Eddie Vedder - Earthling

[BurtReynolds]

I can come up with like 3 different interpretations of The Haves, but they're all just horrendous.

[Ms Harmless]

The Haves would genuinely work if Ed was actually poor or working class, and the song was ironically reclaiming "the haves" "for the people", as it were; he's just not in the position to be able to do that

I dont know that actually being a member of a social class is necessary to either share, endorse, or sing about a particular cause or set of values. We wouldnt say Ed cant sing about feminist themes because he’s a guy. But you do need to be mindful about self identification. Plus, as KD pointed out, that’s not really what this song is about and the very particular associations with have/have nots make it a terrible central metaphor

that wasn't my argument; my argument is less that he's not allowed to write songs like this (a huge straw man thrown at feminists who complain that yet another clueless man has tried to speak on the behalf of women), and more that his wealth has caused him to do it really fucking badly in this instance; I've already said that I think he's done it fairly well in the past

[Ms Harmless]

the problem with The Haves is its song writing method, and Ed is arguably blind to the problem because (among other things) he is rich, and a term like "the haves" is merely a metaphor for him

[Strat]

I think Ed, probably wrongfully so, views the term “the haves” differently than the actual definition. He’s always rallied against greed and placing priorities on profit over soul.

In that sense, from Ed’s perspective, I’m sure he doesn’t view himself as a have.

Of course that is wrong.


I don’t think the song suffers from this whole argument about haves and have nots. It’s just cheesy, bad rhyming, weird style choices, and many other things.

[Ms Harmless]

I don't know anything about Ed's extended family's economic status, but to me, featuring his dad singing on the album is a much more powerful statement than The Haves

[Ms Harmless]

if you want to sing about inequality, have some "have nots" literally featured on your album; that would be signal boosting and that would be cool

[Ms Harmless]

I think Ed, probably wrongfully so, views the term “the haves” differently than the actual definition. He’s always rallied against greed and placing priorities on profit over soul.

In that sense, from Ed’s perspective, I’m sure he doesn’t view himself as a have.

Of course that is wrong.


I don’t think the song suffers from this whole argument about haves and have nots. It’s just cheesy, bad rhyming, weird style choices, and many other things.

yeah, I would definitely care a lot less if I enjoyed the song

[Birds in Hell]

Maybe this is Ed’s landing on water or trans

Talk about lofty expectations!

Ed's solo career isn't in the same universe as either of those flawed but fascinating records, both of which feature a handful of career highlight songs for Neil.

I'd much sooner listen to either of those than Mirrorball, or any other post 90s NY album.

[BurtReynolds]

It's not just that he's rich, but he rubs elbows with the most powerful people on the face of the Earth, and considers many of them his friends. It's utterly absurd that he would write this song.

Either he's completely lacking in self awareness, completely cynical towards the intelligence of the "have-nots", or his wife is mad that they stopped getting invited to the best fundraisers/dinner parties so he felt the need to write this love song to her to convince her that they have more than people like Obama can ever have!

[Birds in Hell]

I'd put this closer to something like a late period Mick Jagger solo album (based on what I imagine that to be, I have no personal experience here.)

Middling and unremarkable songs, expensive production, guest appearances by famous friends, a footnote in broader discography based on more essential earlier works, etc.

[BurtReynolds]

Oddly enough I think the lyrics to Brother the Cloud are very good, but I can't stand that processed "Americana" sound, at least when PJ does it.

[Strat]

Maybe this is Ed’s landing on water or trans

Talk about lofty expectations!

Ed's solo career isn't in the same universe as either of those flawed but fascinating records, both of which feature a handful of career highlight songs for Neil.

I'd much sooner listen to either of those than Mirrorball, or any other post 90s NY album.

lol spenno

Look trans is great but just calm down here

[liebzz]

I am usually more than willing to break down an Eddie/Pearl Jam song to understand why I may or may not like it. The Haves just sounds awful and there really isn’t much else to it. The music is boring, the singing and lyrics suck. It’s just not good at all.

I can get behind the other two songs so far, but in the larger sound of the album, I don’t like the slick production - I think it neuters the gravity of Brother the Cloud and makes Long Way sound more pedestrian (as opposed to the live version that sounded pretty excellent).

[liebzz]

Maybe this is Ed’s landing on water or trans

Talk about lofty expectations!

Ed's solo career isn't in the same universe as either of those flawed but fascinating records, both of which feature a handful of career highlight songs for Neil.

I'd much sooner listen to either of those than Mirrorball, or any other post 90s NY album.

lol spenno

Look trans is great but just calm down here

Ha. Trans is actually pretty good. As for Landing on Water, if by fascinating you mean unpleasant to listen to, I am on board with that.

