Hello everyone. As a longtime lurker I've been a big fan of the SOTM threads, so I decided to throw my hat into the ring. I picked one of Eddie's 2002 ukulele solo songs, You're True.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTw7vEr8qM4

Lonely cliffs and waterfalls
If no one sees me, i'm not here at all
You could be the one to liberate me From the sun
So please, give the moon to me
I'd be indebted to ya
Walk the dog and pay rent to ya
If you say the word, i'm yours
Oh sure...
Nothing ever goes my way
But with you here, that all will change
Suddenly i'm a new born child
And i'm ready to live a while with you
So much left to do
And so i thank you dearly
For letting me see clearly
Open up, she said
You're true, be you
I'm at home in my own skin
I'm like an ocean's tide come in
Yes you could be the one to hold my Hand beneth the full moon
You could be the one
You're true, you're true
You're true, you're true
You're true...

Interesting that for the Song Of The Moment, we’ll have two of Eddie’s ukulele songs back-to-back, and in many ways you could not find two songs more drastically different, if not in sound than certainly in theme and intent. I’d definitely be understating it to write that ‘Soon Forget’ has a cynical take on its’ subject. If any laughs are gained from that song, they’re bitter ones. In contrast, has Eddie (and even Pearl Jam as a whole) ever written a song more jubilant, more free of any feeling of darkness and despair, then “You’re True”? If there are any songs that fit that criteria, the list is an awfully short one. Many, even most, Pearl Jam songs contain some sense of hope, triumph or optimism (even if it is sometimes difficult to uncover), but they nearly always portray an optimism hard-won, born from hardships. You’re True, on the other hand, only illustrates the good that has come from the relationship the character has started. Never has the darkness that Eddie writes about so often been so insignificant to the feeling the song intends to conjure up.

The lyrics of the song are bare and simplistic; while there are only a few lines that are grating or detract from the song in any fashion, I would not say the lyrical content is what keeps me coming back to it in the way that Eddie’s lyrics do in other songs. The lyrics are there to support the emotion inherent in the music and the melody, and goodness it’s a beautiful melody. There’s a moment in “You’re True” when Eddie reaches for the sky and his voice hits this marvelous, soaring falsetto. I’m not always a fan of his falsetto work, but anyone who has heard this song knows the moment I’m talking about. It’s the climax of the song in every manner, and it’s a moment free of irony, comprehension, pretense; it’s a gorgeous, joyous holler to the heavens, and it entirely makes You‘re True work. It’s certainly the moment I’m anticipating from when I push play to start the song.

In other words; “You’re truuuuu-WOOOO-HOO-HOO!!!!!! YOU’RE TRUE!!!” That part. Absolutely awesome.

I was mentioning the lyrics (it’s easy to get sidetracked in these song discussions). I think some of the more cloying metaphors and some of the lyrics that seem cheesy on first glance (“walk the dog and pay rent to you”) also speak to a reality oft-mentioned by songwriters of many different stripes; it’s really damn hard to write a happy song. I’m reminded of a quote by Mike Mills circa 1991, when Shiny Happy People by R.E.M. was being released to the airwaves. Now, many critics, and even the band itself, have since gone back and forth regarding the notion that Shiny Happy People is a cynical song with a sarcastic lyric, but at the time Mills defended it as a song about true happiness. I don’t have the quote in front of me, but he said that it is a tightrope walk to try and portray what true happiness means. Often, when you express it in melodies and words the song can too easily slip into tacky sentimentality. I think You’re True flirts with that, and at times the lyric crosses the line but the melody and arrangement that I wrote fondly about keep bringing me back.

However, I don’t mean to seem like my view of the lyrics are wholly negative; there’s some really great stuff in here. My two favorite parts are how he seems equally at peace with the notion of a positive, co-dependent relationship and the solitude of the “lonely cliffs and waterfalls.” I also like how he changes the typical usage of the “sun” as a signifier of happiness and joy, and hopes for the relationship he is embarking upon to “give the moon” to him. A nice switchup, but I’ll let others go more into that.

The ukulele is the perfect instrument for this song; as Eddie has brought up several times on his solo tour, it’s difficult to make this instrument sound sad. However, one wonders what would have happened had this song made the transition from Eddie to the band. Of the many songs that Eddie played in that winter of 2002 only three of them ended up on a Pearl Jam album, and only one of them was originally written on ukulele (Can’t Keep). I always wondered what these songs would have been like had they made the transition. The only evidence we have is with Can’t Keep; that was a drastic transition, but I think most would agree with me when I say it was a successful one. What do people think about that? Would you have liked You’re True and some of the others to become Pearl Jam songs, or was such a transition maybe impossible, and Can’t Keep was the fluke?

