Setting Sun

General Pearl Jam discussion.
Post Reply

Setting Sun

5 Stars
79
74%
4 Stars
23
21%
3 Stars
5
5%
2 Star
0
No votes
1 Star
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 107

User avatar
OmegaprimeVKM
Broken Tamborine
Posts: 305
Joined: Fri March 15, 2013 10:11 pm

Re: Setting Sun

Post by OmegaprimeVKM »

I enjoyed the Let Me Sleep vibe on this one building to Amongst the Waves, somehow.
User avatar
mikejasond
Rank This Poster
Posts: 3509
Joined: Mon July 08, 2013 11:12 pm

Re: Setting Sun

Post by mikejasond »

This might be my fifth favorite song on the album. It’s a nice closer. Lyrically iti reminds me of Black I feel but a much more mature version
User avatar
B
Troglodyte
Posts: 24953
Joined: Wed December 19, 2012 9:53 pm
Twitter: https://bsky.app/profile/rectormsw.bsky.social
Location: Chapel Hill, NC, USA

Re: Setting Sun

Post by B »

I love the drums up front. WHY didn't they bring them back in at the end?

Also, the verses Ed's worst performance on the album.
Everything's perfectly all right now. We're fine. We're all fine here, now, thank you. How are you?
User avatar
stip
The worst
Posts: 42946
Joined: Thu December 13, 2012 6:31 pm

Re: Setting Sun

Post by stip »

i love this one based on the iphone recording
User avatar
darthvedder81
Broken Tamborine
Posts: 349
Joined: Tue July 09, 2013 2:13 am
Location: Twin Cities

Re: Setting Sun

Post by darthvedder81 »

"If you could see what I see know you'd find a way to stay some how"

"If you could see what I see know you'd make a way to stay some how"

Love that classic Ed move of changing the lyric slightly and repeating.

This song is both sad and incredibly moving. There's something beautiful to see if you stick it out. Then the beauty will in turn inspire you to keep going. Love he receives is the love that is saved. Kingdom come.
Release_Me
AnalLog
Posts: 1269
Joined: Mon July 15, 2013 10:01 am

Re: Setting Sun

Post by Release_Me »

darthvedder81 wrote:"If you could see what I see know you'd find a way to stay some how"

"If you could see what I see know you'd make a way to stay some how"

Love that classic Ed move of changing the lyric slightly and repeating.

This song is both sad and incredibly moving. There's something beautiful to see if you stick it out. Then the beauty will in turn inspire you to keep going. Love he receives is the love that is saved. Kingdom come.

Those lines are really poignant and delivered in a way that gave me goosebumps. I don't think people are fully appreciating yet how damn great Ed is in the outro here. It's an all-time PJ moment for me.
Pearl Jam is the only band I'll spend money on.
User avatar
Homeboyd
Broken Tamborine
Posts: 477
Joined: Tue January 21, 2020 2:45 am

Re: Setting Sun

Post by Homeboyd »

This one is a grower...maybe my second favorite on the album. At the very least it's another great closing track and it's been a hot minute since PJ has done that.
Tj
Future Drummer
Posts: 2132
Joined: Sat February 23, 2013 1:55 am

Re: Setting Sun

Post by Tj »

Just want the outro never to end just let it play till my last breath. Their best work musically ever the outro. The fragility of Vitalogy the weathered beauty of No Code the ascending release of Yield. It is a master piece.
User avatar
stip
The worst
Posts: 42946
Joined: Thu December 13, 2012 6:31 pm

Re: Setting Sun

Post by stip »

this one got to me on my drive into work
User avatar
stip
The worst
Posts: 42946
Joined: Thu December 13, 2012 6:31 pm

Re: Setting Sun

Post by stip »

Tj wrote:Just want the outro never to end just let it play till my last breath. Their best work musically ever the outro. The fragility of Vitalogy the weathered beauty of No Code the ascending release of Yield. It is a master piece.
Just want to note I've really enjoyed reading your effusive praise of this album. Completely sincere comment
Ms Harmless
She / Her
Posts: 13605
Joined: Sun January 26, 2020 12:10 pm
Twitter: https://twitter.com/
Location: Warwickshire, UK

Re: Setting Sun

Post by Ms Harmless »

I'm really excited to dig into the lyrics next time I listen to this one, because they left me under

whelmed; maybe that's because of the sadness / resignation in so much of this album, in contrast with the beauty and positivity of most of the music (which is also a very The Cure thing that they nailed: upbeat music, downbeat lyrics)
User avatar
stip
The worst
Posts: 42946
Joined: Thu December 13, 2012 6:31 pm

Re: Setting Sun

Post by stip »

there seems to be a lot of that. I have not engaged with the lyrics outside of processing a phrase here or there, but I was surprised to hear how minor key they were given the brightness of the album. Should make for some interesting and surprising juxtapositions
Ms Harmless
She / Her
Posts: 13605
Joined: Sun January 26, 2020 12:10 pm
Twitter: https://twitter.com/
Location: Warwickshire, UK

