Post subject: Song of the Moment: Let my spirit pass....
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2006 4:21 pm
Global Moderator
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:02 am Posts: 44183 Location: New York Gender: Male
Last Exit
Lives opened and trashed..."look ma, watch me crash"... No time to question why'd nothing last Grasp and hold on...hold tight and fast... Soon be over...and I will relent...
Let the ocean swell, dissolve away my past Three days, and maybe longer Won't even know I've left
Under your tongue I'm like a tab I will give you what you're not supposed to have Under my breath...I swear by sin For better or for worse at best we began...
Let the sun climb, oh, burn away my mask Three days, and maybe longer Shed my skin at last...
Let the sun shine, burn away my mask Three days, and maybe longer Won't ever find me here
Let the ocean dissolve 'way my past Four days, and not much longer... Let my spirit pass...
This is, this is... This is, this is... This is, this is... My... Last exit
_________________ "Better the occasional faults of a Government that lives in a spirit of charity than the consistent omissions of a Government frozen in the ice of its own indifference."--FDR
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:02 am Posts: 44183 Location: New York Gender: Male
I can’t say enough great things about this song. Easily my favorite album opener. From the off key tuning to the crashing opening (some of my favorite work by Dave A) to the desperate ragged energy to the song and its abrupt slamming into a brick wall stop it completely sets the tone for Vitalogy.
I’ve always considered Vitalogy to end with Immortality and in between Last Exit and Immortality you have the struggle to find redemption in music working itself out (especially in Not For You, Corduroy, Bugs, and Satan’s Bed). The tension comes from the fact that the music which should be the source of that redemption is also the source of the problems—can a corrupted art still heal?
I think these are the best lyrics on any of the openers and the first verse especially
Lives opened and trashed
"Look ma, watch me crash"...
No time to question
Why'd nothing last...
Grasp and hold on
We're dyin' fast...
Soon be over...
And i will relent...
With the music, vocals, and lyrics you get such a bleak picture painted of a life quickly spiraling out of control, with the singer realizing that he’s lost his essential humanity. He’s just a mask or an idea—no longer a person—and the singer is just aching for release, wanting to burn away in the sun or wash away in the ocean—realizing before the song ends (he hesitates—the day count moves from three to four) that there is one final chance to find some shade or solid ground. His last exit.
Great start to the greatest record of all time
_________________ "Better the occasional faults of a Government that lives in a spirit of charity than the consistent omissions of a Government frozen in the ice of its own indifference."--FDR
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:02 am Posts: 44183 Location: New York Gender: Male
Does anyone know if there is any significance behind the three days line?
_________________ "Better the occasional faults of a Government that lives in a spirit of charity than the consistent omissions of a Government frozen in the ice of its own indifference."--FDR
Joined: Fri Oct 22, 2004 12:20 am Posts: 5198 Location: Connecticut Gender: Male
One of my favorite pj songs, on my favorite album of all time. When I first bought Vitalogy, I had only heard STBC, and honestly wasn't too impressed. On the first listen, Last Exit alone was enough to make me believe this was going to be a special album. I love the mood, the flow, the lyrics, everything about about it. If I ever sat down and ranked pj songs, this would probably be in the top 10.
This song is neck and neck with 'Go' as my favorite opener. I actually like Last Exit more, it's just the intro to the studio version of 'Go' is one of the coolest starts to an album I've ever heard.
As far as the interpretation, I'm with stip, 100%.
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 1:14 am Posts: 37778 Location: OmaGOD!!! Gender: Male
The first bootleg I ever got was a tape from my friend's cd called "Surfer Eddie's Sunshine State", a recording of the 11-17-93 New Orleans show. Tagged on the end for filler was the performance of this song from the night before (and of course labelled "Three Days", as it was on most early boots). It was rough and hard and very cool. So I was very pleasantly surprised to hear it open up Vitalogy when that finally came out in December.
Besides the manic energy of the song, there are two things that I particularly like about it. First is the line "under your tongue, I'm like a tab, I will give you what you're not supposed to have". At the time this album was released, I was well into my "acid phase", so I knew exactly what Eddie was talking about in that line. It's still one of my favorite lines in Pearl Jam's music.
The other thing is the scream of "Let my spirit pass!" (or "set my spirit free", depending on how you hear it) at the end of the song. I think that the first time I heard the song on the bootleg, this was not a part of the song, or at the least, it was not as powerful a scream, because I can remember feeling shaken by it the first time I listened to the album. The amount of strain and emotion flowing from those words is as raw and real as Eddie ever sounded.
_________________ Unfortunately, at the Dawning of the Age of Aquarius, the Flower Children jerked off and went back to sleep.
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:02 am Posts: 44183 Location: New York Gender: Male
punkdavid wrote:
The first bootleg I ever got was a tape from my friend's cd called "Surfer Eddie's Sunshine State", a recording of the 11-17-93 New Orleans show. Tagged on the end for filler was the performance of this song from the night before (and of course labelled "Three Days", as it was on most early boots). It was rough and hard and very cool. So I was very pleasantly surprised to hear it open up Vitalogy when that finally came out in December.
Besides the manic energy of the song, there are two things that I particularly like about it. First is the line "under your tongue, I'm like a tab, I will give you what you're not supposed to have". At the time this album was released, I was well into my "acid phase", so I knew exactly what Eddie was talking about in that line. It's still one of my favorite lines in Pearl Jam's music.
The other thing is the scream of "Let my spirit pass!" (or "set my spirit free", depending on how you hear it) at the end of the song. I think that the first time I heard the song on the bootleg, this was not a part of the song, or at the least, it was not as powerful a scream, because I can remember feeling shaken by it the first time I listened to the album. The amount of strain and emotion flowing from those words is as raw and real as Eddie ever sounded.
