Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:02 am Posts: 44183 Location: New York Gender: Male
Light Years
I've used hammers made out of wood I have played games with pieces and rules I undeciphered tricks at the bar But now you're gone I haven't figured out why
I've come up with riddles and jokes about war I've figured out numbers and what they're for I've understood feelings And i've understood words But how could you be taken away?
And wherever you've gone And wherever we might go It don't seem fair...today just disappeared Your light's reflected now Reflected from afar We were but stones Your light made us stars
With heavy breath, awakened regrets Back pages and days alone that could have been spent, together.. But we were miles apart Every inch between us becomes light years now No time to be void or save up on life You got to spend it all..
And wherever you've gone And wherever we might go It don't seem fair...you seemed to like it here Your light's reflected now Reflected from afar We were but stones Your light made us stars
And wherever you've gone And wherever we might go It don't seem fair...today just disappeared Your light's reflected now Reflected from afar We were but stones Your light made us stars
_________________ "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: Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:02 am Posts: 44183 Location: New York Gender: Male
I must confess that I don’t like light years as much as I should. I love the sentiment and there are some beautiful lines in here, but the off kilter music makes it really hard for the song to suck me in. It’s interesting, but doesn't quite convey the appropriate mood.
The subject matter is intense—It’s a far better tribute to the fans who died at Roskilde than love boat captain. I think I would have rather seen them rework the song and rerecord it than write a new one.
The questioning/pleading aspect to the lyrics is quite moving—‘now you’re gone I haven’t figured out why/how can you be taken away’. My wife’s grandfather is currently dying and as anyone who’s been unfortunate enough to go through this experience, it is the senselessness of death that makes the pain even worse.
The second verse is also pretty intense—it gets right to the regrets, the missed opportunities, the guilt, and the anger we feel towards ourselves when we think back on the time wasted when we lose someone. “Every inch between us becomes light years†is a great line. And Light Years understands that the pain that we feel when someone dies is in its own way quite selfish. What do we miss about the person---we miss that WE will no longer be able to see them, to spend time with them. It is our lives that are somehow diminished now that there is one less light in our lives to illuminate us.
But it’s a Pearl Jam song, and what makes their music so special is that it doesn’t wallow in its own sorrow. In the end the song becomes a celebration and remembrance of the person who died. Despite all the regrets, confusion, sadness, and sorrow, the song in the end is a celebration of the people who have made our lives better. Their light made us stars.
_________________ "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: Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:02 am Posts: 44183 Location: New York Gender: Male
A few random light years thoughts/questions
I’ve asked this in other threads, but I’ve never figured out what the ‘hammers made out of wood’ lines refer to. Other people’s thoughts?
For those of you who’ve heard the demo version (which can’t be traded here)—which do you prefer more? The sound quality sucks, but the music is far more moving.
I think light years is MUCH improved live. I do like it on Binaural but it always feels more moving. Some of that might be some of the lines Eddie improvs at the end of it. There is one show where he cries Goodbye at the end of it. It’s probably my favorite version. Anyone remember which one it is?
_________________ "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: Sun Oct 17, 2004 3:03 pm Posts: 26481 Location: virginia Gender: Male
stip wrote:
A few random light years thoughts/questions
I’ve asked this in other threads, but I’ve never figured out what the ‘hammers made out of wood’ lines refer to. Other people’s thoughts?
For those of you who’ve heard the demo version (which can’t be traded here)—which do you prefer more? The sound quality sucks, but the music is far more moving.
I think light years is MUCH improved live. I do like it on Binaural but it always feels more moving. Some of that might be some of the lines Eddie improvs at the end of it. There is one show where he cries Goodbye at the end of it. It’s probably my favorite version. Anyone remember which one it is?
i love everything about this song, i love it on binaural, love it live and it gets better everytime they play it, and i love the demo. but i cant really say which i like better between the binaural and the demo versons because they are like completely different songs, but i really wish we could get a good sound version of puzzles and games because of how beautiful it sounds with the crapy version that has been around.
great song though, it was my first fav on binaural and is still probably in my revolving top 15 or so
_________________ what is that a titleist..............Hole in one
Joined: Wed Mar 02, 2005 3:43 am Posts: 18418 Location: Anytown, USA Gender: Male
good song, middle of the pack on binaural for me though.
_________________
stip wrote:
In five years, when you get laid and grow up, you should go back and read some of these posts and if you've turned into a decent person you'll realize how much of an asshole you sound like right now
Great song. I happen to think if conveys a fantastic mood, although death is hardly senseless and when faced with the loss of loved ones I prefer songs that adulate upon the elixer of life.
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:02 am Posts: 44183 Location: New York Gender: Male
I gave it four stars
_________________ "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: Wed Mar 02, 2005 3:43 am Posts: 18418 Location: Anytown, USA Gender: Male
stip wrote:
I gave it four stars
same
_________________
stip wrote:
In five years, when you get laid and grow up, you should go back and read some of these posts and if you've turned into a decent person you'll realize how much of an asshole you sound like right now
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 10:53 pm Posts: 8066 Location: Las Vegas via Rockford (Roscoe), IL Gender: Female
Great choice, stip.
I've always loved this song, but when my Grandma died in 2003 this song hit a little closer to home. This is now her song and it makes it that much more emotional for me. The version from Pink Pop 2000 is my favorite and the "goodbye, I love you" at the end always gets me. Light Years is one of my favorite songs lyrically, vocally, and musically. I love how the drums sound live.
I've understood feelings and I've understood words but how could you be taken away? and wherever you've gone and wherever we might go it don't seem fair...today just disappeared
When someone dies, it doesn't make any sense, and that is how I felt when my Grandma died.
your light's reflected now, reflected from afar
To me, it means that even though someone is no longer here, physically, they are still with you in another sense.
we were but stones, your light made us stars
This person made a positive impact on everyone that was around them, they made people happier.
_________________ 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
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:02 am Posts: 44183 Location: New York Gender: Male
TwoAlarmFire wrote:
Great choice, stip.
It was angus' choice. Nice post
_________________ "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: Sun Oct 17, 2004 4:34 am Posts: 12700 Location: ...a town in north Ontario...
This song is towards the top of the list for me... the music is great and the singing is emotional... but it's the lyrics that make it so good... I think it has some of the best lyrics they've written.
And wherever you've gone And wherever we might go It don't seem fair... you seemed to like it here Your light's reflected now Reflected from afar We were but stones Your light made us stars
Absolutely phenomenal. To me... it's like Eddie is delivering the eulogy to someone. Those last two lines really give me goosebumps... I can't think of anything to say that would be greater praise to someone, and I can't think of a more beautiful way to say it.
_________________ I think we relinquished enough... and it's still dark enough... and it goes on and on and on...
Some of the best lyrics I think Ed has ever written but I think that with Binaural they were too concerned with writing songs that don't sound like PJ songs and the final studio version doesn't live up to what I think it could have been. It's still good, though. But not great. I like the musical approach of the demo version much more, thought it does remind me of Given to Fly. The lyrics are really moving, enough to make the final version really great.
And "hammers made out of wood" to me, means having used elements of the physical world.
Joined: Sun Dec 05, 2004 8:19 am Posts: 6221 Location: Tasmania / Australia Gender: Male
Love this song, only appreciated it for its greatness after watching the Pinkpop 2000 version. One of my favourite all time live performances, the intensity was awesome. The 2000 concert versions are still the best. Excellent song to sing along to. This song is in my top 5 and I of course give it *****. Hammers made out of wood?? Not sure I thought it might have meant he has battled away and worked hard..
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