Re: Setting Sun

Post by Ms Harmless »

absolutely, that's very much the kind of thing that makes an album long-lasting for me
Ms Harmless
She / Her
Posts: 13605
Joined: Sun January 26, 2020 12:10 pm
Twitter: https://twitter.com/
Location: Warwickshire, UK

Re: Setting Sun

Post by Ms Harmless »

they did it a little on Backspacer, but they went all in here
User avatar
stip
The worst
Posts: 42946
Joined: Thu December 13, 2012 6:31 pm

Re: Setting Sun

Post by stip »

A lot of these themes that seem to be emerging are pretty consistent with what's been on Eddie's mind since Backspacer.
User avatar
mikejasond
Rank This Poster
Posts: 3509
Joined: Mon July 08, 2013 11:12 pm

Re: Setting Sun

Post by mikejasond »

Im very curious to hear takes on this one. The rolling stone article also considered it hopeful which somebody echoed in the album thread. And quoted the lyrics they see as hopeful and I see as desperately clinging ala Black. To me this was not a hopeful song at all but others read it differently.
Ms Harmless
She / Her
Posts: 13605
Joined: Sun January 26, 2020 12:10 pm
Twitter: https://twitter.com/
Location: Warwickshire, UK

Re: Setting Sun

Post by Ms Harmless »

mikejasond wrote:Im very curious to hear takes on this one. The rolling stone article also considered it hopeful which somebody echoed in the album thread. And quoted the lyrics they see as hopeful and I see as desperately clinging ala Black. To me this was not a hopeful song at all but others read it differently.
I thought it felt hopeful until I read the lyrics
User avatar
Ledbetterdays
A Return To Form
Posts: 203
Joined: Tue January 29, 2013 3:45 am

Re: Setting Sun

Post by Ledbetterdays »

mikejasond wrote:Im very curious to hear takes on this one. The rolling stone article also considered it hopeful which somebody echoed in the album thread. And quoted the lyrics they see as hopeful and I see as desperately clinging ala Black. To me this was not a hopeful song at all but others read it differently.
I'll take the bait here. I think you referenced Black. Black the relationship is over. This one it's not. I think he is also playing across multiple ideas here: Chris, the band, maybe his wife, and at the end we could be one last setting sun or I forget the exact lyric but more of a sunrise into let us not fade. That last few seconds turns the coin to something hopeful.

I love the idea of the final part of the song being Ed looking a the band all back in a room excited, and thinking look at this, maybe we thought this was the end, but it could be a sunrise if we hang on.
User avatar
Ledbetterdays
A Return To Form
Posts: 203
Joined: Tue January 29, 2013 3:45 am

Re: Setting Sun

Post by Ledbetterdays »

mikejasond wrote:Im very curious to hear takes on this one. The rolling stone article also considered it hopeful which somebody echoed in the album thread. And quoted the lyrics they see as hopeful and I see as desperately clinging ala Black. To me this was not a hopeful song at all but others read it differently.
I'll take the bait here. I think you referenced Black. Black the relationship is over. This one it's not. I think he is also playing across multiple ideas here: Chris, the band, maybe his wife, and at the end we could be one last setting sun or I forget the exact lyric but more of a sunrise into let us not fade. That last few seconds turns the coin to something hopeful.

I love the idea of the final part of the song being Ed looking a the band all back in a room excited, and thinking look at this, maybe we thought this was the end, but it could be a sunrise if we hang on.
User avatar
darthvedder81
Broken Tamborine
Posts: 349
Joined: Tue July 09, 2013 2:13 am
Location: Twin Cities

Re: Setting Sun

Post by darthvedder81 »

mikejasond wrote:Im very curious to hear takes on this one. The rolling stone article also considered it hopeful which somebody echoed in the album thread. And quoted the lyrics they see as hopeful and I see as desperately clinging ala Black. To me this was not a hopeful song at all but others read it differently.
Think that was me :)

I don’t necessarily disagree with you that the story being told is sad/bleak. Still trying to put my finger on it but there’s a hopeful quality to the music in this song (and in most of the album) that sort of lifts you up/gives hope in spite of the darker subject matter? As far as the lyrics Ed is seeing something (someone?) that gives hope and transcends the pain. Is he singing about someone else or maybe a past version of himself that’s going through hell? I’ve been hearing it as the latter. I’ve been through dark times where you are hurting but know it won’t last and just wish you got a message from above/your future self that assured you it would be OK.

Reminds me thematically of Thumbing My Way (my favorite Ed song ever). It's a lonely sad tale but the empathy and will to carry on make it my go to when I'm sad and want to feel better/inspired again/not alone.
Post Reply