I think Upper Hand is my favorite song of all time.

shetellsherself
shetellsherself New Jersey Posts: 8,835
in The Porch
It’s a very bold statement and I’ve been waiting to put it out there to make sure it wasn’t just a knee jerk reaction. This song just blows my mind on every listen.  It contains all of the best of PJ. Beautiful slow building layered intro that is in no hurry.  Guitars coming from the distance to the front.  Lyrics that are somehow melancholy, reflective and uplifting at the same time. They speak directly to me at this point in my life.  Exactly what my heart is singing.  Mike with guitar solos that bring me to weeping and heart breaking wide open and make me jump with joy somehow a few moments later.  That little descending guitar riff right after/during “so sorry bout the timing”. Love it. This song is going to have the pit jumping at the end and I can just feel that outro extending into a joyful jam!  Thank you Pearl Jam for all of the moments of joy you’ve given and continue to give to all of us.  

Happy tour kick off day!  
5/3/92 Omaha, NE
6/19/95 Red Rocks
9/11/98 MSG
11/19/12 EV solo Tulsa
7/19/13 Wrigley 10/19/13 Brooklyn 2 10/21/13 Philly 1 10/22/13 Philly 2 10/25/13 Hartford
10/08/14 Tulsa 10/09/14 Lincoln
9/26/15 NYC Global Citizen
4/16/16 Greenville 4/28/16 Philly 1 4/29/16 Philly 2 5/1/16 MSG 1 5/2/16 MSG 2 8/7/16 Fenway 2 8/20/16 Wrigley 1
4/7/17 RRHOF New York City
9/2/18 Fenway 1 9/4/2018 Fenway 2
9/18/21 Asbury Park
2/4/22 EV Earthlings NYC 2/6/22 EV Earthlings Newark 9/11/22 MSG 9/14/22 Camden
9/3/24 MSG 1 9/4/24 MSG 2 9/7/24 Philly 1 9/9/24 Philly 2
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Comments

  • cincybearcat
    cincybearcat Posts: 16,976
    Love it. A very worthy candidate for favorite song. 
    hippiemom = goodness
  • spankyMP
    spankyMP NY to NC to NH Posts: 2,119
    Pink Floyd, NAIS, and Yellow Ledbetter all thrown in a blender. What's not to love!
    Randall's Island 9/29/96, Continental Arena 9/8/98, MSG 9/10/98, Jones Beach 8/23/00, 8/24/00, 8/25/00, Nassau Coliseum 4/30/03, MSG 7/8/03, 7/9/03, Continental Arena 6/1/06, 6/3/06, MSG 6/24/08, 6/25/08, Spectrum 10/30/09, 10/31/09, MSG 5/20/10, 5/21/10, PJ20 9/3/11, 9/4/11, Charlottesville 10/29/13, Charlotte 10/30/13, Global Citizen 9/26/15, Raleigh 4/20/16 Baltimore 3/28/20 Austin 9/18/23, 9/19/23, Forum 5/21/24, Baltimore 9/12/24, Fenway 9/17/24, Nashville 5/6/25, 5/8/25
  • P-Town-P-Jam-Fan
    P-Town-P-Jam-Fan Posts: 930
    Love this song.  I heard someone else say the end reminded them of Better Man which I fully agree with.  Love the guitar outro and Ed's singing, my favorite on the album as well.
    Gorge
  • shetellsherself
    shetellsherself New Jersey Posts: 8,835
    It’s like NAIS and present tense had a hot night together while listening to Pink Floyd and their beautiful baby Upper Hand was born 
    5/3/92 Omaha, NE
    6/19/95 Red Rocks
    9/11/98 MSG
    11/19/12 EV solo Tulsa
    7/19/13 Wrigley 10/19/13 Brooklyn 2 10/21/13 Philly 1 10/22/13 Philly 2 10/25/13 Hartford
    10/08/14 Tulsa 10/09/14 Lincoln
    9/26/15 NYC Global Citizen
    4/16/16 Greenville 4/28/16 Philly 1 4/29/16 Philly 2 5/1/16 MSG 1 5/2/16 MSG 2 8/7/16 Fenway 2 8/20/16 Wrigley 1
    4/7/17 RRHOF New York City
    9/2/18 Fenway 1 9/4/2018 Fenway 2
    9/18/21 Asbury Park
    2/4/22 EV Earthlings NYC 2/6/22 EV Earthlings Newark 9/11/22 MSG 9/14/22 Camden
    9/3/24 MSG 1 9/4/24 MSG 2 9/7/24 Philly 1 9/9/24 Philly 2
  • Hawk123
    Hawk123 Posts: 2,373
    Check out the piano and guitar isolation tracks at the end, I don’t hear the piano at all when I listen but someone pulled it from the Atmos mix. 

