it's not the same without you up here can't find my wheels your absence is what breeds this fear warm breath and all it steals you can't know how it feels to be in here all the dark horse fields, befriendin' me playin' ain't the same without you here we've come to hate the golden rule cannot seem to make the dots connect the morning light don't show you near you can't know what it's like to bleed from here the blackened world grows white, it goes nowhere oooh hoo.. can't think the same without you, dear i make the others run and hide new york streets seem to make it worse all this noise inside the quiet i can't hold on, the weight you bear my body's broken fast, please lift me up you can't know what it's like to be inside your fading melodies can't beat my need i'm not the same without you here how can i quit to be there sit and stare stare.. begging for a prayer
This SOTM we're taking a look at one of PJ's arguably more obscure tracks, Other Side. It was the b-side to Save You/Love Boat Captain, turned up on Lost Dogs and that's about it, making it one of the very few actual songs from the catelogue PJ have yet to play live.
First off, Other Side is a beautiful song. Despite the instantly recognisably restrained vocals that mark this as being recorded during the Riot Act sessions, Eddie's vocals really pull this along- there's a vulnerability and power wrestling the whole way through the song, and this brilliantly reflects the conflict between strength and pain a lot of us face when we're seperated from someone.
The drum intro, the off kilter chords and the key change in the chorus are simple, but very effective. You can tell this is a Jeff song - abstract-ish lyrics, weird timings on certain chords, and even just that particular Jeff feel. He's perhaps the band's secret weapon in terms of atmosphere.
The breakdown and middle 8 are perfectly executed, and the vocal effects and oooohs are first rate, plus a buildup and tasteful if uneventful Mike solo.
Perhaps not PJ's most exciting song, and definitely not their best, I still have a special place for it in my heart, and hope to see it live one day soon. If you've ever lost someone, or been seperated from someone, have a listen and maybe you'll feel better.
I'll give it 3 stars
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Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:02 am Posts: 44183 Location: New York Gender: Male
nice post stuzzo.
This is a song I wish I liked more than I did. the riot act vocals work well here, and the music is pretty good, but the package doesn't quite come together. part of it might be that it is a bit too rough. From day one otherside always sounded a bit like a demo to me. the other real problem is the lyrics. it is such a gentle unassuming song that it needs to have something really powerful to say to hook the listener in, and it just lacks that for me. Part of the problem is jeff's usual cryptic lyrics, but this is more pilate or lowlight than nothing as it seems. there just aren't many lines that really make me say wow, and without that the song just meanders a bit to me.
I think I'm going to go one below stu and give this a 2. But I bet it would play really well live. if this was in even semi-rare rotation it would probably bump it up to 3.
_________________ "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
It is the only song I skip with any regularity. I'll listen to it from time to time but it never grows. Lyrically I don't like it and the music is sub-par. Give me some Sweet Lew man.
I do though think it is a genuine song though. I do feel what Jeff is putting across but ultimately the song leaves me cold.
Joined: Thu Nov 25, 2004 3:00 pm Posts: 19826 Location: Alone in a corridor
stuzzo wrote:
Despite the instantly recognisably restrained vocals that mark this as being recorded during the Riot Act sessions, Eddie's vocals really pull this along- there's a vulnerability and power wrestling the whole way through the song, and this brilliantly reflects the conflict between strength and pain a lot of us face when we're seperated from someone.
Well... there you explain why I love his voice so much on Riot Act. It fits the mood of a lot of the (if not all) songs. But yeah, this will be an endless debate I guess. (in which I'm one of the very few to like his voice on Riot Act )
Otherside is beautiful. Not my favourite. I prefer Down & lots of songs on Riot Act, but it's a beautiful B-side and should be played live sometime soon. 3 stars... I think.
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 1:14 am Posts: 37778 Location: OmaGOD!!! Gender: Male
This one took me a while to warm up to. I can remember going to a mall record store on my lunchbreak, on a RIDICULOUSLY cold Wisconsin day in February 2003 to buy the “Save You†single just to get the new b-side. I was disappointed at this Jeff song that, like so many other songs of his, seemed to aimlessly meander about for far too long. I made my copy of the new song for my ongoing rarities compilation and then didn’t listen to it again for a long time.
