Pearl Jam

Released: February 27, 2001

Songwriter: Eddie Vedder

Producer: Brett Eliason John Burton

[Spoken Word: Eddie Vedder]
This song's called "Given To Fly"

[Verse 1]
He could've tuned in, tuned in
But he tuned out
A bad time, nothing could save him
Alone in a corridor, waiting, locked out
He got up outta there, ran for hundreds of miles
He made it to the ocean, had a smoke in a tree
The wind rose up, set him down on his knee
A wave came crashing like a fist to the jaw
Delivered him wings, "Hey, look at me now"
Arms wide open with the sea as his floor
Oh, power, oh

[Chorus]
He's flying
Whole
High wide, oh

[Verse 2]
He floated back down cause he wanted to share
His key to the locks on the chains he saw everywhere
Oh but first he was stripped and then he was stabbed
By faceless men, well, fuckers
He still stands
And he still gives his love, he just gives it away
The love he receives is the love that is saved
And sometimes is seen a strange spot in the sky
A human being that was given to fly

[Chorus]
He's flying
Whole
High wide, oh

Founded in 1990 in Seattle, Pearl Jam is one of the most successful bands out of the grunge movement, if not of the whole alternative rock scene from the early 90s. The group started with Stone Gossard (guitar) and Jeff Ament (bass), veterans of the proto-grunge scene, recording a demo along with local guitarist Mike McCready. Once the tape passed along, it attracted a San Diego-based singer, Eddie Vedder. Along with drummer Dave Krusen, they signed with Epic Records and released Ten in 1991, which by the following year was becoming one of the most successful debut albums ever.

Growing uncomfortable with success, the following albums went for a more anguished and experimental sound, and the band’s notorious activism had its most prominent case once they boycotted Ticketmaster, accusing them of price-gouging fans. In the meantime, various drummers passed through the band, with percussion only settling once Soundgarden’s Matt Cameron joined them in the tour for 1998’s Yield.

With 10 studio albums and various live recordings (including “Official Bootlegs” of basically every concert the band performed since 2000), Pearl Jam has sold nearly 32 million records in the U.S. and an estimated 60 million worldwide.

more tracks from the album

Atlanta, GA 07-August-2000 (Live)

From the album

Atlanta, GA 07-August-2000 (Live) (2001)

Pearl Jam popular songs

Given To Fly - Live in Atlanta, Georgia, 07-August-2000Pearl Jam

Pearl Jam

Atlanta, GA 07-August-2000 (Live)