Took me twenty years to notice this basic word play.

CG49089
CG49089 Posts: 110
edited March 2019 in The Porch
So... Like many of you, I've deeply loved the song "Black" for over twenty years now.

I realized something yesterday about a line in the song, that kinda blew me away, even though it seems somewhat obvious in hindsight.

One of the classic lines from the song is...

"I take a walk outside. I'm surrounded by, some kids at play. I can feel their laughter, so why do I sear?"

And it occurred to me that there is a really cool  wordplay between "sear" and "see her". 

I think a lot of people who have gone through a difficult breakup have been through a period where they see the former lover everywhere they go.

I always liked the use of the word "sear" in that lyric, and this realization added another layer of brilliance for me. 

I found myself wondering if Ed had originally written "see her" and grabbed the wordplay later.

Anyway, at the risk of pointing out the obvious, I thought I might share that with y'all, in case some of you, like me, had never noticed this little detail in one of the ultimate Pearl Jam songs.

Cheers.




***@**@**@**@**@**
Post edited by CG49089 on
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Comments

  • densan
    densan Posts: 563
    f-me. Thank you so much. 
    Be different & make a difference. Decency & kindness @ a grassroots level works.
  • michielpj82
    michielpj82 Posts: 39
    That's awesome. Never noticed that, but it totally makes sense.
    Thank you!
    '06: Antwerp, Paris // '07: Werchter // '09: Rotterdam // '10: Werchter // '12: Werchter // '14: Amsterdam 1 // '18: Amsterdam 2, Pinkpop
  • Jammalambo
    Jammalambo Posts: 1,321
    I remember reading the lyrics so many years ago, and some sites were reporting "sear", others "see her".. There were things like this in other songs too.. "Everything has chains/changed", "Spilled my tincture/Steal my t-shirt" in Corduroy, and for some time I thought it was "Glorified version of a pellican" in Glorified G thanks to some other misunderstood lyrics.. and my mother tongue is italian, so all of this added to the confusion. Ed likes to play on words, it seems.
  • AndySlash
    AndySlash Posts: 3,293
    i never knew it was anything but 'see her'. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
  • KN219077
    KN219077 Montana Posts: 1,204
    I’ve always thought this, mostly because I always hear see her even when I know it’s sear.
  • PB11041
    PB11041 Earth Posts: 2,845
    I always wondered why a general assumption was that this was about a break up.  It always seemed pretty much that this was about the shock of unexpected death of someone and dealing with the permanence that they are never coming back.  
    His eminence has yet to show. 
    http://www.hi5sports.org/ (Sports Program for Kids with Disabilities)
    http://www.livefootsteps.org/user/?usr=3652

  • Spiritual_Chaos
    Spiritual_Chaos Posts: 31,718
    I don't think it is suppose to be a wordplay.
    "Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
  • lastexitlondon
    lastexitlondon Posts: 15,207
    Spiritual_Chaos said:
    I don't think it is suppose to be a wordplay.
    Me either. In fact I've never had it sound like "see her". Always sear


    this song is meant to be called i got shit,itshould be called i got shit tickets-hartford 06 -
  • Jammalambo
    Jammalambo Posts: 1,321
    edited March 2019
    PB11041 said:
    I always wondered why a general assumption was that this was about a break up.  It always seemed pretty much that this was about the shock of unexpected death of someone and dealing with the permanence that they are never coming back.  
    Maybe because that last line "I know someday you'll have a beautiful life..." doesn't make much sense if you're referring to a dead person?
    Post edited by Jammalambo on
  • jonbond1779
    jonbond1779 London, UK Posts: 1,642
    Reminds me of the word-play in 'In my Tree' - 

    Im just holding on to my inner-sense (Innocence) - this blew my mind! 
    "Bring it back, to the clean form. To the pure form"

