UNPOPULAR PEARL JAM OPINIONS

[Kevin Davis]

I became acquainted with "Crazy Mary" by way of the 2000 bootlegs, and as a result the studio take has always felt really off-center to me in a bad way. Eddie sounds really weird and unnatural on it -- there are parts where he sounds like he's trying to pull off a kind of Springsteen drawl, and other parts where he sounds like he's got a clothespin on his nose ("could meet you halfway"). I'm not a fan of the backing vocals either. Overall I think it's kind of a hokey-sounding performance.

It's a wonderful song, though. To me the 2000 versions are still tops, though the 2003 versions where they first introduced the Mike/Boom duet takes me back to a happy place too. That was pretty fun when it was new, though it's less so fifteen years later.

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[Iholdthepain]

I became acquainted with "Crazy Mary" by way of the 2000 bootlegs, and as a result the studio take has always felt really off-center to me in a bad way. Eddie sounds really weird and unnatural on it -- there are parts where he sounds like he's trying to pull off a kind of Springsteen drawl, and other parts where he sounds like he's got a clothespin on his nose ("could meet you halfway"). I'm not a fan of the backing vocals either. Overall I think it's kind of a hokey-sounding performance.

It's a wonderful song, though. To me the 2000 versions are still tops, though the 2003 versions where they first introduced the Mike/Boom duet takes me back to a happy place too. That was pretty fun when it was new, though it's less so fifteen years later.

The backing vocals are from the original singer/songwriter, Victoria Williams...

I believe the benefit album it was recorded for was in her honor, Sweet Relief, to raise awareness and $ for the fight against MS.

It came out just before Vs, and I loved it! Still do, because it's easy to play on guitar. I even get the hokey, chlothes-pinned nose sound going when I sing it

[Leatherhead]

I agree with KD. I've only listened to the studio version a few times, and that was all I needed.

[Iholdthepain]

Damn... I wonder if that's the consensus here. I think it's one of the coolest recordings they've done, and I typically prefer it to the live versions post-2000.

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[Iholdthepain]

This is some bullshit

go on...

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[Iholdthepain]

That recording is beautiful

[LetMeSleep]

I concur guys. The studio cut stands tall.

[Leatherhead]

Maybe it's just because I heard the live versions long before the studio and became accustomed to the live version.

[epilogue]

That recording is beautiful

Blah blah blah

Midsommar?

[kreng]

the studio recording is vocally a bit odd, i don't think he sounds like that on any other recording, but i like it.
live 2000/2003 were great. it's also, surprisingly, the first song i ever saw PJ perform live in person.

[epilogue]

To be clear, I don't mind Ed's vocals on the studio take, only the more recent live versions.

[epilogue]

*double post*

[Monkey_Driven]

You've now made it very clear.

[LetMeSleep]

You've now made it very clear.

Double glazing clear.

[E.H. Ruddock]

I just hate when boom comes in every time with that. "Bah bah BAAAH, bah bah bah, bah BAAAH"

[epilogue]

You've now made it very clear.

[epilogue]

You've now made it very clear.

Double glazing clear.

wat