Released: August 27, 1996

Songwriter: Eddie Vedder Mike McCready

Producer: Pearl Jam Brendan O’Brien

[Verse 1]
Do you see the way that tree bends? Does it inspire?
Leaning out to catch the sun's rays. A lesson to be applied
Are you getting something out of this all encompassing trip?

[Chorus]
You can spend your time alone redigesting past regrets
Or you can come to terms and realize you're the only one who can't forgive yourself
Makes much more sense to live in the present tense

[Verse]
Have you ideas on how this life ends?
Checked your hands and studied the lines
Have you the belief that the road ahead ascends off into the light?
Seems that needlessly it's getting harder to find an approach and a way to live
Are we getting something out of this all encompassing trip

[Chorus]
You can spend your time alone redigesting past regrets
Or you can come to terms and realize you're the only one who cannot forgive yourself
Makes much more sense to live in the present tense

Pearl Jam

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.