Driftin'

Drifting, drifting, drifting away.
I got myself a mansion, then I gave it away.
It's not the world that's heavy, just the things that you save.
And I'm drifting, drifting away.

Drifting, drifting, drifting uh-huh
I rid myself of worries, and the worries were gone.
I only run when I want to and I sleep like a dog.
I'm just drifting, drifting along.

The suitcoats say, 'There is money to be made.'
They get so damn excited, but I guess it's their way
My road it may be lonely just because it's not paved.
It's good for drifting, drifting away.

The suitcoats say, 'There is money to be made.'
They get so damn excited, nothing gets in their way
My road it may be lonely just because it's not paved.
It's good for drifting, drifting away.

Drifting, drifting, drifting, uh huh.
I feel like going back there, but never for long.
I sometimes wonder if they know that I'm gone.
I'm just drifting, drifting along.
Drifting, drifting along. Drifting, drifting along.


Previous Songs of the Moment
1. In My Tree
2. Red Mosquito
3. Porch
4. I Got Id
5. Release
6. Do The Evolution
7. Breath
8. Corduroy
9. Elderly Woman...
10. Leash
11. Hail Hail
12. Grievance
13. Love Boat Captain
14. Even Flow
15. Black Red Yellow
16. In Hiding
17. Can't Keep
18. Indifference
19. Insignificance
20. Whipping
21. Black
22. Smile
23. Push Me Pull Me
24. Rats
25. God's Dice
26. All or None
27. Yellow Ledbetter
28. Last Exit
29. Who You Are
30. Rearview Mirror
31. Hold On
32. Present Tense
33. Light Years
34. Alive
35. Brain of J
36. Thumbing My Way
37. Hard to Imagine
38. Tremor Christ
39. Rival
40. Animal
41. Lukin
42. You Are
43. betterman
44. Given to Fly
45. Once
46. Low Light
47. Parting Ways
48. Off He Goes
49. Go
50. get right
51. World Wide Suicide
52. Angel
53. MFC
54. Long Road
55. Why Go
56. Nothingman
57. Save You
58. Of A Girl
59. Habit
60. Satan’s Bed
61. Faithful
62. Oceans
63. Gone
64. WMA
65. State of Love and Trust
66. Spin The Black Circle
67. Life Wasted
68. Arc
69. Garden
70. All Those Yesterdays
71.Sleight of Hand
72. Other Side
73. Let Me Sleep
74. I’m Open
75. Blood
76.Nothing As It Seems
77. All Night
78. Jeremy
79. No Way
80. Around The Bend
81. Immortality
82. Comatose
83. Daughter
84. Alone
85. I am Mine
86. Down
87. Cropduster
88. Strangest Tribe
89. Inside Job

Do you ever wonder if the grass is greener on the other side? Ed must really ponder this question often, because one of his prominent lyrical themes is the premise of escaping from your own life (Dissident, RVM, MFC, Gone) to start anew, a rebirth catalyzed by distance and separation of every imaginable form.

Driftin’ takes this idea and runs wildly with it, in some ways romanticizing the complete segregation of past and present. The narrator has found complacency in his solitude, as opposed to some sort of wealth (“I got myself a mansion and I gave it away”). This mansion that he speaks of is not necessarily literal, but figurative. This giant house—the social symbol for wealth—can stand for anything that we reach for yet find disappointment in once we grasp it. He’s released said grasp on anything he once though valuable and is content with spiritual peace. The world is too demanding a place, and en exodus from it will relieve you of its demands (“I only run when I want to and I sleep like a dog”).

But the narrator also comments on wealth in fiscal terms, as shown in the 3rd and 4th verses (which are practically identical). The difference?

“The suitcoats say there is money to be made
They get so damn excited, but I guess it’s their way”

Vs.

“The suitcoats say there is money to be made
They get so damn excited, nothing gets in their way”

He turns from semi-understanding of the train of thought that monetary abundance is a common desire, but then turns defensive and accusatory about the matter. Our narrator no longer wishes to be associated with people whose prime motivation is enduring a life as a slave to money. So he chooses to find himself by losing everything, a modern-world nomad.

But within this person lies an inherent, nearly muted sadness that accompanies his freedom: “My road it may be lonely just because it’s not paved.” This line is so simple, yet so affecting and loaded—one of Ed’s best. An unpaved road suggests that few, if any, have walked it before. This line could certainly be a social commentary on how few of us choose our own path instead of following the precedent-soaked path society deems right, but it may also be a caution sign that the road less travelled is destined to be a lonely one. This seems like a fair trade-off to the narrator.

