Insignificance


All in all, it's no one's fault
Excuses turn to carbon walls
Blame it all on chemical intercourse
The swallowed seeds of arrogance
Breeding in the thoughts of ten thousand fools that fight irreverance
The full moon is dead skin
The one down here's wearing thin
So set are the ten pins as the human tide rolls in

Like a ball that's spinning

Bombs dropping down
Overhead, underground
It's instilled...to wanna live
Bombs dropping down, please forgive
Our hometown in our insignificance

Turn the jukebox up he said
Dancing in irreverance
Play c3, let the song protest
The plates began to shift
Perfect lefts come rolling in
I was alone and far away
When i heard the band start playin'

On the lip...late take off

Bombs dropping down
Overhead, underground
It's instilled...to wanna live
Bombs dropping down, please forgive
Our hometown in our insignificance

Feel like resonance of distance
In the blood...the iron lies

It's instilled...
To wanna live
Bombs dropping down, please forgive
Our hometown in our insignificance
In our insignificance




Previous Songs of the Moment
In My Tree
Red Mosquito
Porch
I Got Id
Release
Do The Evolution
Breath
Corduroy
Elderly Woman...
Leash
Hail Hail
Grievance
Love Boat Captain
Even Flow
Black Red Yellow
In Hiding
Can't Keep
Indifference

This one goes back and forth with grievance for Binaural's finest moment, although insignificance takes longer to grow on you.

Musically this is one of their most interesting songs, and it does a great job following the story of the song. The way the guitars roll in and out sounds like waves of thunder--bombs dropping and exploding. The sound completley overwhelms the song too without sounding too loud. The lyrics end up muted, like you are having a conversation with exploisions in the background. It's like you are trapped in a bar somewhere while a war is waging outside

I wish they made a video for this with the Iraq war, from the standpoint of the civillians who just want to go on with their lives, but are trapped between the insurgency and the US army. Lives overwhelmed by forces far beyond the ability of the people affected to do anything about. How do you deal with that? How do you cope?

I was alone and far away when I heard the band start playing is probalby my favorite single line on Binaural.I love how it captures the way in which music can take us out of our own insignifiance and bring us into a larger world--how it unifys disparate individuals and gives them strength, solidarity, and meaning far beyond their personal power. From insignificance to significance.

I really cannot get into this song. Don't know why... I just think Grievance is a lot better

I think this song is merely average. I don't hate it, but I don't really love it either. To me, it's one of the weaker songs off of Binaural. The lyrics are pretty good, but nothing special. But the line "It's instilled to wanna live" is one of my favorites.

Grievance is 10 times better IMO.

this is probly my favorite song on binaural. the music is incredible, i love how it builds up and explodes in the chorus. great song to work out to.

does anyone remember when people were trying to organize something to yell during the pause in this song?

This song has grown to be one of my favourite PJ songs. I absolutely love it. Those 4 notes Mike plays during the chorus:

|------------------|-----------------|
|---------5-------|-0---------------|
|-------------5---|-----------------|
|-----7-----------|-----------------

Those MAKE the song for me. Superb song!

The first time I heard Binaural, my two favourites were Insignificance and Light Years. For some reason, it had a huge impact on me the first time around. I still love it, but I can still remember the first time I listened to it. I think it's the combination of powerful lyrics and that amazing chorus... great song.

I remember hearing this song on the radio before the album was released. The radio station was playing tracks one night. It's the 1st song I heard off the album after NAIS. I remember saying, this song is boring, I can't understand Ed, the band is just going downhill. That was at the 1 minute mark or so, by the end of the song, I was blasting it as I was driving, and saying this band is back!

This is their best rocker since Vitalogy....

this is my favorite song of the moment so far. i absolutely love this song.

the lyrics, the music...the breakdown at the end.

'it's instilled...to wanna live' is fucking amazing.

this is one of my favorites not just off binaural, but out of all pearl jam songs. it comes off great live.

just brilliant..one the the best pj songs..

This is one of my favourite PJs songs...

...they played it here the 26th and I couldn't believe it.

I agree that it's one of the best moments in Binaural and actually it's one of my favourite songs from Binaural too.
I don't know what is so special about it but the music is just great and the story too...

Stip, very good choice.

musically is brilliant..great inspiration by ed..couldn't believe my ears when i first listened to it

Stip, I didn't know that you were a mind reader...first Can't Keep and now Insignificance?

I have been listening to this song a lot over the past few weeks and it is one of my top 5 favorite Pearl Jam songs. I think that the music flows really well with the lyrics and vocals. Maybe it's just me, but there are times in the song where the drums sound like gun fire. If you watch TB2K you'll see Matt all over the place on his kit and I really like the sound that's produced.

I love how both Stone and Jeff sing in this song, even though it's not at the same time. I think that Jeff singing every other word of bombs dropping down overhead, underground (and bombs dropping down, please forgive) makes the song more powerful.

But, my favorite part of the song is when Stone has his solo and then Eddie comes in with resonance of distance in the blood...the iron lies then BAM! the music comes back full force and completely knocks you over.

I will say this though--I don't think it is especially good live. In fact, of all pearl jam songs I might say that this one translates live the most poorly. I don't know if it is the mix or the distortion but they can't reproduce the sound live

On the flipside, I think this is one of their best songs to listen to with headphones.

I have many powers that I shall gradually reveal over time.

i agree that live is very poor.when the album production is so good the songs usually sound poorer in live..
maybe some more distortion would be good for the song

I love this song. I think it might be the best MUSIC that Ed has ever written, and the lyrics are pretty darn good as well. My favorite on Binaural by a lot.

I like it a whole lot live, the studio version doesn't do it for me though. I think it may be the production of binaural.

love it!

You've outdone yourself this week, Stip; excellent choice.

I love the music, I love the lyrics, the message and the feel of the piece. I first heard it on Binaural and thought it was a good, if not spectacular track. The version on Touring Band didn't quite capture the same energy for me, although it was still good. Then I listened to Binaural with headphones on and Insignificance was the one song that grabbed me by the balls and said "Pay attention, fucker."

And pay attention I did- The intro has a brooding quality, the verses are the calm before the storm, the deh-neh-neh (Full moon is dead skin) pre-chorus really sets my pulse racing (for my money, it's as powerful as the pre-chorus in I Got Shit) and then it explodes for the chorus.

I think listening to a band as talented as Pearl Jam it's easy to take their songwriting ability for granted and Insignificance really reminds you of how much craft goes into their best work. The mastery of atmosphere, dynamics, intricate guitar pieces, well-placed backing vocals and the jammy breakdown have all been evidenced in their earlier work, but Insignifance just moulds it all beautifully. I've stated in the appropriate thread that Insignificance/Of The Girl/Grievance is my favourite 1-2-3 combo- now you all know why.



Have you tried it with headphones? It made the difference for me.