I agree, to a point; while I don't think it is a "happy" song (or at least happy in the sense that it is not weighty in theme or intent) I see Given To Fly as an extremely optimistic song, mainly because I don’t think I read the man being a “strange spot in the sky” as being outcasted by his peers. I see that being the result of giving the love away. His act of positive engagement enabled him to fly, so to speak. I also think it’s interesting that this song is one of the only ones on Yield in the third person, and it’s in my mind the most autobiographical song Eddie writes here.

This thread’s really helping formulate what I’m trying to say, and I really think it’s important to note that Yield is not about contentment, or being content (at least in my view). I see it as an album that asserts the validity of seeking contentment or at least peace, in whatever form that journey may take. I think there’s a pretty big difference there.

I also think it's interesting what you're saying about Yield being the point when they start to look out towards the world, bringing in a wider array of viewpoints (with the incorporation of different songwriters a symbolic, but likely unintentional, illustration of that). Maybe, and this is pure speculation, the steps they took on Yield and the transition they made enabled them to tackle one of their most outward-looking themes (resisting the war in Iraq and what the Bush administration represented) on Riot Act and S/T.

I hope you guys enjoy the interpretation of the first song, Brain Of J. Again, I ramble, so be forewarned. I'll try to get Faithfull up in a few days

BRAIN OF J

So where else to start but with the first sound you hear from Yield; Pearl Jam fucking up. I’m thinking about how this album starts in comparison to the introductions of previous albums. There was the atmospheric noodling of Master/Slave on Ten, the ominous beginnings to Vs. and Vitalogy, and the tentative guitar scrapes that began “Sometimes” on No Code. All of these beginnings manage to be indicative of the moods of the albums that followed them. So how does Yield begin? With a countoff going awry. I don’t think the meaning taken from this is that Yield is meant to be a lightweight album, but nevertheless it’s important to note the changes that enabled the band to open their fifth studio album, their next grand artistic statement, with a bit of comedy.

Of all the songs on the album, Brain Of J does seem distinct from the others, both in terms of sound (for the most part), and theme (certainly). The only other song that comes close to spewing the same amount of vitriol as Eddie does here is Do The Evolution, and even that’s not a song meant to be taken at face value. This is the only time on this record where the Pearl Jam that offered righteous anger in spades, illuistrated by songs like Why Go, Blood, Whipping, Habit, Lukin and others will show its’ face. Considering the many songs they had written in this manner prior to Yield, that’s a somewhat significant break from the past, and therefore I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that they decided to place it at the start of the album.

The first verse begins with a conspiracy theory, the lost brain of JFK symbolizing the misdeeds and lies that governments (presumably the U.S. government) have sold to the people under its’ ward and direction. Eddie continues by assuring his listeners that despite the fact that his claims are unbelievable, they are not a lie.

The first sign that something is different this time around comes with the chorus…

“The whole world will be different soon. The whole world will be relieved.”

So many Pearl Jam songs before this one find the thrust and weight of their anthemic choruses in the conflict of the difficult situation before the narrator. Rearviewmirror, Alive, and others all affirm the need for the struggle and attempt to console the narrator (or listener) in the journey they face (or at least, that’s how Alive came to be heard, regardless of the original intent of the lyric). Here, there is a struggle that is ongoing between good and evil, and the battle is by no means won, but according to Eddie the outcome is already decided. I can’t remember a song before this one (at least in the style of Brain of J) that was not only committed to the worth of the struggle being described, but was already so certain of an inevitable positive conclusion. Eddie’s outlook on this album, even on the song most overtly reminiscent of their earlier raveups, is already different. During Brain of J, he’s invested in the fight ahead of him, but he’s less tortured because he knows he’ll eventually emerge victorious.

