens and I soon came to love it. I can imagine it being a song that inspires more bathroom breaks than anything else in the set live though. Not sure how well it would come across there, but I haven't seen it live yet.
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