The Essential Pearl Jam

[Norah]

I haven't done this, but I would make disc 1 tracks from Vitalogy through Riot Act, and disc 2 track from Ten, Vs, Pearl Jam, Backspacer, and Lightning Bolt.

What would that look like?

Use your imagination.

I was talking about track list and such, thanks for you thoughtful explanation though.

Like I said I haven't done this so I don't have a tracklist.

[Fuzzcharger]

I haven't done this, but I would make disc 1 tracks from Vitalogy through Riot Act, and disc 2 track from Ten, Vs, Pearl Jam, Backspacer, and Lightning Bolt.

Great idea. Just curious but if Vitalogy - Riot Act is know as the "Middle Years" what do people call the other records?

Early years and modern years? I don't know.

Sorry it wasn't necessarily a specific question aimed at you. It seems sensible to group the early and modern together as we kinda do on here already but the "Stip Years" doesn't have much of a collective ring to it.

[Norah]

I haven't done this, but I would make disc 1 tracks from Vitalogy through Riot Act, and disc 2 track from Ten, Vs, Pearl Jam, Backspacer, and Lightning Bolt.

Great idea. Just curious but if Vitalogy - Riot Act is know as the "Middle Years" what do people call the other records?

Early years and modern years? I don't know.

Sorry it wasn't necessarily a specific question aimed at you. It seems sensible to group the early and modern together as we kinda do on here already but the "Stip Years" doesn't have much of a collective ring to it.

I like that. The Stip Years 1990-1993, 2005-2013.

[PHATJ]

An interesting topic might be; If you were to make a mix tape for a friend that had never heard PJ, and you could only include two songs from each album and two b-sides, what would your song selections be?

I guess I'll be the first to answer my own question because I think it is a good one. In album order:

1. Release
2. Jeremy
3. Animal
4. Daughter
5. Last Exit
6. Corduroy
7. Red Mosquito
8. Present Tense
9. Given To Fly
10. Do The Evolution
11. Nothing As It Seems
12. Sleight Of Hand
13. I Am Mine
14. You Are
15. Severed Hand
16. Unemployable
17. Johnny Guitar
18. Amongst The Waves
19. Pendulum
20. Lighting Bolt
21. Sad
22. Yellow Ledbetter

[Fuzzcharger]

An interesting topic might be; If you were to make a mix tape for a friend that had never heard PJ, and you could only include two songs from each album and two b-sides, what would your song selections be?

I guess I'll be the first to answer my own question because I think it is a good one. In album order:

1. Release
2. Jeremy
3. Animal
4. Daughter
5. Last Exit
6. Corduroy
7. Red Mosquito
8. Present Tense
9. Given To Fly
10. Do The Evolution
11. Nothing As It Seems
12. Sleight Of Hand
13. I Am Mine
14. You Are
15. Severed Hand
16. Unemployable
17. Johnny Guitar
18. Amongst The Waves
19. Pendulum
20. Lighting Bolt
21. Sad
22. Yellow Ledbetter

It would depend on the friend and what I know their listening tastes to be.

[WtOB?]

i guess i would do this if i was going for middle years / stip years
1. Corduroy
2. Better Man
3. Immortality
4. Hail Hail
5. In My Tree
6. Present Tense
7. Given To Fly
8. In Hiding
9. Nothing As It Seems
10. Of The Girl
11. Sleight Of Hand
12. Sad
13. Undone
14. Save You
15. I Am Mine
16. Green Disease
17. All Or None

1. Oceans
2. Alive
3. Black
4. Even Flow
5. Go
6. Daugter
7. Hard To Imagine
8. Severed Hand
9. World Wide Suicide
10. Unemployable
11. Army Reserve
12. Just Breathe
13. Amongst The Waves
14. Getaway
15. Mind Your Tanners
16. Sirens
17. Pendulum

[Norah]

I'd put Hard To Imagine in the middle years. The first version released was from the Vitalogy sessions.

[WtOB?]

yeah, i thought about that but i didn't have any room on disc 1 and since it's originally from vs. i thought it'd be ok.

[WtOB?]

maybe i should have included jeremy.

[Lament]

Even Flow
Alive
Jeremy
Black
State of Love & Trust
Crazy Mary
Daughter
Dissident
Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town
Corduroy
Better Man
Given to Fly
Wishlist
Last Kiss
World Wide Suicide
The Fixer
Just Breathe
Yellow Ledbetter
Rockin' In the Free World (Live, Bonus Track)

Let's be honest, that's pretty much what someone buying a CD called "The Essential Pearl Jam" is hoping to get.

[Fuzzcharger]

I'm finding it difficult now to acknowledge any compilation that isn't divided into Middle Years and Stip Years.

[stip]

Disc 1.

1. Alive
2. Black
3. Porch
4. Release
5. State of love and trust
6. Yellow Ledbetter
7. Go
8. Animal
9. Rearview mirror
10. Last exit
11. Tremor Christ
12. Corduroy
13. Betterman
14. Immortality
15. I got shit
16. Hail hail
17. In my tree

Disc 2

1. Given to fly
2. Do the evolution
3. Insignificance
4. Grievance
5. Sad
6. Can't keep
7. I am mine
8. Undone
9. Man of the hour
10. World wide suicide
11. Comatose
12. The fixer
13. Force of nature
14. Mind your manners
15. Infallible
16. Pendulum
17. Yellow moon

[mray10]

Disc 1.