    28/09/04 - Boston, 20/04/06 - London [\\mm//Astoria\\mm//] - 18/06/07 - Wembley Arena, 11/08/09 -  London [\\mm//Shepherds Bush Empire\\mm//],18/08/09 - 02 Arena, 25/06/10 - Hyde Park, 26/06/12 - Amsterdam, 27/06/12 - Amsterdam, 08/07/14 - Leeds,11/07/14 - Milton Keynes, 13/06/18 - Amsterdam, 18/06/18 - London 02 Arena, 17/07/18 - London 02 Arena, 08/08/22 - Hyde Park, 9/08/22 - Hyde Park - 25/08/22 - Amsterdam.
  • Spiritual_Chaos
    Spiritual_Chaos Posts: 31,718
    Jammalambo said:
    PB11041 said:
    I always wondered why a general assumption was that this was about a break up.  It always seemed pretty much that this was about the shock of unexpected death of someone and dealing with the permanence that they are never coming back.  
    Maybe because that last line "I know someday you'll have a beautiful life..." doesn't make much sense if you're referring to a dead person?

    "Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
  • PB11041
    PB11041 Earth Posts: 2,845
    Jammalambo said:
    PB11041 said:
    I always wondered why a general assumption was that this was about a break up.  It always seemed pretty much that this was about the shock of unexpected death of someone and dealing with the permanence that they are never coming back.  
    Maybe because that last line "I know someday you'll have a beautiful life..." doesn't make much sense if you're referring to a dead person?
    Really?  Because no one in art ever makes allusions.   You could be a star in the sky that someone sees, a new star that gets discovered by someone else, the idea of the big bang and evolution is we are all made of star dust anyway.   
    His eminence has yet to show. 
    http://www.hi5sports.org/ (Sports Program for Kids with Disabilities)
    http://www.livefootsteps.org/user/?usr=3652

  • Spiritual_Chaos
    Spiritual_Chaos Posts: 31,718
    PB11041 said:
    Jammalambo said:
    PB11041 said:
    I always wondered why a general assumption was that this was about a break up.  It always seemed pretty much that this was about the shock of unexpected death of someone and dealing with the permanence that they are never coming back.  
    Maybe because that last line "I know someday you'll have a beautiful life..." doesn't make much sense if you're referring to a dead person?
    Really?  Because no one in art ever makes allusions.   You could be a star in the sky that someone sees, a new star that gets discovered by someone else, the idea of the big bang and evolution is we are all made of star dust anyway.   
    That line makes the most logical allusion that it's about a breakup. 

    So, wonder why that would be the "general assumption" comes off as a bit weird.
    "Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
  • PB11041
    PB11041 Earth Posts: 2,845
    Spiritual_Chaos said:
    PB11041 said:
    Jammalambo said:
    PB11041 said:
    I always wondered why a general assumption was that this was about a break up.  It always seemed pretty much that this was about the shock of unexpected death of someone and dealing with the permanence that they are never coming back.  
    Maybe because that last line "I know someday you'll have a beautiful life..." doesn't make much sense if you're referring to a dead person?
    Really?  Because no one in art ever makes allusions.   You could be a star in the sky that someone sees, a new star that gets discovered by someone else, the idea of the big bang and evolution is we are all made of star dust anyway.   
    That line makes the most logical allusion that it's about a breakup. 

    So, wonder why that would be the "general assumption" comes off as a bit weird.
    Completely disagree. 
    His eminence has yet to show. 
    http://www.hi5sports.org/ (Sports Program for Kids with Disabilities)
    http://www.livefootsteps.org/user/?usr=3652

  • Spiritual_Chaos
    Spiritual_Chaos Posts: 31,718
    PB11041 said:
    Spiritual_Chaos said:
    PB11041 said:
    Jammalambo said:
    PB11041 said:
    I always wondered why a general assumption was that this was about a break up.  It always seemed pretty much that this was about the shock of unexpected death of someone and dealing with the permanence that they are never coming back.  
    Maybe because that last line "I know someday you'll have a beautiful life..." doesn't make much sense if you're referring to a dead person?
    Really?  Because no one in art ever makes allusions.   You could be a star in the sky that someone sees, a new star that gets discovered by someone else, the idea of the big bang and evolution is we are all made of star dust anyway.   
    That line makes the most logical allusion that it's about a breakup. 

    So, wonder why that would be the "general assumption" comes off as a bit weird.
    Completely disagree. 
    That's okey. 

