The Finals (254): Last Exit vs. Corduroy

[stip]

other than release corduroy might be the way Id be most excited to get in that moment

[Jaeti]

No Pearl Jam shows in 3 years...the lights go down and the band takes the stage. That moment of overwhelming anticipation. You can here the overhead recording of probably Master/Slave fade out as Eddie approaches the mic. One of these two songs is gonna bring us all back home where we belong - at a Pearl Jam show. Which is it? For me, it can be no other than the opening bars of Corduroy. Final answer.

[stip]

but no sing along

[tragabigzanda]

Last Exit is an easy choice for me, but I totally get why Corduroy should probably win this

[digster]

Last Exit, definitely. While the song may not be quite as high for me as it once was (it was probably my second favorite PJ track for a while), it's still hovering around the top 5 or so, though I haven't really thought out what that list would be. It's a perfect encapsulation of the band's strengths and one of its best performances in the studio.

[epilogue]

Last Exit is an easy choice for me, but I totally get why Corduroy should probably win this

[Chris_H_2]

If there’s one thing I’m taking away from this whole exercise it’s just how generally surprised i am by the board’s infatuation with last exit. I mean, it’s a good tune, but top 2 surprises me.

[stip]

It's been top 5 for a long time. The most incisive and hardest hitting of those 3:30 and under bursts of energy. Lots of discordant energy you don't always find in those songs

[Chris_H_2]

It's been top 5 for a long time. The most incisive and hardest hitting of those 3:30 and under bursts of energy. Lots of discordant energy you don't always find in those songs

I remember hearing a boot of a show with last exit in like 1994 when they played it in the VS tour and thinking it was amazing (side note: I’m sure I paid like $50 for that boot like the sucker that I was). But there’s something missing from the studio version that makes it sound hallow or thin to me (much like I feel about Hail Hail).

[tragabigzanda]

Last Exit has taken about 25 years to grow from “the song opens Vitalogy” to “a song that blows my mind.”

[Rob]

I would probably prefer Corduroy to lead off my first PJ show in years, but if it started with those Last Exit drums into that riff, that would be pretty f'n sweet, too.

I love both of these songs, but I'm going with Corduroy because if someone asked me what I thought their most definitive song was, that would be my answer. It's not necessarily my favorite, although it's on my favorite album, but it just feels like "the most pearl jam rock song" to me.

[B]

No Pearl Jam shows in 3 years...the lights go down and the band takes the stage. That moment of overwhelming anticipation. You can here the overhead recording of probably Master/Slave fade out as Eddie approaches the mic. One of these two songs is gonna bring us all back home where we belong - at a Pearl Jam show. Which is it? For me, it can be no other than the opening bars of Corduroy. Final answer.

You sure you don't want to phone a friend?

[liebzz]

No Pearl Jam shows in 3 years...the lights go down and the band takes the stage. That moment of overwhelming anticipation. You can here the overhead recording of probably Master/Slave fade out as Eddie approaches the mic. One of these two songs is gonna bring us all back home where we belong - at a Pearl Jam show. Which is it? For me, it can be no other than the opening bars of Corduroy. Final answer.

You sure you don't want to phone a friend?

Clearly here, we are polling the audience.

[B]

No Pearl Jam shows in 3 years...the lights go down and the band takes the stage. That moment of overwhelming anticipation. You can here the overhead recording of probably Master/Slave fade out as Eddie approaches the mic. One of these two songs is gonna bring us all back home where we belong - at a Pearl Jam show. Which is it? For me, it can be no other than the opening bars of Last Exit. Final answer.

[Kevin Davis]

No Pearl Jam shows in 3 years...the lights go down and the band takes the stage. That moment of overwhelming anticipation. You can here the overhead recording of probably Master/Slave fade out as Eddie approaches the mic. One of these two songs is gonna bring us all back home where we belong - at a Pearl Jam show. Which is it?

It's probably going to be "Pendulum."

Vote for "Last Exit," though.

[Mickey]

Orthogonal to the conversation here but the OBVIOUS first post-pandemic show opener is "Alive."

[Mickey]

But I voted for Corduroy because it's a good song and not a bad one.

[dad]

Voted for Corduroy because it's always been my favorite.

[Jaeti]

No Pearl Jam shows in 3 years...the lights go down and the band takes the stage. That moment of overwhelming anticipation. You can here the overhead recording of probably Master/Slave fade out as Eddie approaches the mic. One of these two songs is gonna bring us all back home where we belong - at a Pearl Jam show. Which is it?

It's probably going to be "Pendulum."

Vote for "Last Exit," though.

It's probably going to be Let The Records Play.

[blueviper]

Both great songs. I'm going to pick Corduroy.