1. Alive
2. Black
3. Porch
4. Release
5. State of love and trust
6. Yellow Ledbetter
7. Go
8. Animal
9. Rearview mirror
10. Last exit
11. Tremor Christ
12. Corduroy
13. Betterman
14. Immortality
15. I got shit
16. Hail hail
17. In my tree

Disc 2

1. Given to fly
2. Do the evolution
3. Insignificance
4. Grievance
5. Sad
6. Can't keep
7. I am mine
8. Undone
9. Man of the hour
10. World wide suicide
11. Comatose
12. The fixer
13. Force of nature
14. Mind your manners
15. Infallible
16. Pendulum
17. Yellow moon

Even Flow is not "essential" Pearl Jam?

[stip]

I was interpreting essential pretty broadly--songs that kind of embody the band, not necessarily the GH. Otherwise we'll never get past the first 3 records.

[mray10]

I was interpreting essential pretty broadly--songs that kind of embody the band, not necessarily the GH. Otherwise we'll never get past the first 3 records.

And ... still no Even Flow?

The lyrical themes, the delivery of the lyric, even the fact that it's one of the most classic examples of people listening to a Vedder lyric and wondering "WTH is he saying?"

That they've played it live more than any other song?

Seems to embody the band to me.

[stip]

I was interpreting essential pretty broadly--songs that kind of embody the band, not necessarily the GH. Otherwise we'll never get past the first 3 records.

And ... still no Even Flow?

The lyrical themes, the delivery of the lyric, even the fact that it's one of the most classic examples of people listening to a Vedder lyric and wondering "WTH is he saying?"

That they've played it live more than any other song?

Seems to embody the band to me.

Look, I'd just give people the first 3 records and say that's all you REALLY need. It's not enough to say 'add even flow'. What would you cut?

[mray10]

I was interpreting essential pretty broadly--songs that kind of embody the band, not necessarily the GH. Otherwise we'll never get past the first 3 records.

And ... still no Even Flow?

The lyrical themes, the delivery of the lyric, even the fact that it's one of the most classic examples of people listening to a Vedder lyric and wondering "WTH is he saying?"

That they've played it live more than any other song?

Seems to embody the band to me.

Look, I'd just give people the first 3 records and say that's all you REALLY need. It's not enough to say 'add even flow'. What would you cut?

If I'm just picking from Ten-era stuff, I'd cut Release. It's a great track and pretty important for Pearl Jam, but it doesn't measure up to Even Flow (I prefer Release, I'm just talking about "importance.")

Anyway, sorry, I'm nt trying to pick on your list. I just don't see how any kind of "essential" set of songs that's supposed to give a listener an idea of "what pearl Jam" is could not include Even Flow.

[hlniv]

Disc 1.

1. Alive
2. Black
3. Even Flow
4. Porch
5. Release
6. State of love and trust
7. Yellow Ledbetter
8. Go
9. Animal
10. Rearview mirror
11. Daughter
12. Corduroy
13. Betterman
14. Immortality
15. I got shit
16. Hail hail
17. In my tree

Disc 2

1. Red Mosquito
2. Present Tense
3. Brain of J
4. Given to fly
5. Faithfull
6. Do the evolution
7. Nothing as it Seems
8. Grievance
9. Sad
10. I am mine
11. Save You
12. Man of the hour
13. Severend Hand
14. Unthought Known
15. Mind your manners
16. Infallible
17. Pendulum

FTFY.

Pretty good calls on disc 1. Even Flow and Daughter are pretty no brainer switch outs for Last Exit and Tremor Christ, though., I believe.

We have wildly different opinions on disc 2.

[Jorge]

1. Alive
2. Even Flow
3. Jeremy
4. Black
5. State of Love and Trust
6. Animal
7. Daughter
8. Rearviewmirror
9. Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town
10. Spin the Black Circle
11. Betterman
12. Corduroy
13. Immortality
14. I Got Shit
15. Who You Are
16. Hail Hail
17. In My Tree

1. Given to Fly
2. Do the Evolution
3. Last Kiss
4. Nothing as it Seems
5. Grievance
6. Light Years
7. I Am Mine
8. Save You
9. Man of the Hour
10. Worldwide Suicide
11. Life Wasted
12. The Fixer
13. Just Breathe
14. Amongst the Waves
15. Mind Your Manners
16. Sirens
17. Infallible

[mray10]

1. Alive
2. Even Flow
3. Jeremy
4. Black
5. State of Love and Trust
6. Animal
7. Daughter
8. Rearviewmirror
9. Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town
10. Spin the Black Circle
11. Betterman
12. Corduroy
13. Immortality
14. I Got Shit
15. Who You Are
16. Hail Hail
17. In My Tree

1. Given to Fly
2. Do the Evolution
3. Last Kiss
4. Nothing as it Seems
5. Grievance
6. Light Years
7. I Am Mine
8. Save You
9. Man of the Hour
10. Worldwide Suicide
11. Life Wasted
12. The Fixer
13. Just Breathe
14. Amongst the Waves
15. Mind Your Manners
16. Sirens
17. Return My Poop (To Me)

Gotta have that new track to drive sales