Eddie Vedder - Earthling

[liebzz]

The moment Eddie (probably around 03-05) started emulating and copping Springsteen/petty moves rather than the Neil young aesthetic he had been on was the moment any hopes for challenging future solo music were dashed.

The Springsteen infatuation has affected so much of his career and what he does with PJ.

Eddie said they went back to Brendan O'Brien and gave him more creative freedom partly because of O'Brien's work with Springsteen - so I don't think you're far off on that.

I find it interesting that Vedder wasn't vocal about his Bruce obsession in the 90s. Possibly wanted to hitch his wagon to more 'cool' artists like Neil Young. Bruce was kind of a cheesy has been in the 90s.

Bruce had a rough 90s, and other than the late 60s and 70s, that may have been Neil’s stronger decade so that makes sense. I think as Eddie has grown as a singer and writer, for better or worse, I think he has naturally gravitated closer to a Springsteen. It could just be a much more natural way of storytelling for him than Neil, who I think tends to be a bit more abstract. I always found Neil to harken back to man’s connection to the natural world more, and Bruce to man’s connection with each other…but I love both approaches, so if these are his role models, I am not complaining.

[tree_]

i hate long way... jesus ed really sucks now

"she took the long way on the freeway" just aren't good enough lyrics to justify repeating a thousand times in the blandest way possible

i simply hate everything about this song

[E.H. Ruddock]

i hate long way... jesus ed really sucks now

"she took the long way on the freeway" just aren't good enough lyrics to justify repeating a thousand times in the blandest way possible

i simply hate everything about this song

While I don't hate the song, I do agree with you about the lyrics.

[Jaeti]

i hate long way... jesus ed really sucks now

"she took the long way on the freeway" just aren't good enough lyrics to justify repeating a thousand times in the blandest way possible

i simply hate everything about this song

While I don't hate the song, I do agree with you about the lyrics.

Mmmhmm.

[VinylGuy]

i get why someone would like the lyrics, but even with its simplicity i really liked them.

[tree_]

It's devoid of any morsel of creativity. At least try an interesting chord change once or twice? I just don't know what he's thinking to put out something this boring and derivative. I used to respect the man as an artist. It's as if to justify this he just thought, "because... Tom Petty!"... ...

[VinylGuy]

i dont think he is trying to justify anything Tree.

[tree_]

i'm listening again and the way he sings "awaken" and "ear" literally just made me shutter... no more

ahhhh did ed really think the world needed another song written by him about a person driving on a road as a metaphor for big life decisions or whatever...

sorry guys, enjoy it if you like it.. i'm done talking about it

[Chris_H_2]

i get why someone would like the lyrics, but even with its simplicity i really liked them.

I’m not purposefully singling you out (I could’ve responded to anyone that stated that they really liked the song), but is this because the songs stand on their own merits or because they’re being sung by Eddie Vedder? Because I would have to think that if we heard these songs knowing that they’re by someone else, we would think differently.

[VinylGuy]

well i dislike a lot of Ed´s recent solo material so i dont care if Ed is singing really. Hated that ep he did, and most of his recent solo output.

I like the song and i like whats he is doing here.

Also, i think the same question can be asked in reverse sometimes...do you hate this because its an ed release and you want something different from him?

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[liebzz]

well i dislike a lot of Ed´s recent solo material so i dont care if Ed is singing really. Hated that ep he did, and most of his recent solo output.

I like the song and i like whats he is doing here.

Also, i think the same question can be asked in reverse sometimes...do you hate this because its an ed release and you want something different from him?

I wasn’t a fan of Matter of Time, Say Hi, or the acoustic Future Days, but I did like his cover of Growing Up and I haven’t heard it since the release but I thought I liked the Porch on there. So about half? I do like the Flag Day songs - but I am not obsessed with them though. I do like this song, in part because it is catchy and breezy, and doesn’t take itself too seriously. We have a boat load of material to draw from where Eddie does take himself too seriously.

[Strat]

I was going to begin posting about why I like this song and open up about a recent relationship i got out of and how i relate to this song and the lyrics and try to defend why i like the song and why simple song writing is okay and then i realized whatever RM sucks and i dont care if people dont like it and i dont care if i like it.

pearl jam

[Strat]

well i dislike a lot of Ed´s recent solo material so i dont care if Ed is singing really. Hated that ep he did, and most of his recent solo output.

I like the song and i like whats he is doing here.

Also, i think the same question can be asked in reverse sometimes...do you hate this because its an ed release and you want something different from him?

I wasn’t a fan of Matter of Time, Say Hi, or the acoustic Future Days, but I did like his cover of Growing Up and I haven’t heard it since the release but I thought I liked the Porch on there. So about half? I do like the Flag Day songs - but I am not obsessed with them though. I do like this song, in part because it is catchy and breezy, and doesn’t take itself too seriously. We have a boat load of material to draw from where Eddie does take himself too seriously.

Songs like this are generally not ed's forte nor really something he's dabbled in a lot. Im glad he kind of dove right into this style and accepted this part of him as a music fan and writer.

[verb_to_trust]

Ive been listening to Racquel Blue by Ike Reilly instead of this.

[Mr.x]

My 6 year old daughter absolutely loves Say Hi. So that's cool, I guess.

[epilogue]

My 6 year old daughter absolutely loves Say Hi. So that's cool, I guess.

Sounds like your kid has excellent taste.

[epilogue]

i get why someone would like the lyrics, but even with its simplicity i really liked them.

I’m not purposefully singling you out (I could’ve responded to anyone that stated that they really liked the song), but is this because the songs stand on their own merits or because they’re being sung by Eddie Vedder? Because I would have to think that if we heard these songs knowing that they’re by someone else, we would think differently.

I won't speak for VinylGuy (he answered for himself quite well, I think) but since you said the question could be addressed to anyone who said they like the song, I'll reply to this. As I've said before a couple of times, a lot of what I like about this song is that it doesn't sound/feel like a typical Eddie Vedder song. So, yeah, I'm 100% positive that I like this song on its own merits and not because it's being sung by Ed.

[VinylGuy]

I was going to begin posting about why I like this song and open up about a recent relationship i got out of and how i relate to this song and the lyrics and try to defend why i like the song and why simple song writing is okay and then i realized whatever RM sucks and i dont care if people dont like it and i dont care if i like it.

pearl jam

yeah, i really like the lyrics in that sense. Also, i appreciate how simple they are, i think that made them stronger.

[VinylGuy]

One thing thats exiting is to think how Watt works with vocalists.

Im loving Ed´s calmer side in this one, and his approach to the melody in the chorus...thats some good work there, similar to what Josh seemed to be working for in Gigaton with him.

Also, just read that Elton John is also a guest on his album.