Red Mosquito

Whipping (Atlanta 1994-04-03) vs. Getaway (Sydney 2014-01-26)

This is probably the easiest match so far. This is the definitive version of Whipping (live or otherwise), and the only reason this isn't maybe the best song to come out of the legendary Atlanta 94 performance is that Satan's Bed was at the same show.

Getaway has its minor pleasures on Lightning Bolt, and I'd like it more if it wasn't the opener. But this live version kind of sucks - it loses the bouncy charm of the studio version and replaces it with...nothing?

Whipping. Back when it was a given that whenever they played a new song it would be awesome.

Whipping. There’s not even a choice here.

Whipping.

I like studio Getaway, but live is such a letdown. And its all on Ed.

Sometimes Pearl Jam writes bad songs and makes them better live ("Amongst the Waves," "Unthought Known," "Lightning Bolt"), and sometimes, as with "Getaway," they write bad songs and make them even worse live. This version of "Whipping" obliterates it.

Kevin Davis wrote:Sometimes Pearl Jam writes bad songs and makes them better live ("Amongst the Waves," "Unthought Known," "Lightning Bolt"), and sometimes, as with "Getaway," they write bad songs and make them even worse live. This version of "Whipping" obliterates it.

And unfortunately I saw this version of Getaway. How this is the best version ever is mind blowing.

Whipping shreds

Don’t mean to push, but I’m being shoved.

That Atlanta show always brings back fond memories of listening that night on the radio. I loved the ferocity of Whipping when I first heard it, and this version continues to grip me to this day.