Jeremy [Single] - Pearl Jam (CD 1995)

Pearl Jam were starting to gather quite a following by the time they released their third single, "Jeremy". I'm sure the band didn't realize, at the time, that it would be the song that broke them into the mainstream pop world. After all, the song itself is quite basic musically. Built around Jeff Ament's simple, yet ominous bass line and chiming guitars, the song's beauty is in it's lyrics. Penned by Eddie Vedder, the song chronicles a youth's descent into suicidal rage. The song is so emotionally powerful and dramatic, it's amazing that the band nearly rejected the song in it's earliest form because Ament's music was 'too simple'. The song opens with the eerie thud and shimmering darkness of Ament's 12-string bass. Vedder's lyrics are so poetic, detailed and graphic. The first verse speaks for itself. Speaks for the song. And speaks for Vedder as a lyricist.

"At home, drawing pictures, of mountain tops,
with him on top. Lemon yellow sun, arms raised in a 'V',
and the dead lay in pools of maroon below."

Incredible. Vedder growls powerfully until the song comes to a dramatic finish. The song plays out like a movie, with Ament's bass ringing ominously in the air as the song ends. Some versions of this song that appear on the single end with a poor fade-out edit.

PJ always seem to have wonderful B-sides. Never a poor song or something you can tell is an 'outtake'. "Footsteps" is a gem. The rattling acoustic riff, written by Stone Gossard, is so simple, yet so effective. The version appearing on the domestic Jeremy single was recorded live on the rock-radio interview show 'Rockline' hosted by Bob Coburn. (For the record, Pearl Jam appeared on the show on May 11, 1992.) "Footsteps" has quite a history. It's one of the original three Pearl Jam songs (along with "Alive" and "Once"), and the song exists, with different lyrics and arrangement, as "Times of Trouble" on the Temple of the Dog album. This version is a bare-bones acoustic version performed with only Gossard on guitar and Vedder on vocals. Ed's voice is raspy and emotive, while Stone's guitar is jangly and percussive. The lyrics are again powerful. "I got scratches", Vedder groans, "one for each day since I fell apart."

The final song of the domestic single, "Yellow Ledbetter", is the song most people will buy this CD for. To most Pearl Jam fans, the song is 'over-played'. I tend to disagree but opinions are opinions. It never gets old to my ears. Mike McCready's inaugural contribution to Pearl Jam, is a beautiful, shimmering tribute to his idols: Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn. The song is a basic blues progression arpeggioed to perfection by McCready. The solo in the middle is smooth as silk. Most of the attention, unfortunately goes to Vedder's nearly incoherent vocals. Debate rages almost constantly through the Pearl Jam fan base about the lyrics and their origin (if there even is a story). The production is a little sloppy on the song; you can actually hear a cut or two on the backing bass track. Live, the song is Pearl Jam's most popular show closer. McCready goes crazy, throwing in pieces of his favorite songs. It's a beautiful moment live.

If you're thinking of picking up this song it's most likely for "Yellow Ledbetter". If that is true, pick it up, you'll also love "Footsteps". On a whole, this album also shows Pearl Jam's incredible musical diversity...in only THREE songs!