Round 6: Drifting vs. Yellow Moon vs. Love Boat Captain

Post by **stip** » Sat February 13, 2016 1:42 pm

Vote for your favorite

tragabigzanda · Post by **tragabigzanda** » Sat February 13, 2016 1:46 pm

I'm voting for the original fan club version of Drifting, not the constipated version from Lost Dogs.

Post by **stip** » Sat February 13, 2016 2:21 pm

I really like drifting (both versions of it). There's something genuinely relaxed and playful about it at a time where their humor generally felt forced and attempts to relax felt like someone looked up relaxed in the dictionary and was operating with a clinical, rather than experiential understanding of the word.

I've never been a big fan of Love Boat Captain. I don't much care for the chorus/all you need is love stuff, and while there are nice moments scattered throughout the song it never felt as big as it wanted to be, nor did the payoffs feel as earned as they should have, given the inspiration behind the song. I think both Unthought Known and especially Lighting Bolt are better versions of what this song wanted to be.

I adore Yellow Moon, a song that demands to be listened to with headphones on a late night autumn walk. I love the lyrics, I love the stately elegiac feel of the song, its understated drama and the way it so desperately (and futility) asks an indifferent universe to acknowledge its final moments. There's something that's so dignified about the presentation, and cinematic about it--forgoing the intimacy you might expect in a song like this for a more voyeuristic approach that is appropriate for the message of the song. The character has to be alone---we can't be there with him. I might have mixed Mike's part a bit differently, and I can see how the song would be interesting with a more natural and open sound, but it's still great as it is. This is a criminally underrated song--the kind of sleeper song that gives an album depth that people make a connection with after they've moved past the initial grabbers. But since no one goes back to Lightning Bolt it's not likely to get the second look it deserves.

Vote for Yellow Moon.

Norah · Post by **Norah** » Sat February 13, 2016 2:21 pm

tragabigzanda wrote:I'm voting for the original fan club version of Drifting, not the constipated version from Lost Dogs.

Same, but both beat LBC and Yellow Moon.

doone · Post by **doone** » Sat February 13, 2016 2:43 pm

Yeah, I just listened to all 3 candidates and the only one I didn't want to fast forward was Drifting. Gets my vote by default.

chewm · Post by **chewm** » Sat February 13, 2016 2:50 pm

LBC, fantastic song.
I like them all tho, Yellow Moon might be my favorite song from Lightning Bolt.

Kevin Davis · Post by **Kevin Davis** » Sat February 13, 2016 2:50 pm

"LBC" is a song I like but rarely seek out -- I think it's cornier on paper than in performance, where the title line bears less weight. I have little doubt the song would be viewed differently if they'd given it a different name, which is probably the single worst three-word phrase they could have picked from the lyrics to stand for the song. But despite its many transitions, the song still comes off feeling kind of flat and average -- one of "Riot Act"'s lesser tracks, too long and too middle-of-the-road for the quirky smorgasbord that makes up the rest of the album.

I don't care for the "Lost Dogs" version of "Drifting" at all. But I love the original version, and the ad-lib country rock live version they did in OKC in '03 is something I wish they'd do again. In my view this song is truer to a lot of conventional folk idioms than most of the songs Eddie would later come up with, when he actively began cultivating that side of himself as an artist, and I think the low stakes of the fan club single format allows him to embrace that breezier, more casual feel with fewer reservations.

"Yellow Moon" is alright -- I still envision it in a different, grainier arrangement.

Vote for "Drifting."

doone · Post by **doone** » Sat February 13, 2016 2:53 pm

I only have LD's Drifting, anyone have a link to the other version?

PHATJ · Post by **PHATJ** » Sat February 13, 2016 2:54 pm

I think I like Yellow Moon the best... Not sure.

digster · Post by **digster** » Sat February 13, 2016 3:18 pm

This is fairly tough. I want to say Yellow Moon, but there's no better example with PJ of a good song handicapped by questionable choices in arrangement and production. The song should envelop you, but like much of LB, it feels like the song is trapped in a museum behind glass. I can tell it's trying to be emotional and affecting, but there's too much of a disconnect.

I'm going with Drifting; it's fun and carefree but some of the lyrics (especially "sometimes I wonder if they know that I'm gone") have always stuck with me. It was also the first song I ever performed in front of people, so it'll always stick with me.

darth_vedder · Post by **darth_vedder** » Sat February 13, 2016 3:19 pm

LBC, really really like the music on it.

Post by **epilogue** » Sat February 13, 2016 3:28 pm

This is a really difficult match up. I'm a big fan of all three of these songs. On any given day I could pick on over the others. Wow...

Going with Yellow Moon right now. But could very possibly change my vote by the end of the match.

Post by **stip** » Sat February 13, 2016 3:53 pm

digster wrote:This is fairly tough. I want to say Yellow Moon, but there's no better example with PJ of a good song handicapped by questionable choices in arrangement and production. The song should envelop you, but like much of LB, it feels like the song is trapped in a museum behind glass.I can tell it's trying to be emotional and affecting, but there's too much of a disconnect.

I'm going with Drifting; it's fun and carefree but some of the lyrics (especially "sometimes I wonder if they know that I'm gone") have always stuck with me. It was also the first song I ever performed in front of people, so it'll always stick with me.

I like the description and it gets to the heart of the l-bolt production problem - a strong set of songs presented in an unflattering light. But yellow moon is maybe the only song where the choice is appropriate - with the caveat that different choices could have made it even better

Kaius · Post by **Kaius** » Sat February 13, 2016 4:01 pm

One vote for LBC. Take the reigns, steer us towards the clear.

vedder316 · Post by **vedder316** » Sat February 13, 2016 4:11 pm

Yellow Moon is a PRAMG favorite of mine, therefore it gets the vote here.

Post by **epilogue** » Sat February 13, 2016 4:13 pm

vedder316 wrote:Yellow Moon is a PRAMG favorite of mine, therefore it gets the vote here.

tommymtcom · Post by **tommymtcom** » Sat February 13, 2016 4:23 pm

doone wrote:I only have LD's Drifting, anyone have a link to the other version?

This version is probably a top 20 PJ song for me.

Post by **epilogue** » Sat February 13, 2016 4:26 pm

Drifting was the first Pearl Jam song I learned to play on guitar.

Norah · Post by **Norah** » Sat February 13, 2016 4:45 pm

merry christmas

Post by **epilogue** » Sat February 13, 2016 4:51 pm

Red Mosquito