The second verse reverts back to contempt and righteous anger, further describing the antagonists and what they have done to their populations. The chorus returns, and afterwards the defiance and optimism that is such a vital part of the chorus reveals itself again in the bridge, when Eddie tells us about the name he was given, now the one he is letting go. In a sense, if one were to think of Brain of J as a narrative, the verse is describing the past atrocities of the powers that be, the chorus describes the future, and the solitude of the bridge exists in the present, where the narrator makes the fateful decision that will lead to the chorus becoming a reality. The act of letting the name go in the bridge also signifies what will occur throughout the course of the album. During Yield, Eddie will shed the skin that others have placed upon him. The band will shed its’ skin of expectations and pre-conceptions, both exterior and interior. And hopefully, and just as importantly, the listener will do the same, and realize that it is OK for him or her to be, simply, themselves. The hopeful chorus of “Who You Are” extended, sung, questioned, disbelieved and eventually re-affirmed throughout the course of an album.

Despite the optimistic look forward that defines the chorus, the fact remains that this song stands a bit apart from the others that follow. Of all the songs, could any other have opened the album? Any later in the album and the rage that this song stews in would stick out like a sore thumb. The fact that it is reminiscent of their earlier music works in its’ favor; it acts as a necessary bridge for the distinct shifts in viewpoint and approach that are going to come, and this is the reason it is first on the album. Many albums have an opening song that intends to define the parameters and goals of the songs that follow(think “Thunder Road” or “Baba O’Riley”). Pearl Jam make an interesting decision here, choosing the song most reminiscent of their earlier work to state the claim that they have made as significant a progression as they did from Vs. to Vitalogy or Vitalogy to No Code.

Even the ending of the song attempts to erect a barrier between this song and the ones that followed. The indescribable sound after the last chord, what I call the “sonic boom” because I just don’t know what to call it ends the tune in as definitive a manner as possible. In some ways, this is the hardest song to discuss in regards to the overall themes playing out throughout Yield, because it’s role in the discussion that takes place throughout the album (and I realized when writing this section that one of the most accurate ways to view Yield for me is to view it as a “discussion”) is to act as an antithesis to that theme. It works like the prologue of a novel, by relaying the information necessary to understand what has already happened while teasing and hinting at what will occur. Brain Of J tells us where Pearl Jam has been and where it is going, and with the opening drum hits of “Faithfull”, Pearl Jam gets to telling us where they are.

Obviously I don't know for sure what is going on inside their heads, and of course this is an interpetation, but if an artist invests pieces of themselves into their work it's possible (this is what good artists/analysts/critics/interpeters do, and what makes them interesting to read) to observe that work, interpret the work in the context of external events and the rest of that artists work, and make the kinds of statements I just made. I'm not saying I'm necessarily right (and I'm going to be exploring this idea for myself in this thread--this is soemthing that I started to think about with the arrival of backspacer, so these are new thoughts) but the process itself is legitimate.

I am talking about the artists as they've revelaed themselves through their music--there could be a dramatic difference between the real life Eddie vedder and the eddie vedder that reveals himself through his art, interviews, etc. But I also don't really care about the 'real' eddie vedder, since I don't know him and he is not a part of my life in any way. The one I care about is the one that appears in his lyrics, music, and public acts, and that one I think we can talk about it.


I really don't think this is that controversial. I've only met a small handful of RMers in real life, but if you looked at my writing from 8 years ago as opposed to today (I'm nto talking about pearl jam stuff) you'd see a shifting set of interests, themes, and politics, and you can look at that, and the surrounding context that I've been living and thinking in, and make some reasonable interpretations about who I am and how I've changed, and you don't need to know me or be inside my head to do that

We'll have to table the binaural conversation until later (you could be right--binaural is not a record I've thought about a great deal). But I think even if Yield is about understanding, as you say it is, you can't stop there. What understanding did they reach? What is the great insight they know understand and want to convey. As I said above, I think they emphasize escape and disengagement (this is not suprising if this is a Daniel Quinn influenced record) and, at least for 'pearl jam' this may be a false sort of enlightenment, as compared to the similar understanding they seem to reach on Backspacer.


