DISSIDENT

She nursed him there, over a night
I wasn't so sure she wanted him to stay
What to say...what to say
But soon she was down, soon he was low
At a quarter past...a holy no...
She had to turn around
When she couldn't hold, oh...she folded...
A dissident is here
Escape is never, the safest path
A dissident, a dissident is here

And to this day, she's glided on
Always home but so far away
Like a word misplaced
Nothing said, what a waste
When she had contact...with the conflict...
There was meaning, but she sold him to the state
She had to turn around
When she couldn't hold...she folded...
A dissident is here
Escape is never, the safest path
A dissident, a dissident is here

She gave him away when she couldn't hold...no...she folded...
A dissident is here
Escape is never, the safest path
A dissident, a dissident is here
Couldn't hold on...she couldn't hold...no...she folded...
A dissident is here
Escape is never the safest place
A dissident is here


This is an interesting song. Perhaps there are personal hidden references in it, but it seems to be a song that involves a kind of storytelling that Pearl Jam has seldom done. It’s a fictional narrative. Eddie’s songwriting at the time was purposefully obscure, so it’s difficult to trace more than a basic sketch. I’m going to go ahead and fill in the details with my version of the story. I hope that you will find it entertaining.

She found him alone, hurt, fleeing from the state and brought him into her house. She was unsure, but he needed her.

"What to say...what to say"

She was frightened, and soon she had reason to be frightened not only of getting caught by the authorities, but of his sexual advances.

Finally, “At a quarter past...a holy no...,”

it was all too much to take. And “She had to turn around. When she couldn't hold, oh...she folded...." She alerted the authorities that a “dissident is here.” Since “Escape is never the safest path,” she turned him in to save his life, or so she tells herself.

But this act of betrayal left her disconsolate.

"And to this day, she's glided on
Always home but so far away
Like a word misplaced
Nothing said, what a waste"

She’s never said a word, never reflected on her decision, but the meaning has slowly drained from her life. For her, escape hasn’t been the safest path either.

I like the approach, but in order for this type of song to be fully engaging, a level of detail is required that Eddie was not open to attempting. He does, however, deliver a chilling vocal performance that almost fills in the gaps.

There is also a lot to like about the music. The riff is truly sensuous, and the guitar tone evokes the sound of saxophone leads from 1940’s spy thrillers. The bridge is dramatic, made especially so by Eddie’s faint, haunting vocalizations in the background. The drama and momentum in the chorus pivots around the line “She had to turn around,” and the vocal itself turns around a single note.

My main criticisms of the song are a lack of lyrical detail and a melody that is less than compelling. Still this song can be a very enjoyable listen, and there are some very good live performances. 3 stars.

used it not like it so much because musically it doesn't do it for me, but have grown to like it after some solid live performances over the year. 3 stars.

I think in the historical context of when it was written it could be looked at as a tale of the cost of selling out told by Ed. I find the "I" put in the second line to be interesting, placing Ed in the story to at least a small extent. Sometimes we have conflicting dreams. When you've had to choose one dream over another is there any sense in looking back on the decision? "Makes much more sense to live in the present tense."

Could be part of Ed's ambivalence and uncertainty towards success and that success can only mean he'd sold out at some point in time. With Ed who knows.

Musically I think it was the first of many mid-tempo sludge that the bands tends to get caught in from album to album. I like the song but it's never been the highlight or anywhere close at any show I've seen it at. It's a song in the PJ catalogue that the rushed tempo of live songs that PJ implements is the worse for wear.

3 stars. I'll give the song a listen and write some more later

Nice write up as always SLH

That's Eddie's approach in general. He is not one that gives details away easily in lyrics.
I agree with your interpretation, sexual advances included.
I give it 3, i like the song but something is missing.

3 stars. Used to love it as a teenager, but it hasn't aged very well (like a big chunk of Vs.). Lyrically engaging, and sonically pleasing, but just not enough to stand up over time. Not a bad song, but nothing really all that special, either.

I have, though, always loved the 'like a word misplaced/nothing said what a waste' lyric. If only the song had more lines like that....