  • cincybearcat
    cincybearcat Posts: 16,976
    shetellsherself said:
    It’s like NAIS and present tense had a hot night together while listening to Pink Floyd and their beautiful baby Upper Hand was born 
    This. So much this. 
    hippiemom = goodness
  • BLACK35
    BLACK35 Hanover, Ontario Posts: 23,047
    It’s quickly becoming one of my favourites
    2005 - London
    2009 - Toronto
    2010 - Buffalo
    2011 - Toronto 1&2
    2013 - London, Pittsburgh, Buffalo
    2014 - Cincinnati, St. Louis, Detroit
    2016 - Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Ottawa, Toronto 1
    2018 - Fenway 1&2
    2022 - Hamilton, Toronto
    2023 - Chicago 1&2
    2024 - Las Vegas 1&2
  • CROJAM95
    CROJAM95 NEW YORK Posts: 11,349
    From the jump it was my favorite, surrounded by other worthy songs on the album

    its one of the best in a long time
  • kramerica4
    kramerica4 Posts: 284
    Upper Hand is a fantastic song.
    One of the best ones they have ever released.
  • ArriveLikeButterflyz
    ArriveLikeButterflyz Posts: 132
    I can not get enough of this song  :)
    And I think it might be the opener for the tour, can't wait to see vids posted from Vancouver
    Dublin 00, Dublin 06, Madrid 07, Nijmegen 07, Rotterdam 09, Berlin 09, Manchester 09, London 09, Dublin 10, Belfast 10, East Troy PJ20 11 (1 & 2), Amsterdam 12 (1 & 2), L.A. 13 (1 & 2), Amsterdam 14 (1 & 2), Milan 14, Vienna 14, Berlin 14, Stockholm 14, Oslo 14, Boston 16 (1 & 2), London 18 (1 & 2).
  • TM10122
    TM10122 Posts: 4
    This song hits me. It just makes me want to be a better person. 
  • BALLBOY
    BALLBOY Australia Posts: 1,037
    Alot of people are saying it is heavily influenced by Pink Floyd but to me the intro is more like a mixture of U2 & Soundgarden. 
    Eastern Creek 95,Syd 1 98,Bris 2 98, Syd 1&2 03, Reading Fest 06, Bris 1 06, London 09, Hyde Park 10, Gold Coast BDO 14 Budapest 22 Krakow 22 Amsterdam 22 St Paul 1&2 23 Chicago 1&2 23 Chicago 1&2 24 New York 1 24 Philly 1&2 24 Boston 1&2 24 Gold Coast 24 Melbourne 1 24 Sydney 1&2 24
  • Niko80
    Niko80 Posts: 1,613
    BALLBOY said:
    Alot of people are saying it is heavily influenced by Pink Floyd but to me the intro is more like a mixture of U2 & Soundgarden. 
    Yeah, I agree. Not hearing Pink Floyd here at all. 
    Upper Hand is a great song, but there are songs on the album I put above it. Great record! 
    I will swallow poison
  • kramerica4
    kramerica4 Posts: 284
    BALLBOY said:
    Alot of people are saying it is heavily influenced by Pink Floyd but to me the intro is more like a mixture of U2 & Soundgarden. 
    The intro is 100% U2!
  • shep
    shep Houston Posts: 5,902
    all the things...

    to me it's in the vein of:

    present tense
    unthought known
    corduroy
    review mirror
    severed hand

    it has quickly become one of my favorites

    kramerica4 said:
    BALLBOY said:
    Alot of people are saying it is heavily influenced by Pink Floyd but to me the intro is more like a mixture of U2 & Soundgarden. 
    The intro is 100% U2!

    you can claim U2 all you want, but go listen to Meddle or Wish you were here (the albums not the single tracks).... and the intro is so Pink Floyd there is no debate. 

    Houston, Texas... Believe it or not, there are 7 million people here... must be a couple of fans who'd love to see you play.
  • RS65573
    RS65573 Posts: 2,506
    Niko80 said:
    BALLBOY said:
    Alot of people are saying it is heavily influenced by Pink Floyd but to me the intro is more like a mixture of U2 & Soundgarden. 
    Yeah, I agree. Not hearing Pink Floyd here at all. 
    Upper Hand is a great song, but there are songs on the album I put above it. Great record! 
    Love this song but, all I hear is Bruce Springsteen's Atlantic City.
  • kmcmanus
    kmcmanus Posts: 903
    shep said:
    all the things...

    to me it's in the vein of:

    present tense
    unthought known
    corduroy
    review mirror
    severed hand

    it has quickly become one of my favorites

    kramerica4 said:
    BALLBOY said:
    Alot of people are saying it is heavily influenced by Pink Floyd but to me the intro is more like a mixture of U2 & Soundgarden. 
    The intro is 100% U2!

    you can claim U2 all you want, but go listen to Meddle or Wish you were here (the albums not the single tracks).... and the intro is so Pink Floyd there is no debate. 

    It’s Shine On You Crazy Diamond
  • mcgruff10
    mcgruff10 New Jersey Posts: 29,280
    Sounds really good live!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqe66xnHKy8
    I'll ride the wave where it takes me......
  • Spiritual_Chaos
    Spiritual_Chaos Posts: 31,710
    Doesn't the beginning with Eddies guitar sound like... Can't Keep 

    I WANNA SHAKE
    I WANNA WIND OUT


    Or some other song... hehe
    "Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
  • GlowGirl
    GlowGirl New York, NY Posts: 12,383
    kmcmanus said:
    shep said:
    all the things...

    to me it's in the vein of:

    present tense
    unthought known
    corduroy
    review mirror
    severed hand

    it has quickly become one of my favorites

    kramerica4 said:
    BALLBOY said:
    Alot of people are saying it is heavily influenced by Pink Floyd but to me the intro is more like a mixture of U2 & Soundgarden. 
    The intro is 100% U2!

    you can claim U2 all you want, but go listen to Meddle or Wish you were here (the albums not the single tracks).... and the intro is so Pink Floyd there is no debate. 

    It’s Shine On You Crazy Diamond
    Yes! I heard Pink Floyd immediately in both this and the interlude after WFS. 

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