[stip]

The Haves would genuinely work if Ed was actually poor or working class, and the song was ironically reclaiming "the haves" "for the people", as it were; he's just not in the position to be able to do that

I dont know that actually being a member of a social class is necessary to either share, endorse, or sing about a particular cause or set of values. We wouldnt say Ed cant sing about feminist themes because he’s a guy. But you do need to be mindful about self identification. Plus, as KD pointed out, that’s not really what this song is about and the very particular associations with have/have nots make it a terrible central metaphor

Not a great argument because one doesn't need to identify as woman or female to be a feminist.

one doesnt need to be poor to be a socialist, or black to be concerned about racisim, etc.

[stip]

I do agree that "The Haves" is perhaves the single worst song EV has ever been involved with

there will always be No More

[stip]

The first two Pearl Jam records are, by and large, exercises in militant empathy. Observe a wrong and vanish inside it. Become the spark. Turn on the amps. Whatever happens next, happens.

But at LEAST as far back as Binaural, I just don't think he had that capacity in his songwriting anymore. He kept trying...especially on ST...but what used to be an almost totally stripped emotional wire now had protective layers. So the approach changed. Continue to observe the wrong. Continue to speak to the wrong. But keep yourself. You are yours. You have to be.

I'm saying that it shifted with time into more of a controlled thing. An intellectual exercise. A craft.

That militant empathy still informs a lot of his work (you can see it in Into the Wild, and on songs like Sleight of Hand, Army Reserve...not as much of Backspacer/LB, I guess), just as it pervades so very, very much of what he does and aspires to. It still exists as a spark to create. But the ability to let himself live inside that spark and whatever happens, happens....is gone.

Gigaton broke free of this problem in part because the wrong that was weighing on his mind was every bit as personal as it was universal. He could speak to it on a communal level simply by speaking directly to it on his own. That's a good dynamic for him, and he should look to it more often. I also think that's part of what a song like The End has going for it, as does the tail end of Brother the Cloud.

I don't hate The Haves, personally, but it is one of those rare times (and maybe I feel this way about something like My Father's Son, as well) where, when I look for the empathy that should be the true heart of the song...it feels false. Grotesque, in a way. Like a cynically applied mimic of something very old, now merely dubbed performatively useful. Gene Simmons putting on makeup before a show.

this is a good post.

[epilogue]

The Haves would genuinely work if Ed was actually poor or working class, and the song was ironically reclaiming "the haves" "for the people", as it were; he's just not in the position to be able to do that

I dont know that actually being a member of a social class is necessary to either share, endorse, or sing about a particular cause or set of values. We wouldnt say Ed cant sing about feminist themes because he’s a guy. But you do need to be mindful about self identification. Plus, as KD pointed out, that’s not really what this song is about and the very particular associations with have/have nots make it a terrible central metaphor

Not a great argument because one doesn't need to identify as woman or female to be a feminist.

one doesnt need to be poor to be a socialist, or black to be concerned about racisim, etc.

Yep, totally misread your post. Saying the same thing.

[Ms Harmless]

The Haves would genuinely work if Ed was actually poor or working class, and the song was ironically reclaiming "the haves" "for the people", as it were; he's just not in the position to be able to do that

I dont know that actually being a member of a social class is necessary to either share, endorse, or sing about a particular cause or set of values. We wouldnt say Ed cant sing about feminist themes because he’s a guy. But you do need to be mindful about self identification. Plus, as KD pointed out, that’s not really what this song is about and the very particular associations with have/have nots make it a terrible central metaphor

Not a great argument because one doesn't need to identify as woman or female to be a feminist.

one doesnt need to be poor to be a socialist, or black to be concerned about racisim, etc.

they don't, but they're very unlikely to produce good art about those things if they're not directly affected

[Bammer]

The Haves would genuinely work if Ed was actually poor or working class, and the song was ironically reclaiming "the haves" "for the people", as it were; he's just not in the position to be able to do that

I dont know that actually being a member of a social class is necessary to either share, endorse, or sing about a particular cause or set of values. We wouldnt say Ed cant sing about feminist themes because he’s a guy. But you do need to be mindful about self identification. Plus, as KD pointed out, that’s not really what this song is about and the very particular associations with have/have nots make it a terrible central metaphor

Not a great argument because one doesn't need to identify as woman or female to be a feminist.

one doesnt need to be poor to be a socialist, or black to be concerned about racisim, etc.

they don't, but they're very unlikely to produce good art about those things if they're not directly affected

For what it’s worth, John Fogerty was not born on the bayou.