A good song, where a wonderful melody conveys an emotion that lyrics seem unable to portray. Between 3 and 4 stars, so I’ll follow the sentiment of the song and round it up. 4 stars.

This song is pretty awful. I see what Ed was going for. But it's one of the most insipid melodies he's ever sung.

This is the kind of song i love.The kind of pure emotinal songs that take me away.All this Uke songs are great.They really expres a simple, pure and inocent feeling about being in love.Thats enough for me.
5/5

i haven't listened to this song in forever, but that was a great write up that definitley has me angling to go listen.

now I remember why I don't listen to this song very much. I agree it's a lovely sentiment, and you do a wonderful job capturing what moves you about that song, but there's almost nothing there in terms of the lyrics, melody, or music to make me interested in that one. to be fair, I'm not a big fan of eddie's uke stuff. Maybe I have a secret hatred of hawaii.

Other than this song and Satellite, the uke songs didn't do much for me either in the grand scheme of things. I think those two songs, along with Can't Keep, don't necessarily seem dependent on the sound of the uke to drive it along. I think some of the other songs, once you get over the novelty and interest that comes with seeing Eddie try out songs on this different instrument, don't really hold up in the long run. This one still does though, for me at least.

That was a great write up. It's always nice to see the more understated songs getting a mention. I like this song...but it's probably my least favourite of Ed's uke songs, maybe I gravitate to the sadder songs, but I'd put Goodbye, Longing To Belong and Broken Hearted Above it. I always forget how Satellite sounds. For a happy love song this is nice though, and the sentiment comes across well and without cliche.

It's a shame no solo album came out during the debut of these uke songs, even just an EP sold through tenclub would have been special. Hopefully these songs won't just get lost over time and just exist in a few live bootlegs. I know these songs were on the list of songs being worked around in the Riot act sessions, so it'll be interesting to hear how far they made it through that process. Maybe that will be revealed when the Riot Act reissue comes out.

I'd give it 3.5, and rounded up to 4 for the vote.

that would be very cool. can't keep was my favorite of the uke songs and I loved how they changed that one. It'd be interesting to see if/how any others got reworked

I think another one of the things I enjoy about some of these uke songs is that they allow Eddie's talents as a melody writer to shine, whereas in some of the Pearl Jam songs it gets lost in the rush of other things they are attempting to do with the song. The ukulele is a fun instrument, but in the hands of someone like Eddie who is not incredibly skilled at it, it is not really a dynamic instrument; it can't really carry the song. That seems to force Eddie to bring his A-game in terms of melody. You're True, Satellite, Can't Keep, even Goodbye, whatever problems I have with them I do think Eddie did a great job with the melodies in all these songs. What else is there for us to focus on?

see that's just it. I didn't really get much of a melody out of this one, as opposed to say the end or unthought known (not uke songs but still solo stuff) which have incredible melodies

I actually don't think I've heard this song (including all the other solo vedder uke songs – except for "Goodbye" from the brokedown melody sndtrk). anyone know where i might be able to find them?

The End has a a gorgeous melody, I am in full agreement. It's one of those winding, unconventional ones that he does well. I'd say this is more conventional, but I feel the melody is certainly infectious. I've only listened to Unthought Known a small number of times, but the melody didn't do much for me. It remained extremely static throughout, with the only change being that he goes up an octave. It's a powerful moment, but the melody I think would have been better served had it been more diverse; I'll listen to it again, but it stays the same pretty much the entire way through. Which maybe what Ed was going for, and that's fine, but for me, the melodies I think are incredible ones have diversity and heft in them, and climb towards their peaks. This one does that, I think, in a great fashion.

Who do i have to kidnap to get this damn mythical LP?? I can't wait 20 years for the Riot Act reissue! I too am a sucker for Ed's uke songs. I love the raw emotions that come through when he performs them live. I particularly enjoy the original 2002 live versions. I think it's interesting how he used his "happy" instrument to write some great somber love/breakup songs. I'm glad these songs did not make the transisition to PJ songs. Hopefully they will pop up on his future solo projects, especially Longing To Belong.




You're True 2/26/02 -
http://www.sendspace.com/file/4beaph

A lot of PJ sites have the other songs . Here's one http://www.gremmie.net/bsides/ed/

cool, thanks ace

Other than Longing to Belong, Ed's uke songs from this era are pretty forgettable. I have a CD of them all that I once spun quite often, but I haven't in years. This one is probably #2 or #3 fav. I like them all, but nothing has me reaching for the CD to listen.

The 2006 tour finale bootleg in Hawaii has a good version. I really love this song, I put it very high in my 'most underrated pj/evedder songs of all time' list.

Are you kidding? That version is particularly bad. He's fairly drunk, out of breath and desperately looking for the right notes.

I'm kidding then.