This isn't to say that the songs on Yield are somehow less good because of this (I like backspacer more, but that's irrelevant). If anything, this could make them more interesting, since it makes the whole record much more fragile

I would agree with you except for one imporant fact: the record is called Yield. This leads me to believe, though it would seem otherwise, that they knew exactly what they were doing and possibly even purpousfuly fashioned the album around that theme. Or maybe yielding was just on Eddie's mind at the time and he didn't do it on purpose. But, in the face of sheer mass of connections incidences between the lyrics and the album's title, that kind of seems unlikely to me. This record is about yielding in almost the same way that The Wall is about "the wall" or Tommy is about Tommy. The concept springs up all over the place. In my opinion, Vitalogy and Riot Act are nearly concept albums, but Yield actually is one through and through, whether they intended it that way or not.

Excellent Brain of J writeup. I've always had trouble getting my mind around that one and this take on it makes a lot of sense.

Do you think the second verse is accusatory, especially given the bridge, in an "I've moved past this, why can't you?" kind of way?

I agree with you. My point is that deep down I'm not convinced that deep down they believe the message. That 'yield' as a philosophic approach to conflict, uncertaintiy, etc. goes against the grain of the band

I think the most important line in Brain Of J is "and what does it mean to us now?"

Oh, okay. I thought you meant that, as others have said, they were trying to convince themselves that they were content.

well I wouldn't necessarily disagree with that either--i guess it depends on what you mean by content

Think of it like this--you know how you can convince yourself that you're really in love with someone who, it turns out, isn't the right fit for you. That's what I think may be going on here.

go on?

I think the overall theme of Yield is finding solace in a turbulent world. Brain of J is about choosing your battles for your own sake, Faithful is about finding fulfillment in the human experience, No Way is about still caring despite being content, Given To Fly is about retreating into yourself and coming out stronger, Wishlist is about falling in love, Pilate is another finding comfort in yourself song, Do The Evolution is what this theme is up against. And these themes pretty much repeat themself for the rest of the record. The running away/retreating in yourself comes back with MFC and the serenity gained is brought back in Low Light. In Hiding goes back to the same theme as Given To Fly and Push Me Pull Me is about having all these questions but being ok with only having speculative answers. All Those Yesterdays goes back to the same theme as Faithful, but told in different words. The reason why it's the same messages repeating itself is because it's the idea of looking at a painting from 4 or 5 different viewpoints, like someone said earlier.

Becuase it's not this angry political song, it's about choosing your battles and not choosing this one.

I like how you phrased that. What do you make of the second verse and the chorus then?

To Digster: I'm not sure this necessarily disagrees with your interpretation but this just popped into my head as i find myself thinking about Yield instead of actually doing the work I have to do


That theme of escape, as opposed to confrontation, is clear right from the beginning. He doesn't try to actually address any of the issues at hand--he walks away from his name/his skin/etc and then just hopes that the whole world will be different soon. And it might be for him. But what about the people he's left behind? The optimism that you pointed out is new, but there's something potentially narrow about it under the surface--something private rather than shared (which may give the sound barrier at the end of this one a different spin than the one you pointed out)

I think that's like he's not completely disregarding the battle he chooses not to fight, but accepts that time will be the best way to set things right.