It was only when it appeared on Lost Dogs later that year that I gained an appreciation for the song. I liked the music better and I really like the lyrics. I can’t really put my finger on what changed in my opinion of the song, but I think that hearing “Sad†also helped put the song into more context.
“Light Yearsâ€, “Sadâ€, and “Other Side†is the great trilogy in Pearl Jam’s music, even better than Mamasan. I would LOVE to hear them play that in concert some time.
4 stars
And the “man†trilogy is straight up retarded, people.
_________________ Unfortunately, at the Dawning of the Age of Aquarius, the Flower Children jerked off and went back to sleep.
I identify with these lyrics more than any other Pearl Jam song. I just put this on a mix CD last week. I've spent most of the past 3 years seperated from the person I love the most, and this song, especially the line "I can't find my wheels" always seems so perfect. Aside from YL and possibly Down, this is my favorite Lost Dog. It's another song, like Sleight of Hand, that is so good I feel too stupid to properly talk about it. Riot Act might have been a decent record if they'd found room for this and Down. 5 stars easy.
Awesome choice for SOTM, and a nice writeup too, Stuzzo.
_________________ The best that we can hope for is to be laughing when we finally hit the ground
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:02 am Posts: 44183 Location: New York Gender: Male
punkdavid wrote:
This one took me a while to warm up to. I can remember going to a mall record store on my lunchbreak, on a RIDICULOUSLY cold Wisconsin day in February 2003 to buy the “Save You†single just to get the new b-side. I was disappointed at this Jeff song that, like so many other songs of his, seemed to aimlessly meander about for far too long. I made my copy of the new song for my ongoing rarities compilation and then didn’t listen to it again for a long time.
It was only when it appeared on Lost Dogs later that year that I gained an appreciation for the song. I liked the music better and I really like the lyrics. I can’t really put my finger on what changed in my opinion of the song, but I think that hearing “Sad†also helped put the song into more context.
“Light Yearsâ€, “Sadâ€, and “Other Side†is the great trilogy in Pearl Jam’s music, even better than Mamasan. I would LOVE to hear them play that in concert some time.
4 stars
And the “man†trilogy is straight up retarded, people.
Agreed about the man trilogy (especially because there is pretty much never a reason to play leatherman ever)
you are right--those three songs would go great together, but I think Last soldier, army reserve, WWS would be even better
_________________ "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 Apr 13, 2006 4:33 am Posts: 8422 Location: Berthier-sur-Mer Gender: Male
jeff is the man for atmospheric songs:
jeremy
present tense
lowlight
push me pull me
god's dice
sleight of hand
helphelp
otherside
army reserve
but i never got into this one without feeling it was quite uninspired and underachieved - 2 stars
jeff is the man for atmospheric songs: jeremy present tense lowlight push me pull me god's dice sleight of hand helphelp otherside army reserve but i never got into this one without feeling it was quite uninspired and underachieved - 2 stars
Strike Present Tense off that list, it's a Mike song.
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:02 am Posts: 44183 Location: New York Gender: Male
hebejebe wrote:
mastaflatch wrote:
jeff is the man for atmospheric songs: jeremy present tense lowlight push me pull me god's dice sleight of hand helphelp otherside army reserve but i never got into this one without feeling it was quite uninspired and underachieved - 2 stars
Strike Present Tense off that list, it's a Mike song.
I like Mike's gimmick of constantly writing awesome songs rather than Jeff's gimmick of writing atmospheric ones.
_________________ "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 don't know how you can't love this song. the music and the vocals are perfect for the mood. it seems that is the band's best attribute for most of their songbook. they know when to rock, they know when to whisper.
otherside is such a beautifully sad song. i was going to say only 4 stars just because it's not classic in the way alive, corduroy, given to fly all are or other pj staples. but, i'm changing to 5 stars. it's the best song on lost dogs with sad very close behind. the visuals and the mood this song puts me in is almost unmatched. only lbc is better on riot act.
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People talking about Otherside?!
