Jim Adams is the faithful host of Song Lyric Sunday. Jim says:
This week the prompt is Around/Down/Sideways/Up.
Here are the “rules”:
• Post the lyrics to the song of your choice, whether it fits the theme or not. If it does not fit, then please explain why you chose this song.
• Please try to include the songwriter(s) – it’s a good idea to give credit where credit is due.
• Make sure you also credit the singer/band and if you desire you can provide a link to where you found the lyrics.
• Link to the YouTube video, or pull it into your post so others can listen to the song.
• Ping back to this post or place your link in the comments section below.
• Read at least one other person’s blog, so we can all share new and fantastic music and create amazing new blogging friends in the process.
• Feel free to suggest future prompts.
• Have fun and enjoy the music.
l-r: Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, Jeff Ament, Ed Vedder, Matt Cameron
Not pictured above and not an official member: Kenneth E. “Boom” Gaspar, pictured below:
Lost Dogs is a two-disc compilation album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on November 11, 2003 through Epic Records. The album has been certified gold by the RIAA in the United States.
Lost Dogs is a double-disc collection of B-sides and other released and unreleased rarities. Lost Dogs sold 89,500 copies in its first week of release and debuted at number fifteen on the Billboard 200 chart. Lost Dogs has been certified gold by the RIAA.
Allmusic staff writer Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave the album four and a half out of five stars. He said, “This is further proof that Pearl Jam consciously turned away from the big, anthemic sound and spirit that won them a mass audience with Ten—they still had the songs and sound, they just chose to bury it. Lost Dogs crackles with that passion and it has another advantage: unlike most of Pearl Jam’s albums, it’s a fun, compulsive listen. More than any other album in its catalog, Lost Dogs captures what Pearl Jam stood for and what it felt like at their peak.” Rolling Stone staff writer David Fricke gave the album three out of five stars, saying that “for an album of odds ‘n’ sods, Lost Dogs sure sounds a lot like a pack of hits.”
The album includes the hidden track “4/20/02” at the end of disc two, a tribute to Alice in Chains frontman Layne Staley. It was written by vocalist Eddie Vedder during the recording sessions for Riot Act on the day that he heard the news of Staley’s death. The song features only Vedder singing and playing the guitar in a ukulele-inspired tuning. According to Vedder, the reason why it was not included on Riot Act was that the band already had too many songs. According to guitarist Mike McCready, the reason the song was only featured as a hidden track on Lost Dogs is because Vedder “wouldn’t want it to be exploitative.”
“Down,” written by Gossard, McCready, and Vedder, was originally from the “I Am Mine” single. Mike McCready: “I was excited about it but I wanted it to sound heavier than it actually did when we recorded it. I liked how it came out, but it just didn’t work with the rest of [Riot Act]. Even I had to admit it, but I didn’t want to. It was relegated to B-side-dom. Originally it was supposed to be more of a crunch-type thing. It just came out a little bit lighter than I thought. But people seem to dig it when we play it live. I’m proud of it. I like the song.“
The line, “You can’t be neutral on a moving train” is the title of a book by author Howard Zinn. Eddie Vedder has said Zinn is one of his favorite authors.
Down. Fall by the wayside no getting out.
Down. Cry me a river dried up and dammed.
The names can be changed but the place is still the same.
I am loaded. Told that all’s for naught. Holds me down.
Rise. Life is in motion. I’m stuck in line.
Rise. You can’t be neutral on a moving train.
One day the symptoms fade. Think I’ll throw these pills away.
And if hope could grow from dirt like me. It can be done.
Won’t let the light escape from me.
Won’t let the darkness swallow me.
So long.
💖 love their sound
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
This was a good one Lisa. I like Pearl Jam too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you liked it. They are at the top of my heap.
LikeLike
Always appropriate. (K)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I didn’t really know Pearl Jam. When I was out in Australia, I found some of their albums in Goldfinch’s collection, so I had a chance to listen to them. =)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Goldfinch has good musical taste. Oh Mel, you need to listen to as much as you can find. They are my #1 band!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The lyrics in this song are filled with hope and I can see why you like it. Thanks for adding this today Li.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Jim. I chose it because of the lyrics and hopeful music as well. PJ can tend towards the somber, so this is a nice change of pace. Lost Dogs generally is more “up” music.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love Pearl Jam, there debut album `Ten` will always be an iconic album for me. “Down” is drastically different from their 90s grunge sound but it is a great song. I like the video too because it is fun to see the band behind the scenes. They have a different persona behind on the scenes than on stage.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ai, very glad you like their different sounds. They did start out way more screaming and pounding grunge. Glad they mellowed it out. I chose the video just for that reason, to show the more playful side of them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love Pearl Jam! Great choice!! Eddie Vetter is my almost twin. I am two days older. Not why I love the band, just another layer of affinity. And something to kid about ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Eddie has a fun twin 🙂 PJ always hits the spot for me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great choice , and a very interesting post 💜
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Willow 🙂
LikeLike
🌈😄💜
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good song Lisa…never heard this one before…love the video
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you liked it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pearl Jam is always a winner – love their songs. Fun video to watch! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂 Glad you enjoyed the selection, Barbara.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hey Lisa, I’m Steven. I don’t wanna run down my life story here in your comments but I just wanted to share. I’ve been kind of half-assing my way around blogging for a while and just this morning decided to give it more focus. So I’m just bumping around seeing what’s out there. Because I’m a lifelong PJ fan I searched for PJ posts. Not only did I find this write up of Down but I find it’s written by someone writing for something called Tao talk! Part of my relationship with writing has always been that I could write about literally anything! How do I choose and focus?! My spirituality is relatively newfound and I’ve been wondering how to fold this perspective into whatever else I may want to say. So yeah, it’s complicated. 🙂 So I just wanted to let you know that I’m thinking the fact I chose your PJ article from amongst all of them and then coming to find you’re writing for something called Tao Talk MIGHT be some kind of serendipity. And it’s kind of opening my mind to the idea that being able to write about ANYTHING isn’t a fate to be suffered, it’s a gift to be celebrated and maybe I can find my place. And if hope can grow from dirt like me… 🙏🏻
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Steven —
It is clear from your comment that you have a lot of hope to give from your “dirt” as you call it. So delighted you happened along to one of my PJ posts. With blogging, it is your forum to express whatever strikes your fancy. As you can see, mine started out with an idea towards carrying a yahoo group into a new forum, but it didn’t take long to morph into something much more and better in my opinion. Write what you know and share what you learn, and speak from your soul, and you’ll have a blast. Read what others offer as you will, and soon you’ll be rocking in the blogging community. Welcome to the hood, Steven, I look forward to reading what you write!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! I appreciate your time and kindness. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re very welcome.
LikeLiked by 1 person