    But I hope there is not a bunch of other logical conclusions and general assumptions out there in the world you go around wonder about. :)

     "All the love gone bad
    Turned my world to black
    Tattooed all I see
    All that I am"

    Why do people jump to the conclusion that the song is about a relationship?!?!?!
    "Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
  • PB11041
    PB11041 Earth Posts: 2,845
    Spiritual_Chaos said:
    PB11041 said:
    Spiritual_Chaos said:
    PB11041 said:
    Jammalambo said:
    PB11041 said:
    I always wondered why a general assumption was that this was about a break up.  It always seemed pretty much that this was about the shock of unexpected death of someone and dealing with the permanence that they are never coming back.  
    Maybe because that last line "I know someday you'll have a beautiful life..." doesn't make much sense if you're referring to a dead person?
    Really?  Because no one in art ever makes allusions.   You could be a star in the sky that someone sees, a new star that gets discovered by someone else, the idea of the big bang and evolution is we are all made of star dust anyway.   
    That line makes the most logical allusion that it's about a breakup. 

    So, wonder why that would be the "general assumption" comes off as a bit weird.
    Completely disagree. 
    That's okey. 

    But I hope there is not a bunch of other logical conclusions and general assumptions out there in the world you go around wonder about. :)

     "All the love gone bad
    Turned my world to black
    Tattooed all I see
    All that I am"

    Why do people jump to the conclusion that the song is about a relationship?!?!?!
    When did I say it wasn't about a relationship?  People have relationships all the time and they have pitfalls, and then have regrets because there is no way to make amends because tragedy intercedes. 


    His eminence has yet to show. 
    http://www.hi5sports.org/ (Sports Program for Kids with Disabilities)
    http://www.livefootsteps.org/user/?usr=3652

  • Jammalambo
    Jammalambo Posts: 1,321
    PB11041 said:
    Jammalambo said:
    PB11041 said:
    I always wondered why a general assumption was that this was about a break up.  It always seemed pretty much that this was about the shock of unexpected death of someone and dealing with the permanence that they are never coming back.  
    Maybe because that last line "I know someday you'll have a beautiful life..." doesn't make much sense if you're referring to a dead person?
    Really?  Because no one in art ever makes allusions.   You could be a star in the sky that someone sees, a new star that gets discovered by someone else, the idea of the big bang and evolution is we are all made of star dust anyway.   
    You don't need to state the obvious, and I also think you're aware that not everything in art is always an "allusion".
    This thread wasn't even about the actual meaning of the song, anyway, but.. "the idea of the big bang and evolution is we are all made of star dust anyway." I fail to understand how this (approximative) thing relates to the song in any way.
  • PB11041
    PB11041 Earth Posts: 2,845
    Jammalambo said:
    PB11041 said:
    Jammalambo said:
    PB11041 said:
    I always wondered why a general assumption was that this was about a break up.  It always seemed pretty much that this was about the shock of unexpected death of someone and dealing with the permanence that they are never coming back.  
    Maybe because that last line "I know someday you'll have a beautiful life..." doesn't make much sense if you're referring to a dead person?
    Really?  Because no one in art ever makes allusions.   You could be a star in the sky that someone sees, a new star that gets discovered by someone else, the idea of the big bang and evolution is we are all made of star dust anyway.   
    You don't need to state the obvious, and I also think you're aware that not everything in art is always an "allusion".
    This thread wasn't even about the actual meaning of the song, anyway, but.. "the idea of the big bang and evolution is we are all made of star dust anyway." I fail to understand how this (approximative) thing relates to the song in any way.
    Suit yourself. 
    His eminence has yet to show. 
    http://www.hi5sports.org/ (Sports Program for Kids with Disabilities)
    http://www.livefootsteps.org/user/?usr=3652

  • javis el errante
    javis el errante Buenos Aires Posts: 6,147
    edited March 2019
    Soo what does "sear" mean?  To help those who speak English as a foreign language and don't have a dictionary at hand or don't like Google...
    ... I am not in the business of being liked anymore ...

  • PJ_Soul
    PJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 51,027
    I think I always thought it was "see her" anyway, and only just now realize that it's "sear", lol. I'm going to keep pretending it's see her!
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata

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