Seen it happen to a couple of friends Seen it happen and the message it sends Taken up for what's an obvious fault Just to see what all the fuss is about
It's not your way...not your way It's not your way
Another habit says it's in love with you Another habit says its long overdue Another habit like an unwanted friend I'm so happy with my righteous self It's not your way...not your way It's not your way
Never thought you'd... habit Never thought you'd... habit Never thought you'd... habit I never thought you, never thought you... Never thought you'd... habit Never thought you'd... habit Never thought you'd... habit I never thought you, never never thought you.. Never thought you'd... habit Never thought you'd... habit Never thought you'd... habit Speaking as a child of the nineties... Never thought you'd... habit Never thought you'd... habit Never thought you'd... habit I never thought you, never thought you Never thought you'd... habit Never thought you'd... habit Never thought you'd... habit I never thought you, never never thought you... Never... never me, never you... never me...
Habit by Pearl Jam off the No Code album.
I think this song and the music that backs it has for it's major thrust the frustration that is accompanied with watching someone you know and/or love go through addiction. The music itself is hard driving and pounds home the power and intensity behind the message of the lyrics. I think all, if not most of us, have seen the way addiction can rip away at the fabric of a person's real self.
In this song Ed talks about seeing addiction happen to some of his friends. He also talks about the message it sends. I wonder what message exactly he's talking about? Is it the message that people who are addicted have lost control of their lives or is it the message that people who are addicted tend to try to pull others down with them? Or it could be something else. It makes me wonder. The rest of the first verse talks about the fact that addiction is obviously a fault, and that people will put their very lives in danger just to experience something new, or to emulate someone they admire who is addicted as well.
During the chorus we hear what others around the addicted person are saying "It's not your way." We hear the others pleading with them that there has to be a better way to live life other than being a slave to a substance. It's almost as if the song is hoping that if the addicted person hears the "It's not your way" enough they will take a new look at what they are doing.
I think this song is so powerful to me because it tackles a subject that many people just don't want to face. It's difficult to broach the subject with someone who is addicted. It's hard to step up to them and say, that you care and that you don't want to see them destroy their lives. I applaud this song in that it does this without sounding preachy.
In the second verse Ed lets the habit itself have a voice and we hear about being in love and that it's been waiting a long time to take hold. He continues, calling it an "unwanted friend" where the addicted person thinks it's a friend, but those who can see the situation outside know it's as unwanted as the final result could be.
My favorite line of the song is "I'm so happy with my righteous self." I love the irony in this line, in that the writer is saying he may have had his own battle with the monster, but he found a way out, and though he might now be what is considered okay or good, he's been there and he knows the battle is enormously difficult to overcome.
The rest of the song declares how the writer himself is in denial to a point that he can't believe this person has allowed a habit to take over their lives. It's also sort of a hope put into words that for the future he forsees that the habit will be beaten.
The line "speaking as a child of the nineties" I find to be true in that rock and roll and heavy drugs seemed to be synonymous during that decade. Not to say the sixties didn't see their fair share of deaths of great musicians because of hard drugs, but the nineties had their moment too.
Overall I really like this song a lot because of the depth of the message and the way the music jerks you awake so you can take it all in.
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:02 am Posts: 44183 Location: New York Gender: Male
Great write up Jen. I have nothing to add there
habit has an awesome riff and incredible energy, and the ragged edge to eddie's voice works well for the song. Strong lyrics in the verses and a great breakdown at the end.
But it is still just a three star song for me. It's the chorus that does it. Once or twice was fine, but the fact that half the song is eddie singing 'never thought you'd habit', which is not that great a lyric, kinda kills it for me. I would like more variety at the end, or, failing that, just cut the chorus down a bit and make the song a two minute scorcher.
So it ends up being 3 starts for me. There is no song on No Code have more unrealized potential for me than this one, so much potential, with a little tweaking, to be great.
_________________ "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 Aug 31, 2006 2:41 am Posts: 216 Location: Emoth Heaven
I came into this thread, just to see what all the fuss is about.
_________________ oh, stripped and sold, mom ... auctioned4arm ... and whiskers in the sink ... truants move on ... cannot stay long ... some die just to live ............................................................ Immortality
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:02 am Posts: 44183 Location: New York Gender: Male
auctioned4arm wrote:
I came into this thread, just to see what all the fuss is about.
_________________ "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
I dig this song. If No Code is a battle between two conflicting perspectives...the adrenalized anger of idealism (built partially on fear, by the way) and the peaceful calm of finding your small place and realizing you can't save the world....then Habit is the sonic personification of the former. I think it's a bit underwritten, and I wish the end didn't fade so soon, so it's a 3 star song for me.
Speaking as a child of the nineties... ... 3stars, average. the music has much potential, but the lyrics are kind of ahh.....i don't know, too repetitive at the end a la Evacuation, which is a great song but the end ruins it completely..
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 10:53 pm Posts: 8066 Location: Las Vegas via Rockford (Roscoe), IL Gender: Female
I gave Habit one star and that is being generous. There is only one PJ song that I like less than this one and it is Leash.
_________________ Frank Kevin
At night I drink myself to sleep and pretend I don't care that you're not here with me Cause it's so much easier to handle all my problems if I'm too far out to sea
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