Red Mosquito

"Leatherman" is a delight, and if asked to pick a single Pearl Jam relic to represent the fullness of what this band once meant to me in the most concise, compact format possible, that "Given to Fly" CD single would almost certainly be it -- I am not sure I ever engaged with something as excitedly as I did with that item during January, 1998, and those three songs still hit an emotional sweet spot (especially when presented in that sequence) that little else in the PJ discography does for me. Some of it is simple nostalgia, but some of it is that those three songs -- isolated from the general context of Yield -- really amplify Yield's sense of peace and mindfulness in a format that sidesteps the cynicism of something like "Do the Evolution" and/or the triteness of something like "In Hiding" (both songs I love, but which nonetheless inject different flavors into the overall program). There is no other PJ single that feels as much to me like a carefully assembled short-form EP as these three songs do, not even Merkinball.

I think I've said this before but "Leatherman" reminds me of Fables of the Reconstruction-era REM, both in the musical/compositional sense (just imagine Stipe singing that melody and Buck picking out those guitar chords) and in the kind of part-fact-part-legend-style character sketch (reminiscent of "Driver 8" or "Auctioneer" or something like that). It was the first Pearl Jam song I remember feeling lighthearted and whimsical without seeming like a joke, and I'm not sure I really remember one that's struck that same balance so effectively since.

All that said, I think "In the Moonlight" is a better song, equally special to me for different reasons, expressed exhaustively elsewhere.

It's strange to me that where we differ in our PJ tastes, KD, it's so extreme -- just diametrically opposed. Because where we are the same, we are exactly the same. Not just in taste but seemingly in experience, too.

What you said about the GtF single is so right on the mark. I don't think I've ever thought about it in those terms but reading what you wrote, my chest got light and I honestly felt like I was writing it, not just reading it. That is exactly my experience with those songs, that ep. Ditto the idea that Leatherman was the first light-hearted PJ song that didn't feel like a joke. Just great observations and absolutely right.

And obviously I've already deferred to you regarding Moonlight because every word you've written about that song is goddamn gospel. Moonlight is better and still gets my vote (Final Four, baby, let's do this!!!) here, but I do love Leatherman.

I think Leatherman may also be the first PJ song that felt like mine. So few people around me knew about it. The few that did, dismissed it. So it felt like my own special connection to the band that I was alone in appreciating. And I kinda liked being alone there.

Aw, thanks, Joe! Another weird thing that unreasonably endears "Leatherman" to me is the fact that, at the time it came out, there was a kid in our neighborhood who, through a series of nonsensical inside jokes that to the extent I can remember them would make no sense to attempt to reiterate here, somehow found himself saddled with the sarcastic nickname "man of the land." We would always say, "Of course so and so does this, because he's" -- cue stupid voice -- "a man of the land!" I will never forget the eruption of laughter, listening to this song for the first time with those people and hearing Eddie sing that phrase. I still feel a light tug on the heartstrings every time I hear it.

Sometimes it's ridiculous to think how many songs have completely inane things like that cause them to stick with you.

Totally agree with you guys on the GTF single. How happy I was that all three tunes were played in the same show at PJ20.

Great points, fellas. Wishlist single provides similar feelings as well.

They really knew what they were doing in '98, huh?

And, In The Moonlight.

There's a lot of hard matches in this round but, interestingly, I find this one to be the most difficult and the one where we're going to lose something special either way. Both of these songs feel like they're meant for us loons who are lifers for this band; we who love them in spite of their weaknesses.

I love reading Kevin and Joe's recollections of the "Given to Fly" single, something that I feel I missed out on having gotten into the band a couple years later and having no close friendships to share in my joy of their music. Nonetheless, I've gotten to be an occasional fringe member of this little community on RM for nearly 17 years now, and I feel like I can get a bit of that experience because of all that time.

I kinda want to give my vote to "Leatherman" because it's felt like the little song that could with how it's made it so far in this tournament. But maybe I like "In the Moonlight" a little more. Something to ponder.

I don't dislike Leatherman as much as my posting would imply.

B wrote:I don't dislike Leatherman as much as my posting would imply.

Round 3 voting is intense

This is probably as far as In The Moonlight can realistically go. If it survives this match (which looks likely right now) I'm gonna call it a huge win. I don't think it can win it's next match. So proud of RM for taking it this far.

Heart y'all, team.

Yeah, it loses to Animal and Rival.

yeah i guess.

Its actually a very good song. The guitars sound so fucking awesome...the riff is also pretty cool. And i adore how Ed sounds..mysterious, sexy..the layered vocals are super good, reminded me of Soundgarden in a way....That little acoustic guitar at the 2 minute mark...

Also, Matt is so good here, really right and loose something he know how to do.

And the solo..