Song of the Moment: Lightning Bolt

General Pearl Jam discussion.
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Rate Lightning Bolt

5 Stars
34
24%
4 Stars
59
42%
3 Stars
22
16%
2 Stars
8
6%
1 Star
12
9%
Betterman (live)
4
3%
 
Total votes: 139

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southp
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Re: Lightning Bolt

Post by southp »

cutuphalfdead wrote:Alright, this song definitely improves live.

But, as with the studio take, their are parts I really like and parts that really piss me off. They both get exaggerated live. Even though I hate Unthought Known, my favorite parts of Lightning Bolt are the parts that remind me of that song. The first 55 seconds are so are the best, and they're even better in a live setting. But then that chorus, it completely kills the song. It's like they're building up this really fun, semi interesting as far as modern pearl jam goes, song and then it just completely falls back into this stupid, generic chorus. Just awful.

I feel mostly the same as you, and agree that the live version improves some things. Unlike your comment, I find the chorus is better live because you can let the lyric just dissolve into the song and it doesn't come off so literal. It seems like old Ed would've found a darker twist to that chorus, but either way it doesn't totally kill the song for me... just drags it down one notch.
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Norah
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Re: Lightning Bolt

Post by Norah »

harmless wrote:
cutuphalfdead wrote:
harmless wrote:
cutuphalfdead wrote:Alright, this song definitely improves live.
cutuphalfdead wrote:Just awful.
The parts I like are much better, but it just contrasts that much more with the parts that I hate.
Yeah, I'm just having fun. You apparently like the part that a lot of people dislike the most... the first verse?
The first 55 seconds are my favorite.
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Norah
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Re: Lightning Bolt

Post by Norah »

The verses on this song are a prime example of bad lyrics that don't bother me. The music is good enough that I don't care, and I just see the vocals as another musical element and ignore the actual words. I can't do that in the chorus because the music sucks too.
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Thejambi
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Re: Lightning Bolt

Post by Thejambi »

I was good with the lyrics till my wife harped on them.
"These metaphors are out of control"
I'm starting to agree.
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stip
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Re: Lightning Bolt

Post by stip »

your wife is wrong. so is chud, but that is to be expected. Other than the first verse and the chorus this is all top notch, lyrically.
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Re: Lightning Bolt

Post by BurtReynolds »

BO'B absolutely murders this song. I could tolerate it as another derivative PJ epic buildup song, but those goddamn keys in the second verse... holy fuck. And the whole point of the song is to get to the big finish at the end, so what does that fucker do? FADE OUT! of course!

perfect.

And I haven't even mentioned the wawawa laser shit.
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stip
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Re: Lightning Bolt

Post by stip »

the fade out is second only to the life wasted fadeout in terms of sins against pearl jam.

It might be worse .
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Re: Lightning Bolt

Post by stip »

the piano in the second verse is pretty similar to the fixer's bridge. I would have expected you to love it
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Re: Lightning Bolt

Post by BurtReynolds »

stip wrote:the piano in the second verse is pretty similar to the fixer's bridge. I would have expected you to love it
i know, right!?
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Re: Lightning Bolt

Post by stip »

damn you, Brendan O'Brien!
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Re: Lightning Bolt

Post by Thejambi »

The RKO thing is making me sour.
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stip
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Re: Lightning Bolt

Post by stip »

the what?
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Thejambi
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Re: Lightning Bolt

Post by Thejambi »

stip wrote:the what?
"She's your RKO" instead of "Rock and Roll".
I can't unhear it and I really loved the latter.
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Re: Lightning Bolt

Post by warehouse »

stip wrote:the what?
he's not digging ed's perverted metaphors
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Re: Lightning Bolt

Post by Thejambi »

warehouse wrote:
stip wrote:the what?
he's not digging ed's perverted metaphors
:haha:
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Re: Lightning Bolt

Post by Dr. Van Nostrand »

stip wrote:the fade out is second only to the life wasted fadeout in terms of sins against pearl jam.

It might be worse .
Seeing and hearing how great the ending of the song was last night really makes me hate the fade
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Re: Lightning Bolt

Post by Thejambi »

I'd be fine with the fade if it started 20 seconds later.
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stip
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Re: Lightning Bolt

Post by stip »

Thejambi wrote:
stip wrote:the what?
"She's your RKO" instead of "Rock and Roll".
I can't unhear it and I really loved the latter.
it's not just a 'furry thing' liner notes thing?
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Dr. Van Nostrand
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Re: Lightning Bolt

Post by Dr. Van Nostrand »

Thejambi wrote:
stip wrote:the what?
"She's your RKO" instead of "Rock and Roll".
I can't unhear it and I really loved the latter.
Maybe ed is a wrestling fan
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Re: Lightning Bolt

Post by Thejambi »

stip wrote:
Thejambi wrote:
stip wrote:the what?
"She's your RKO" instead of "Rock and Roll".
I can't unhear it and I really loved the latter.
it's not just a 'furry thing' liner notes thing?
I hear him clear as day on the studio cut. RKO
There's the dog. You can't fake that stuff. Confess with your mouth.
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