20. Hitchhiker vs. Force of Nature

[stip]

vote

[stip]

This one is gonna hurt. Hitchhiker is at the bottom of the catalog for me (but not the worst song of the round!). After its clunky start Force of Nature turns into a marvelous song. Excellent lyrics as I say every chance I get but it's been a year or two:

Somewhere there's a siren singing a song only he hears
All the strength that you might think would disappear
Resolving

Is one of my all time favorite eddie lyrics - a sentiment that never fails to move me. Mike's outro is great and once you get past the (admittedly sub par) into the music has a lot of fuzzy warmth and interesting layering to it. The second verse really rewards a headphone listen.

And it'll lose to Hitchhiker, one of the few Pearl Jam songs I would never play for someone else

[The Town]

Hitchhiker has really grown on me since coming across the Definitive Live Manchester 2012-06-21 version. Solid song I seek out.

Spoiler: show

Force of Nature gets stuck in my head all the time, so gotta go with it.

[epilogue]

Hitchhiker is amazing. Force of Nature is terrible. This is beyond easy.

[PHATJ]

Pretty easy vote for Hitchhiker.

[mkay0]

Hitchhiker is bottom 10 for me, and I think FoN is solid

[Leatherhead]

Finally an easy one for this round. Hitchhiker rules.
You fool!

[digster]

Hitchhiker I can take or leave, but Force of Nature is one of my least favorite PJ songs. It's a track that sounds bored with itself after it's barely begun, a hackneyed vocal and bland production. While I enjoy The End as a song, Force of Nature puts the nail in the coffin of Backspacer's back half, maybe the band's weakest moment on record.

[epilogue]

Hitchhiker I can take or leave, but Force of Nature is one of my least favorite PJ songs. It's a track that sounds bored with itself after it's barely begun, a hackneyed vocal and bland production. While I enjoy The End as a song, Force of Nature puts the nail in the coffin of Backspacer's back half, maybe the band's weakest moment on record.

I've never loved you more.

[podunk]

Force of nature.

Hitchhiker just seems like a couple of cool breakdowns in search of a song.

FON has a lovely vocal melody and I really like the lyrics and sentiment behind it. Agree that the main riff is a bit bland.

[VinylGuy]

Hitchhiker.

Such a cool song...so tight, ed´s vocals, those guitars...fuck its so good. FON is another favorite, eddie´s delivery is so good, Jeff and Matt are great....but i prefer the other one.

[Jaeti]

Everything Stip said.

Force of Nature.

[Monkey_Driven]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, put Force of Nature on Yield with that album's production and performances and it would absolutely soar.

Hitchhiker is fun but not in the same category as FoN.

[liebzz]

I picked Hitchhiker. For me, this is really the first time both songs were equal to me and it was basically a coin flip on what I prefer now. Force of Nature is one of the best songs on Backspacer, but Hitchhiker edges it out. Now go...

[epilogue]

I can't wait for Force of Nature to exit this tournament.

[tragabigzanda]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, put Force of Nature on Yield with that album's production and performances and it would absolutely soar.

[dad]

Hitchhiker is great. From Ed's delivery to the riff that reminds me of The Munsters theme song. a quality pearl jam b-side.

[tragabigzanda]

Hitchhiker just seems like a couple of cool breakdowns in search of a song.

Agreed

[mkay0]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, put Force of Nature on Yield with that album's production and performances and it would absolutely soar.

Hitchhiker is fun but not in the same category as FoN.

BoB is very bad, I agree.