Sleight of Hand

time and tide
time and tide Posts: 13
edited October 2006 in Words and Music...Communication
i'll see you on the other siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide. this song is just SO amazing!!!! I would love to hear all your interpretations/thoughts about this incredible piece of work. thank you.
once dissolved we are free to grow.
www.freebord.com
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Comments

  • Carlos D
    Carlos D Posts: 638
    The whole Binaural album is a masterpiece.But in particular this song,when you put your head phones on and listen to it,it's like being in a different world.

    My interpretation of the lyrics reminds me of working this horrible job where I was getting up at 5 in the morning and I had just finished school and all my friends had moved on to college etc. as well as numerous relationship problems and just growing up in general.But mostly the job,it was very tough in the freezing weather and early in the morning and I totally related to the lyric:'''Something he hadn't imagined being...He found himself staring down at his own hands,not remembering change.''
    I just think about being somewhere bad in life and being in your own world,wondering why and feeling like your life has gone all wrong,''He was ok but wondering about wandering.''
    But I found comfort in the song,that there's light at the end of every tunnel,''I'll see you on the other side.''
    It may be the devil or it may be the Lord
    But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

    www.bebo.com/pearljam06
  • threecrookedhearts6
    threecrookedhearts6 Posts: 82
    Carlos D wrote:
    The whole Binaural album is a masterpiece.But in particular this song,when you put your head phones on and listen to it,it's like being in a different world.


    Couldn't have said it better myself!
    “I don't know what this means. I don't think it means anything.”
    -Eddie Vedder
  • DOSW
    DOSW Posts: 2,014
    Great song, I agree. I understand the gist of the whole thing, but I've always wondered what the actual "sleight of hand" is in the song. Strange that the part I never understood is the title of the song.
    It's a town full of losers and I'm pulling out of here to win
  • time and tide
    time and tide Posts: 13
    DOSW wrote:
    Great song, I agree. I understand the gist of the whole thing, but I've always wondered what the actual "sleight of hand" is in the song. Strange that the part I never understood is the title of the song.

    i have also had trouble understanding what 'sleight of hand' actually IS. to me, it seems it could be that the man in this song was pushed into or rather decieved into the way he is living his life, simply by the way society works, or maybe i am analyizing it way too much...
    once dissolved we are free to grow.
    www.freebord.com
  • Pearl Jam and toast
    Pearl Jam and toast Posts: 4,475
    time and tide wrote:
    i have also had trouble understanding what 'sleight of hand' actually IS. to me, it seems it could be that the man in this song was pushed into or rather decieved into the way he is living his life, simply by the way society works, or maybe i am analyizing it way too much...
    no you're not, it's a rather complex song.

    i think it's about a man.. "the man in the grey flannel suit" so to speak.. if you understand the reference that should explain the whole song in a nutshell.

    Except for maybe Light Years, my favorite song on Binaural :)

    Both of which need to be played live more...
    Come on pilgrim you know he loves you..

    http://www.wishlistfoundation.org

    Oh my, they dropped the leash.



    Morgan Freeman/Clint Eastwood 08' for President!

    "Make our day"
  • Nothingman54
    Nothingman54 Posts: 2,251
    One of my fav. songs. My 2nd fav. album. I have only heard it live once at HOB in Orlando, FL 03
    I'll be back
  • deadmosquito
    deadmosquito Posts: 729
    my favorite PJ tune. hopefully i'll be able to catch it live sometime.
  • RockinInCanada
    RockinInCanada Posts: 2,016
    Lost my head when I heard the opening strokes of this tune in Calgary...I thought that it would not have the same effect live as compared to the album because musically/lyrically very complex...but I was wrong...they hit it 100%....incredible...
  • time and tide
    time and tide Posts: 13
    just finished up smoking and put this song on. WOW!!!!!!! THIS SONG IS SO UNREAL!!! *spinal chills* LETS SPREAD SOME LOVE FOR SLEIGHT OF HAND!!!!! thank you Pearl Jam SO much for this song!
    once dissolved we are free to grow.
    www.freebord.com
  • burlapsack
    burlapsack Posts: 15
    yeah i think the "sleight of hand" is that this guy was living routine life and didnt even realize what was happening, just by sleight of hand he was moved into this terrible routine, he only 'woke up and smelled the coffee' when it was too late
  • JPS79
    JPS79 Posts: 148
    "Mondays were made to fall. lost on a road he knew by heart." I think of this line a lot when driving to work esp on Mondays.
    Seems the more you make
    equals the loneliness you get
  • threecrookedhearts6
    threecrookedhearts6 Posts: 82
    Pearl Jam and toast wrote:

    i think it's about a man.. "the man in the grey flannel suit" so to speak.. if you understand the reference that should explain the whole song in a nutshell.

    ...

    this is what i always connected it with as well...good analogy!

    this song makes me feel like im on some other plane or in another universe...wish i could hear it in concert someday!
    “I don't know what this means. I don't think it means anything.”
    -Eddie Vedder
  • brainofPJ
    brainofPJ Posts: 2,361
    this is one of those rare slow tunes that kicks my ass.

    NEED to hear it live.


    Esther's here and she's sick?

    hi Esther, now we are all going to be sick, thanks
  • Pearl Jam and toast
    Pearl Jam and toast Posts: 4,475
    threecrookedhearts6 wrote:
    this is what i always connected it with as well...good analogy!

    this song makes me feel like im on some other plane or in another universe...wish i could hear it in concert someday!
    I'm glad someone FINALLY knew what I was talking about! :D
    Come on pilgrim you know he loves you..

    http://www.wishlistfoundation.org

    Oh my, they dropped the leash.



    Morgan Freeman/Clint Eastwood 08' for President!

    "Make our day"
  • pjrvm
    pjrvm Posts: 99
    I was never really that into this song... saw it in concert and it was decent... sounds absolutely amazing on the boot... Now I like it more each time I listen to it. New appreciation for songs is the best.
  • Sleight-Of-Hand
    Sleight-Of-Hand Posts: 57
    i agree with y'all, this song i realised afew days ago is probably the most amazing and emotional pj songs to me, i love the binaural version and also the acoustic version on Beneroya,,, headphones makes it even better.

    i try not to listen to it too much, i dont want it to "get old" i.e get sick of it, although that would be hard to do.
    I see the birds in the rain...


    i know and i would not ever touch you, hold you, feel you ever... oh, never again
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    First ever show-Leeds Festival 25th Aug 2006.
  • UpSideDown
    UpSideDown Posts: 1,966
    Absolute appreciation for sleight of hand


    amazing lyrics of how someone can find themselves living a life not their own
  • Nothingman54
    Nothingman54 Posts: 2,251
    One of my fav.
    I'll be back
  • pjrvm
    pjrvm Posts: 99
    When he reached the shore of his... clip-on world...
    He resurfaced to the norm
    Organized his few things,... his coat and keys...
    Any new realizations... would have to wait...
    Til he had more time,... more time...
    Time to dream,... to himself... he waves goodbye,
    To himself... I'll see you on the other side...

    Another man...moved by sleight of hand...

    The last verse in Sleight of Hand, anyone have any ideas what this part means? I was listening to it on the way to school this morning and I wondered if the character committed suicide, but now reading the lyrics I'm not so sure. Maybe he just quits his job and dramatically changes his life. Anyone?
  • The Waiting Trophy Man
    The Waiting Trophy Man Niagara region, Ontario, Canada Posts: 12,158
    one of jeff's masterpieces(music). great lyrics by ed, too. the opening is rather haunting, and it's a sad story. i love how the guitars sound like they're being swallowed down a drain pipe(y'know what i mean??)
    Another habit says it's in love with you
    Another habit says its long overdue
    Another habit like an unwanted friend
    I'm so happy with my righteous self

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