I love this song. Killer guitar riff and passionate vocals. I still think Eddie puts a lot of feeling into his vocal delivery even after all these years.

great write-up SLH!
this may be one of the more demanding songs vocally in PJ catalogue and Eddie does an excellent job here. the intertwined guitars in the verses are totally mesmerizing; something i would like the band try more.
the lyrics are alright in my book - of course it could have been more developped but i like some vagueness that leaves it open for various interpretations - anyway, they're not the star of the show this time.
the vocal performance + guitar texturing = 4 stars

THIS HASN'T BEEN A SOTM BUT NO CEILING HAS???!



good write up

Like this song a whole lot. Great live performances of it too is what have sustained it, all the way through 2000 at least (last year of bootlegs I really listen to). Ed can really get into it in this song.

4 stars, almost 5

Didn't care for it at first... now one of my favs from Vs.

4 stars.

I've always loved that song

haters (they should arrive soon)

this song was my wake up tone on my cell phone alarm for like a year
i always liked dissident, its not one of my favorites anymore but i never skip it. I don't think it has aged as well as some others from vs, but still a good song nonetheless
3.5 stars

Nice write up SLH. It's refreshing to hear these interpretations...I've often heard people refer to this song as dealing with abortion, and consequently have always heard it that way, but both interpretations are suitable due to Ed's vagueness. There are certainly lines to suggest that an abortion, or a mother-dealing-with-a-difficult-choice-about-her-child' storyline is plausible: The first verse in particular paints the picture of a mother nursing a newly born/unborn child, and having to make a decision with harsh consequence -

'a holy no...
She had to turn around
When she couldn't hold on'

The 'holy no' could suggest the idea of abortion, a subject which is obviously influenced by religious ideals and morals.
The second verse also has parts whihc defend these interpretations:

When she had contact...with the conflict...
There was meaning, but she sold him to the state

The first line could represent the mother coming to turns with the decision she has made...or to twist the idea slightly, could show a mother meeting a child that she chose to neglect and leave at a young age (a possible translation could be: 'sold to the state' = the fees involved with adoption that benefit the state).

There's an interview where Ed describes the 'holy no' lyric with more insight...I can't find it to quote him from it, (and forgive my poor explanation) but i think he clarified the meaning by referencing the idea of it being the woman's choice - saying that the "holy 'no'" is not necessarily an opinion based/influenced from religious belief, but more so the opinion of the conscience...something that you know is wrong, that needn't be questioned.

I'm not entirely sure what i believe Ed is writing about, but this is a discussion forum so i thought these interpretations should be included.

I gave the song 4 stars, but i think it's a 3.5 for me. I used to really like it, but it's not aged greatly. I think it's weekest point is the decision to have that Mike's lead guitar melody starting straight away, it could have worked with much more conviction (and less cheese) had it just entered with Eddie as a counter melody on the choruses. I think the bridge and final chorus are great examples of a PJ song reaching a climax point and nailing it - something that is sometimes missing in later PJ stuff (usually when you want Ed to jump the octave for the last verse/chorus, or just push it a little more i.e. MOTH - as with live performances, Light Years, NAIS...)

I've heard this interpretation as well. I don't have the interviews at hand, but I believe that Ed explicitly stated at one time that DISSIDENT was a writing exercise about a political dissident. That he liked the idea but was uncertain about whether he could do it justice. Also, there is a famous show in which he talks about the "holy no" line. I believe he said that it sanctifies a woman's right to refuse sex without any further pressure from the man should he feel her resolve weakening.

Of course, as is so often the case in his early songs, Ed isn't explicit enough to convey these ideas completely without further explanation. Another interpretation that I've heard is that the song is about giving a child up for adoption. She nursed him over a night, then she sold him to the state.

The abortion interpretation doesn't really work for me. The individual in question is simply too concretely present. The adoption interpretation, maybe. But the "contact with the conflict" line doesn't really work for me based on either of those interpretations. I guess that I like the political dissident interpretation best.

meh

How many stars does a meh translate to?

One of the songs in PJs catalog that will stand the test of time.

I've always thought this was a very good song. I've never really understood the hatred that it gets around here. It's not the greatest PJ song, or even one of the best on Vs., but it's high quality, I love Mike's guitar work on it, and I'm always happy to hear it live.

Only 3 stars, but I could have given it 4.

this was a 4 star from me at one point. But today it is the emobidment of 3 stars

2 stars for meh.