MM 2025 Finals: Hail Hail vs. Animal

[stip]

Hail Hail vs. Animal

[96583UP]

two very powerful songs

Animal an anthem to kick off the 2nd album era of pearl jam. The Dave A era. Their most famous era. Their best live touring era

Hail Hail the sound of PJ rocking their way into obscurity. Ed transposing as Jerome Turner. The search for anonymity. A bonfire for the Jeff Ament era. The spirituality of Jack Irons. And lurking within the power chords and odd timing and exceptional lyrics of Hail, Hail; are some very special Stone riffs and harmonies, audible perhaps only by headphones. Hail Hail captures many of the elements that make No Code special, all in one. The power of Habit and Lukin, the deep lyrics of Sometimes and I'm Open, the creative guitar work of Present Tense and In My Tree. And it is genuine Ed. Powerful and Pensive.

I cast my vote for Hail, Hail

[The Argonaut]

Wow, my tastes are aligned with RM's perfectly. I sincerely think these are my two favorite songs

Don't know who to choose yet

[liebzz]

I’d argue that Ten was their most famous “era” but I voted for Animal. This is a band who sounds amazing running at breakneck speed, and the opening duo of Go and Animal sold me on Pearl Jam as a 15 year old in ways no other moment early in the game did.

[epilogue]

Love em both, but going with Animal

[coptheriotact]

Hail hail

Great riff + jack jacking about

[stip]

Hail Hail the sound of PJ rocking their way into obscurity.

I'm voting for Animal, but this is a great description

[stip]

and lets none of us fool ourselves into thinking that the hail hail riff holds a candle to animal

[Farmer John]

An excellent final fo sho, but it's time for Animal to take its rightful spot atop the podium

[Jorge]

and lets none of us fool ourselves into thinking that the hail hail riff holds a candle to animal

The "Hail Hail" riff is way more interesting. Has much more character to it. It's jagged, restless, and weirdly disorienting because there's no sense of key center (at least at first). That kind of harmonic ambiguity creates this anxious, unresolved feeling, like the riff is teetering on the edge of two keys but never committing. There’s a push and pull to it that never resolves cleanly, and feels like the song is constantly leaning forward, finally twisting into something sour. The "Animal" riff is much more traditional and diatonically in-the-box. There are things about "Animal" that are really cool -- I love how the chorus feels tightly wound and contained compared to the louder verses, and the way it fully unravels at the end is really satisfying -- but the main riff is whatever. I prefer the weird, crooked, unsettled energy of the "Hail Hail" riff.

Good final but "Hail Hail" gets my vote

[96583UP]

Hail Hail the sound of PJ rocking their way into obscurity.

I'm voting for Animal, but this is a great description

[96583UP]

and lets none of us fool ourselves into thinking that the hail hail riff holds a candle to animal

The "Hail Hail" riff is way more interesting. Has much more character to it. It's jagged, restless, and weirdly disorienting because there's no sense of key center (at least at first). That kind of harmonic ambiguity creates this anxious, unresolved feeling, like the riff is teetering on the edge of two keys but never committing. There’s a push and pull to it that never resolves cleanly, and feels like the song is constantly leaning forward, finally twisting into something sour. The "Animal" riff is much more traditional and diatonically in-the-box. There are things about "Animal" that are really cool -- I love how the chorus feels tightly wound and contained compared to the louder verses, and the way it fully unravels at the end is really satisfying -- but the main riff is whatever. I prefer the weird, crooked, unsettled energy of the "Hail Hail" riff.

Good final but "Hail Hail" gets my vote

this guy gets it

[Farmer John]

The Animal riff on its own is fairly unremarkable and the Hail Hail riff is the more interesting one

Animal is a perfect rock and roll song performed unrelentingly. It's visceral. A vocal performance for the ages

[Jorge]

Yeah my argument was just comparing the riffs on their own (which Stip did first). I like both songs a lot.

[stip]

I like riffs

[B]

Animal currently running away with it.

[Jaeti]

Hail Hail

[Matters]

Are there official lyrics for Hail Hail? I didn’t get that card. The last couple lines… I’ve seen it written as “I find it on the run” but I’ve always heard ”like-minded, on the run”

[Anders]

Hail Hail

[Higgs]

Animal. It's time.