I think it's about understanding in the sense that they are willing to accept the notions of journeys they had not advocated before. You say that they emphasize disengagement during this album. I believe they do, but I don't believe that's all they do. You also have songs like Brain Of J and Given To Fly, which stress engagement. I don't agree that Given To Fly is a song about escaping; after all, how could he continue to "give the love away" if the subject had disappeared? So how does an album hold both of these seemingly contrasting viewpoints in its songs and somehow remain coherent (that's not counting songs that deal more directly with spirtuality and love which show up here). My view is that the important thing here is that Pearl Jam is not "advocating" disengagement. They are not "advocating" engagement. They're not advocating that you drive in a car and leave it all behind, as the subject does on MFC. They're not advocating that you commit to a higher spirtual power (Low Light) or reject it (Faithfull). I think Pearl Jam does "take a stand" on this album, but it's not what we would typical think of when we hear that term used. It's a stand that says that most roads are vital; choose the one you want. After all, the guy making minimum wage, putting kids through school, going to church on Sunday is not enveloped in an act of engagement, as Pearl Jam probably would have defined it before this album. This album I think shows understanding that there are stories beyond their own, and countless means to work with and escape from this world. Escape is not the only option, but Pearl Jam do mean to say it's a viable option, even if it's not permanent.

If my idea holds any weight, I do think it was actually a pretty ingenious move on Pearl Jam's part (if it was purposeful). It enables them to cover a very diverse range of topics, from politics to spirituality to love and more, while keeping it coherent and even relevatory.

But I don't disagree that they've changed their minds on parts of this album; it's being human, and I'm sure ten years from now certain parts of Backspacer will seem to contrast with their newest statements. I don't think any album should be viewed as the end-all, be-all and be regarded as delusion when it doesn't live up to it. But I think that primary epiphany of inclusion and understanding, the willingness to accept different journeys then the ones they might have previously considered being "righteous" is an expression of empathy that's served them well when dealing with some pretty divisive topics. Maybe it's the reason that on their political records, for the most part I've felt that Eddie has been, or has been trying to, talk to red-state America, as opposed to talking down to it.

That's an interesting idea, and I'd not considered it that way...on first glance I'd say that I don't think that's what he was going for, simply because the chorus is still on his side. It's either a warning to those who'd get the subjects in line; your time will soon be over, for the whole world will be different soon. That, or he's comforting the downtrodden mentioned in the verse; "don't worry, the whole world will be different soon."

That, or something I just thought of; he could be warning the downtrodden during the chorus; "your complacency cannot last forever. This is coming soon. You have to do something about it." The only reason I kind of doubt that is that there is nothing in the verses that seems to suggest that he finds those under the strong arm of the government at fault in any way.

Yes I understand what you mean. But I would say that there is a difference between one's writings and an album. Because we're not just talking about one person here, it's a collective work, and above all, it's not just writings, it's not just words. A song is not an essay, and of course here I'm not saying songs can't have a meaning, but it seems to me that to hear these songs and then to go as far as saying that those five people recording music in the studio were trying to lie to themselves... I don't know, it goes a bit too far I guess, at least without any sort of proof (and that is a bit hard to find I guess, but I'll be interested in reading what you have to say about this in this thread).

I don't believe an album always is an autobiography or can always be taken as a statement about one's self. It could just be, you know, people making music that sounds good to their ears. Or, for a writer, telling a story that isn't your story 100%, although of course it can explore themes and feelings that touch you whether it is from a very close or distant point of view.

If I read your writings, and indeed noticed this shift of themes or interests as years go by, would I be right to assume that you've been trying to lie to yourself? That wouldn't be my first assumption, really. It would seem more logical to me to think that, as most people do, you changed as a person by growing old, you don't have the same interests, the exact same points of view... That doesn't mean you didn't genuinely believe in what you wrote when you wrote it.

Just because an album sounds brighter than the rest of their catalog doesn't mean they were trying to lie to themselves, to pretend that everything is fine with the world, etc. Plus, I really would like to hear what songs are so bright and optimistic on this album, because like I said I don't think there are many. Isn't the reality described in "Do The Evolution" pretty depressing? Is "In Hiding" a happy song? It's a pretty dark album if you ask me, and at the end of the day its themes doesn't seem to be that far away from those approached on the previous and following albums.

Fuck, all this made me want to put Yield on, it's been a damn while since my last listen

It's been in my car radio for a few months now. I'm addicted to it. I wish I had more time to participate in this thread though.