Top Ten Songs by Pearl Jam

Now as these sorts of lists usually go, the term “Top” is relative at best. Is it Top Ten personal favorites? Top ten in sales? Top ten most popular? Most technical? Well let me dispel any qualms about such ideas: this list is a little from column A and a little from column B. But for the most part, it is basically a composition of Pearl Jams representative greats throughout their career, and ones that I also, for one reason or another, am particularly fond of.

Let me also add that, with the exception of those kinda weird throw out songs PJ started sprinkling throughout their albums after Ten dropped ( Mophandlemomma any one?) and most of the half decent but forgettable tracks off Binaural, there can be a reasonable argument for a good lot of Pearl Jam songs to be on this list. Oh, except for that one song on No Code that Jeff Ament sings in. No. Bad Jeff. Just play your bass, have a good time and relaxâÂ?¦just be satisfied with not singing, you’re in fuckin’ Pearl Jam, man. What more do you need?

10. Yellow Ledbetter
That guitar solo is haunting. I mean I have no freakin’ clue what the hell Eddie is singing, but the guitar alone could stand the test of time. It was freshman year of college and one of my roommates tried to learn it from online tabs and I was like, ” Uh, dudeâÂ?¦don’t even try. Seriously.”

9. World Wide Suicide
This song brought back PJ in a big wayâÂ?¦and it was the Pearl Jam we knew and loved. No apologies, hard rockin’, no gimmicks. And sure, it was spiced with the bands already well-known political agenda, but this time it was a more judicial and democratic PJ with a finger pointed in every direction. Yeah, there are huge problems, but who isn’t at fault? No force feeding here, just unbiased, unabashed, back to roots rockin’.

8. Do the Evolution
Again, this song brought Pearl Jam back from near extinction with it’s harder-edged guitar rhythms and scathing indictments of white-collar corporate America. Along with it’s edgey and masterfully conceived animated video, this song remains one of the hardest hitting in PJ’s catalogue, up there with “Go” and ” Blood.” But deceptively so. My bro, who was into all things metal at that time, put this song on a mix CD when it came out. I think it was sandwich in between Coal Chamber and Korn, and it didn’t really fit, but I remember feeling like it could, because the song just felt so much damn harder than it might actual have been, at least to say musically it wasn’t up there with those bass slamming, double-drum kickin’, nu-metal bands. But the song, through the lyrics and music, and I guess the video too, transmuted a heaviness beyond anything that could be perceived through instruments alone. It’s got some weight, man.

7. The Kids Are Alright
I know this song was originally done by The Who and don’t get me wrong, I love The Who. And so does Eddie. That is why, live, this song is hands down done better by Pearl Jam. There aren’t many songs I can say that about (G ‘n R’s “Live and Let Die” comes to mind). So, sorry Daltrey. Sorry Townsend. If it’s any consolation, I bet either of you could take Eddie in a fight, no prob.

6. Up Here in My Tree
Here’s a formula: invent band, and thus re-invent music. Make two follow-up albums that both go double platinum (or something like that). Re-invent band and remain critical darlings, but get snubbed by public.

Well, it could be said that No Code was Pearl Jam’s “experimental” album, and if so, then this song is their big f-you to all those who thought (or still think) that they couldn’t do it and still rock. African/world beats? Sure. Jungle drums? Damn right. Kickass? Ya God damn right.

5. Rats
Funky bass beat? Pearl Jam? Hell yeah. I wrote about this song in one of my high school AP English classes because I had to liken it to a poem and poetic devices. Go ahead, read the lyrics again while you’re listening to that phat bass beat, you’ll get it.

4. Go
Raw, raging, desperate, howling, pleading. Great.

3. Better Man
Talk about making a simple song that becomes legendary in its own right. Eddie’s lyrical storytelling is at some of its finest here. Never have such depressing lyrics been matted with such optimistic and upbeat music with as well balanced effect (well, maybe not since the Clash’s “Didn’t Stand by Me). An awesome rendition of juxtaposed tones. Now everyone play along with me- open chords C, G, D.

2. Crazy Mary
Yeah, so not many of us actually own Merkin Ball (shit, you tell me which store was selling it when it was released?), but this gem has taken on a life of its own as a concert favorite. It’s lyrical, unfolding its story slow and methodically and, yeah, sure it rips off a line from one of the most annoying bus ride songs ever, but doesn’t that just make the song even greater? I mean it takes a special song to make that lil’ rhyme rock.

1. Jeremy
My father often said, ” Always dance with the one who brought you there.” (It wasn’t until my junior prom that I realized what that meant.) But not many can deny that, with the exception of a few, there hasn’t been a more influential song within the last 20 years. With one simple, yet resonate opening bass lick, Pearl Jam help usher in an entire generation of music. Now I know that’s a clichÃ?©d notion, but clichÃ?© doesn’t mean untrue. And what’s more is that no band within the last 20 years has asserted themselves with such a bold statement and remained true to their word 20 years later – they didn’t sell out, they didn’t overdose, they didn’t break up, and for damn sure no one went and killed themselves. They just did play and continue to play great rock music.