Pearl Jam

Released: August 27, 1991

Songwriter: Stone Gossard Eddie Vedder

Producer: Rick Parashar

[Intro]
Hey, hey, yeah, uh

[Verse 1]
Sheets of empty canvas, untouched sheets of clay
Were laid spread out before me as her body once did
All five horizons revolved around her soul as the earth to the sun
Now the air I tasted and breathed has taken a turn
Mm, and all I taught her was everything
Mm, I know she gave me all that she wore

[Chorus]
And now my bitter hands chafe beneath the clouds
Of what was everything
Oh, the pictures have all been washed in black
Tattooed everything

[Verse 2]
I take a walk outside, I'm surrounded by some kids at play
I can feel their laughter, so why do I sear
Mm, and twisted thoughts that spin 'round my head
I'm spinning, oh, I'm spinning, how quick the sun can drop away

[Chorus]
And now my bitter hands cradle broken glass
Of what was everything
All the pictures have all been washed in black
Tattooed everything

[Post-Chorus]
All the love gone bad turned my world to black
Tattooed all I see, all that I am, all I'll be, yeah
Mm, mhm, oooh

[Bridge]
I know someday you'll have a beautiful life
I know you'll be a star in somebody else's sky, but why
Why, why can't it be, oh, can't it be mine?
Ooh, ah yeah, ah, ooh

[Guitar Solo with vocalizations]
Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo, doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo
Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo, doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo
Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo, doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo
Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo, doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo
Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo, doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo
Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo, doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo
Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo, doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo
Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo, doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo
Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo, doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo
Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo, ooh ooh ooh
Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo, ooh

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

Ten

From the album

Ten (1991)

Pearl Jam popular songs

BlackPearl Jam

Pearl Jam

Ten