Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:02 am Posts: 44183 Location: New York Gender: Male
great write up frank. In particular I like your observations on the 'race that can't be won' lyric (never thought of that and it makes a lot of sense) and the outro music
Still not a fan of how the song begins though. Not musically, but there is too much of a contrast between sometimes and hail hail. If they were starting a string of loud songs than itm ight make more sense but it goes right from hail hail into who you are. That's part of my problem with the flow of the record.
_________________ "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
in what way is this guy the same character as the one in sometimes? Is it too soon for this to be clear yet?
_________________ "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 May 30, 2006 2:48 pm Posts: 3115 Location: Edinburgh/Lincoln, UK
Great write up on Hail Hail Frank.
I don't know if i'm missing something that seemed too obvious to mention..but i've never quite understood the 'are you woman enough to be my man' lyric...Is it the idea of compromise or something along those lines?
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 7:00 pm Posts: 5364 Location: Wrigley Field Gender: Male
iceagecoming wrote:
Great write up on Hail Hail Frank.
I don't know if i'm missing something that seemed too obvious to mention..but i've never quite understood the 'are you woman enough to be my man' lyric...Is it the idea of compromise or something along those lines?
I was thinking about it the other day, and I think it's a ploy on stereotypes... like "be a man, buck up, have cojones" so when he says "are you woman enough to be my man" he's playing with words and saying are you a fully realized individual to commit to this thing (or to this marriage), not out of obligation because we're married, but out of desire to be a successfully/happily married person who actually loves their partner, and isn't just married to them out of the convention
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:02 am Posts: 44183 Location: New York Gender: Male
i was about to sticky this when I saw Issac's plea. I'll hold off pending approval from the master of the thread. If you want it, it is yours
_________________ "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: Sun Dec 05, 2004 5:47 am Posts: 27904 Location: Philadelphia Gender: Male
Who You Are
Unlike the first two songs on No Code, Who You Are doesn’t contain a narrative or conflict, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a point. It’s a song about self-appreciation, and how in the grand scheme of things, we all have to take part in this world. Being comfortable with the former makes the latter that much more easier—and along the way, you may just have a little fun during this small span of time we know as our lives.
What’s most notable about Who You Are is the music. It’s by no means groundbreaking as a musical composition, but it’s the first Pearl Jam song to appear on a record proper that sounds like they’re actually enjoying themselves a bit. The keyboards, layered vocals, upbeat drumming pattern and clapping hands give it a party-life feel, and I swear I even hear Ed snapping his fingers a few times after those final chord progressions come to a crescendo and the main riff makes its last appearance. The music screams, “Don’t admire me. Enjoy me!â€
From the narrator’s perspective, there’s no need for drama queens. With merely five words, he explains what the past is and what it should mean: “trampled moss on your soles.†The moss is the past; it’ still attached to you, via the soles of your shoes. It’s beneath you, for the past is an easy thing to conquer. And even if it sticks around, it’s on the unseen surface. It’s lightweight baggage that has no bearing on you as a person. The next line seals the deal: “Seen it all? Not at all.†Notice the question mark. You think you’ve seen it all, or that you’ve been handed an extra helping of bullshit for one life? No way. Get over yourself, already. As Dylan once said, “Now that the past is gone…†If you define yourself by your past, then you’ll most likely find it rather difficult to celebrate your present.
And that really is the point of Who You Are—it’s a celebration. A celebration of music. A celebration of life. A celebration of you. This was Pearl Jam’s first feel-good song, which is probably why it scared the shit out of so many fans after Vitalogy (keep in mind that this was No Code’s first single as well). The band was travelling through new grounds, but new doesn’t necessarily mean bad. Just a different style of song for a different style of band. And maybe, just maybe, for a different style of fan as well.
_________________ It's always the fallen ones who think they're always gonna save me.
Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 11:00 pm Posts: 13226 Location: Adelaide, AUS
That was fantastic Frank, Who You Are has always been one my favourite songs and you really did a great job expressing the joy in both the music and lyrics of this underappreciated tune.
Joined: Thu Apr 13, 2006 4:33 am Posts: 8422 Location: Berthier-sur-Mer Gender: Male
very well done again Frank!
Who You Are is a great tune although i find the mix a bit dislocated - the lyrics are cool and the music is the logical sequel to WMA and Aye Davanita. i came to expect something like that in 95 or 96 but when i heard it in a car, for the first time, hitchicking back to Quebec City in 96, i was somewhat surprised and obviously not hooked on first listen.
my relationship with the tune and the album evolved, as some great wine's flavor would through (some hard) time(s) and it bacame a favorite of mine...
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:02 am Posts: 44183 Location: New York Gender: Male
I think I'm one of those fans that doesn't like to see pearl jam enjoying themselves on a record
to this day I still have a hard time with who you are, which is an enjoyable song, but one that isn't quite as deep as it wants to be--my problem is not with the sentiment (which frank does an admirable job expressing), which is nice, but with the lyrics, which are a little too choppy for my tastes (plus I really dont' care for the first verse and I've never liked the 'that's the moss in the aforementioend verse' lyric, which is vaguely amusing, but again, I don't think Pearl Jam does fun very well. There is a light heartedness to this which works up to a point, but only up to a point
_________________ "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 May 30, 2006 2:48 pm Posts: 3115 Location: Edinburgh/Lincoln, UK
stip wrote:
...and I've never liked the 'that's the moss in the aforementioend verse' lyric, which is vaguely amusing, but again, I don't think Pearl Jam does fun very well.
Great write up again Frank, and also great song.
I don't see this as them doing fun, not in a 'slap-your-knee, haha' kind of way at least anyway. i just see it as feel good and...kind of refreshing actually. Stip, i also am not keen on that line..the main reason being - it doesn't make sense! He uses the word 'aforementioned' in the wrong context...so it just comes across as a bit clumsy...i get what he's trying to say though, and it's a great song so you can forgive him
Edit: Having thought about the meaning of the song much more, it would have been great to have Who You Are coupled with Present Tense on the album - after it somehow.
Last edited by iceagecoming on Wed Jun 20, 2007 6:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
People really aren't responding to this thread...maybe it's time to call it quits.
Please don't stop. I may not be responding but I am taking it all in. No Code is the album I least relate to so I don't have much to add. Pearl Jam lost me a bit with this album and lack of touring.
Maybe round about Off He Goes or Present Tense for some thumbs up or I'm Open for a "holy shit, what crap".
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