What does I Got Shit mean?

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  • igotid88
    igotid88 Posts: 28,608
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NActNJzxpkA
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  • RhinoJam
    RhinoJam Raleighwood Posts: 596
    Freaking love this song and Merkinball... I wish they would do some more collaborative work with Uncle Neil... a whole album with Pearl Jam would be sick!
    Charlotte 10/4/96 Raleigh 8/31/98 Charlotte 8/4/00 Raleigh 4/15/03 Asheville 10/6/04
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  • 2-feign-reluctance
    2-feign-reluctance TigerTown, USA Posts: 23,459
    Play on I Got Id - see S. Freud for details on Id, Ego and Superego
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  • ceska
    ceska New York Posts: 1,137
    Merkinball was released in December 1995, my first year in college. Perfect soundtrack for bleak upstate NY winters. That's what it means to me.

    I like the live versions with the "only got to hold you in my mind" line, sounds a bit better.
  • 100 Pacer
    100 Pacer Toronto, ON Posts: 9,321
    It's for all the hookers on crack.
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  • buck502000
    buck502000 Birthplace of GIBSON guitar Posts: 8,951
    Everything and nothing at the same time.......
  • igotid88
    igotid88 Posts: 28,608
    RhinoJam said:

    Freaking love this song and Merkinball... I wish they would do some more collaborative work with Uncle Neil... a whole album with Pearl Jam would be sick!

    Mirror ball
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  • Vitalogensia
    Vitalogensia Posts: 2,196
    I just remembered I need to buy a merkin one of these days.
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  • PJ_Soul
    PJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,655
    edited July 2015

    pepper wrote:

    I always thought the song was about some person who was to timid to approach a girl because of his lowself esteem. He really likes this girl so he imagined himself with her so "never got to hold you in real life" because he thought himself out of her league "I'm not ugly and you're looking at me" so he never approached her, only imagined being with her...I think a lot of us have been there b4



    So basically you have your memories but those are shit compared to the real thing



    and by the way...this song is the shit

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (fucking 2007 posts won't quote properly)

    For the most part, I agree with this interpretation, except I think that the "shit" is a double entendre. Yes, it means that the memories and dreams are shit compared to the real thing, but It's also about carrying a lot of baggage or psychological weight that runs deep (as the alternate title also suggests).
    Post edited by PJ_Soul on
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • igotid88
    igotid88 Posts: 28,608
    So the line is not "And I'll stay in bed" but "And I'll stare you back"
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  • smarchee
    smarchee Windsor, Ontario Posts: 14,539
    this song is stuck in my head now
    1998 ~ Barrie
    2003 ~ Toronto
    2005 ~ London, Toronto
    2006 ~ Toronto
    2008 ~ Hartford, Mansfied I,
    2009 ~ Toronto, Chicago I, Chicago II
    2010 ~ Cleveland, Buffalo
    2011 ~ Toronto I, Toronto II, Ottawa, Hamilton
    2013 - London, Pittsburgh, Buffalo
    2014 - Detroit
    2019 - Chicago X 2
  • bootlegger10
    bootlegger10 Posts: 16,251
    edited August 2015
    I Got Shit = I got Nothing... That is how I have always looked at it.

    My favorite Pearl Jam song and in my opinion their last truly epic song up there with Alive, Even Flow...
    Post edited by bootlegger10 on
  • hrd2imgn
    hrd2imgn Southwest Burbs of Chicago Posts: 4,924
    Total loneliness, paired with long road it is a perfect duo. I see it as a prisoner who can never get out and realize what he wants, the love of soemone who has written hi off because of what he did. This is the 4th song, the one after mama-son
  • PJ_Soul
    PJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,655
    bootlegger10 said:

    I Got Shit = I got Nothing... That is how I have always looked at it.

    My favorite Pearl Jam song and in my opinion their last truly epic song up there with Alive, Even Flow...

    With that interpretation, what would I got Id mean?
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • PJammer4life
    PJammer4life Los Angeles Posts: 2,669
    InThinAir said:

    I always compared this song to "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner. In that book the one character is retarded. His point of view in the book talks about his existence within a totally screwed up family. He has fully functioning thoughts but can't share any of them. The Sound is the constant arguing, abuse, and cover up happening around him and the Fury is that he can't even yell out let alone get out. I equate this to I Got Shit because I think the person in the song is dealing with something similar whether it's a physical or mental I don't know but he can't express deep feelings for someone, most likely a woman he loves from a far. So he's saying I Got Memories I Got Shit because memories aren't enough for him he wants to express himself...



    For the longest time I was wrong about a lyric and I was really bummed because I thought it was one of Eddie's best ever. When he says "If just once I could feel loved..." I thought he said "I'd say it like I mean it!!!" but he actually says "oh stare back at me yeah..." I like my misheard one better, so much that it used to give me chills to think about it. Oh well the beauty of PJ is that I can still feel that lyric if I want to.

    Interesting interpretation. I know the line in Rockin In the Free World "never get to fall in love, never get to be cool" is in reference to Neil Young's handicapped child. Looking at this song in that context a lot fits that perspective. But I prefer the loss and loneliness meaning.

    I like the parallel lyrics on self esteem from this song and Nirvana's Lithium."I'm so ugly, but that's ok, cause so are you", vs. Eddie 's " So I'll just lie alone and wait for the dream, where I'm not ugly and you're looking at me "
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  • bootlegger10
    bootlegger10 Posts: 16,251
    PJ_Soul said:

    bootlegger10 said:

    I Got Shit = I got Nothing... That is how I have always looked at it.

    My favorite Pearl Jam song and in my opinion their last truly epic song up there with Alive, Even Flow...

    With that interpretation, what would I got Id mean?
    A song title that came later that could be said on the radio. I don't think I am right after giving it some more thought but I like the phrasing better with my take on it. Having a memory of an event or person but they don't mean anything now.
  • PJ_Soul
    PJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,655
    bootlegger10 said:

    PJ_Soul said:

    bootlegger10 said:

    I Got Shit = I got Nothing... That is how I have always looked at it.

    My favorite Pearl Jam song and in my opinion their last truly epic song up there with Alive, Even Flow...

    With that interpretation, what would I got Id mean?
    A song title that came later that could be said on the radio. I don't think I am right after giving it some more thought but I like the phrasing better with my take on it. Having a memory of an event or person but they don't mean anything now.
    Well yeah, I know that's the radio friendly title, but it's still pertinent to the song I think.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • green_girl
    green_girl Posts: 931
    edited August 2015
    I know what a merkin is, but what is a merkin ball?

  • igotid88
    igotid88 Posts: 28,608
    green_girl said:

    I know what a merkin is, but what is a merkin ball?

    urban dictionary
    merkinball
    an old term that means a stand or holder for a pubic hair wig, also a pearl jam single
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  • october22
    october22 Posts: 2,533
    It's one of my favorites but I never really felt the need to analyze it. The emotion is so clear and relatable to me that trying to pin down specifics sort of takes away from it. Does that make sense to anyone but me?

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