I didn't know this one from the boots before I heard vitalogy for the first time, but I was also really struck by the strain.
_________________ "Better the occasional faults of a Government that lives in a spirit of charity than the consistent omissions of a Government frozen in the ice of its own indifference."--FDR
Joined: Thu Nov 25, 2004 3:00 pm Posts: 19826 Location: Alone in a corridor
This blows away every so-called hard rocker on Ten and Vs for me. Amazing song. This is the ultimate "I can't sit still whilst listening to it" PJ song for me.
this is one of those songs when listening to it you have to be in the right mood, it's not a song like light years when you can listen to it at any time of the day not matter what.
the song is definatly better live and is great for working out.
i give it a 6 out of 10
_________________ GO LEAFS GO GO LEAFS GO GO LEAFS GO
GO LEAFS GO GO LEAFS GO GO LEAFS GO
GO LEAFS GO GO LEAFS GO GO LEAFS GO
GO LEAFS GO GO LEAFS GO GO LEAFS GO
GO LEAFS GO GO LEAFS GO GO LEAFS GO
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:02 am Posts: 44183 Location: New York Gender: Male
holierthanthou wrote:
this is one of those songs when listening to it you have to be in the right mood, it's not a song like light years when you can listen to it at any time of the day not matter what.
the song is definatly better live and is great for working out.
i give it a 6 out of 10
ugh--this is a 9/10 for me.
_________________ "Better the occasional faults of a Government that lives in a spirit of charity than the consistent omissions of a Government frozen in the ice of its own indifference."--FDR
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:02 am Posts: 44183 Location: New York Gender: Male
satsumafutant wrote:
My favorite PJ opener and the perfect opener for my first (and only...so far) PJ concert (Kissimmee '04).
Last kiss opened my first pearl jam show (randall's island night one in 96). It was taking a while for PJ to hit the stage and there were a few false starts when roadies came out to tune instruments, etc. But the band kinda crept onto stage and no one noticed until they started pouding out the drum beat in last kiss and whole place erupted and charged the stage. It was one of the most amazing moments of my life.
_________________ "Better the occasional faults of a Government that lives in a spirit of charity than the consistent omissions of a Government frozen in the ice of its own indifference."--FDR
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2004 12:00 am Posts: 1584 Location: Huntsville, Tx Gender: Male
I have to agree that Last Exit is probably the best album opener. This song has great lyrics and definitely sets the mood for the rest of Vitalogy. I think that Stip's interpretation of the song is pretty much dead on. When I decided to quit my job I thought of this song in particular the line "Three days maybe longer won't even know I've left".
_________________ I won't change direction, and I won't change my mind
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 1:14 am Posts: 37778 Location: OmaGOD!!! Gender: Male
stip wrote:
satsumafutant wrote:
My favorite PJ opener and the perfect opener for my first (and only...so far) PJ concert (Kissimmee '04).
Last kiss opened my first pearl jam show (randall's island night one in 96). It was taking a while for PJ to hit the stage and there were a few false starts when roadies came out to tune instruments, etc. But the band kinda crept onto stage and no one noticed until they started pouding out the drum beat in last kiss and whole place erupted and charged the stage. It was one of the most amazing moments of my life.
Last KISS?
_________________ Unfortunately, at the Dawning of the Age of Aquarius, the Flower Children jerked off and went back to sleep.
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 12:47 am Posts: 46000 Location: Reasonville
a top five pearl jam song for me.
_________________ No matter how dark the storm gets overhead They say someone's watching from the calm at the edge What about us when we're down here in it? We gotta watch our backs
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 6:44 am Posts: 14671 Location: Baton Rouge Gender: Male
I LOVE this song. It's the best opener I've seen them perform. I can't decide though if I'd list this or Sometimes as the best opener.
Anyways, I love the snare drum at the beginning of the song. I love the This is, this is, this is, this is, my last exit at the end. It's probably a top 5 PJ song for me and I'd rate is as the 2nd best song from the first 3 albums (behind immortality).
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:02 am Posts: 44183 Location: New York Gender: Male
punkdavid wrote:
stip wrote:
satsumafutant wrote:
My favorite PJ opener and the perfect opener for my first (and only...so far) PJ concert (Kissimmee '04).
Last kiss opened my first pearl jam show (randall's island night one in 96). It was taking a while for PJ to hit the stage and there were a few false starts when roadies came out to tune instruments, etc. But the band kinda crept onto stage and no one noticed until they started pouding out the drum beat in last kiss and whole place erupted and charged the stage. It was one of the most amazing moments of my life.
Last KISS?
Last Exit sorry
_________________ "Better the occasional faults of a Government that lives in a spirit of charity than the consistent omissions of a Government frozen in the ice of its own indifference."--FDR
Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2005 3:29 am Posts: 199 Location: US
Easily their most addictive and rocking opener (although Brain of J gives it a run for its money) and still an awesome live song. You can say Ed's voice is going, but listen to this song live in Lexington, 2003, he still puts everything he's got into it.
But jesus, this song is so reckless, messy and fun it's impossible not to be drawn in and consumed with energy. It's also perfect for Vitalogy, perfect song and perfect album.
Joined: Wed Mar 02, 2005 3:43 am Posts: 18418 Location: Anytown, USA Gender: Male
great song. love hearing it live.
_________________
stip wrote:
In five years, when you get laid and grow up, you should go back and read some of these posts and if you've turned into a decent person you'll realize how much of an asshole you sound like right now
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 29 guests
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot post attachments in this forum
sorry