Yet ultimately, he feels he made the right decision (“I feel like going back there, but never for long”), but curiosity sometimes gets the best of him and he wonders how the people from his former life perceive him, or even if they miss him (“I sometimes wonder if they know that I’m gone, I’m just driftin’, driftin’ along). There is still that open, lonesome road, the drifter’s best/only friend. A friend that will always be there, won’t judge you, and won’t let you down. It’s the road to nowhere, and nowhere seems like a damn fine place sometimes.

fun little campfire sing-a-long. depending on the creativity for the the poll options, probably 3 stars.

Lyrics stand up better than the song. Eddie's not that convicing when he says he gave his worries away. I don't think Ed will ever be that guy. He may sometimes wish he could be that guy but he'll never be that guy.

5 stars... love it.

Nice post, Frank. I gave it 4 stars. It's a fun song, with some strong lyrics.

Frank,

That was such a great write-up that it really got me thinking about the meaning of that song. It is such a coincidence that it goes with the "Pearl Jam's biggest mistake" thread.

No Code wasn't the turning point for Pearl Jam, it was for Ed, but Yield was the turning point for the band. Ed backed off and let the others write songs for the record, and relinquished some of the artistic control that he had grabbed during Vitalogy and No Code. Then this song was the Christmas single in 1999.

I'm sure there was tremendous pressure on the band to do a full-on publicity campaign for Yield, like they did for Ten, and Yield could have been a monster hit. I listened to it for the first time last November, and it's clear that if it were released even today, it would be huge with the right marketing. That is, video's for GIVEN TO FLY, WISHLIST and maybe an alternate video for DO THE EVOLUTION featuring at least Ed. I'm sure that the publicity machine would have liked to put Ed right out front. In those days he was as cute as a Backstreet Boy, they could have sold a lot of records on Ed looks and a concept video for GIVEN TO FLY. We could have seen Ed doing duets with Mariah Carey at the MTV Video Music awards. But the band made the decision to turn their backs on all of that. It was a good decision for them as a band. They are still together, and they are still touring and making records. Everyone has a voice artistically, and they all seem happy.

It's not many bands that go that route, but they seem so happy to have chosen it. 4 stars.

Great write up frank. Nice job making this song smarter than it is usually given credit for


I normally don't think Pearl Jam does casual very well, or fun--but they manage to pull it off quite nicely here. Drifting is an immensely enjoyable song that manages to say something if you want it to but is still disposable if you just want an easy listen. This is the song that I think soon forget (which is utterly joyless) wanted to be.

4 stars

Great job Frank. I agree with Stip and have always thought that this song should be on the setlists instead of Soon Forget.

Ok song, nice lyrics. 3 stars.

I love this song. Just bob your head back and forth and really "i rid myself of worries and my worries were gone" even if for only 2.5 minutes, i can rid myself of worries and enjoy this. its fun,upbeat...also a bit sad "i sometimes wonde rif they know that im gone"

Driftin driftin along...

Like getting in the car and getting the fuck out of a problem. Same thing here..

I love it. A great escapism song, on an upbeat note.

They need to play this live more often and rock it up more. Dirty alt country rock would be great

Spot on. This and Strangest Tribe combined to make my favourite of all the PJ xmas singles. Great write-up Frank, 4 stars.

Oh, and just a little observation - The third lines in each verse are all wonderful lyrics... The day a thread surfaces analysing 'how well a song utilises the third line in a verse', i'd definitely put this song forward as one of my favourites

I'd never really thought about the change in PJ happening around Yield (with only Eddie really initially changing at the No Code stage) but that really does seem to be the case. Though i prefer No Code, Yield feels much more balanced as a full band album.

Fun little song. Really catchy and easy to get stuck in your head. 3.5 stars, closer to a 4 than a 3.

"2" Don't care about the lyrics, because the music doesn't interest me all that much. Typically skip this when it comes up, but do listen to it once in awhile.

Good song where the music and the vocals really fit the lyrics well. 4 Stars.

Great write-up Frank! I love this song. It's different from anything else they've ever put out. 4 stars.

agreed. though i went 3 stars.

i have always really liked the "it's not the world that's heavy, it's just the things that you save" lyric

First time I heared Drifting, I thought it was average pj song.
When I raelized the lyrics, I came closer and I loved it.
(As usual!)
4 stars.

3 stars...kinda boring

i only run when i want to and i sleep like a dog