Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 5:24 am Posts: 37009 Location: In Missouri, they would (will) not let me be Gender: Female
Why Go
She scratches a letter into a wall made of stone Maybe someday another child won't feel as alone as she does It's been two years, and counting, since they put her in this place She's been diagnosed by some stupid fuck, and mommy agrees (you're right) Why go home Why go home Why go home
She seems to be stronger, but what they want her to be is weak She could play pretend, she could join the game, boy She could be another clone... Why go home Why go home Why go home Why go home
What you taught me...put me here...don't come visit...mother Sting me... Why go home Why go home Why go home Why go home
What you taught me...put me here...don't come visit...mother, mother, yeah... Why go home?
I'm really enjoying this song a lot lately. I guess the meaning tends to be obvious to most of us. A girl has been put into a hospital by her mother. She has went against her mother, most likely, by defying the conventional role that her mother expects her to heed to. She is strong and independent and wanting to walk her own path. This is viewed as unacceptable.
"She scratches a letter into a wall made of stone"
By scratching her letter she is not only possibly leaving her mark, whether through actions or actual words for others to come, but she is speaking to "a wall of stone" by trying to make her family understand. Where they see stubbornness on her part they disregard the very same personality trait in themselves. "Why go home" is the question posed bitingly throughout the chorus, and it is a very good question at that. What is left for her there? Nothing but being put in "her place" and living a lie that isn't her.
While this song is about a mother/daughter relationship or this girl and her family, what I love is how with certain words taken out I can currently apply it to the government. I know usually doing so with such a thing can take away validity of the words, but it is just something that has been helping me with the way I feel about certain issues besides the problems I'm having with a friend. Sometimes even a whole song doesn't have to hit upon a certain subject to make one feel a really strong connection to it. But back to the point I was trying to make. We, the citizens, are the daughter and the mother is the government. We are not expected to be strong and independent and willing to decide on our own. We are supposed to follow convention and accept what is handed to us, but if we protest, if we fight for our beliefs, we can scratch our own letter into that wall of stone. So, it is a little reminder to us, no matter what relationship it is (daughter/mother, boyfriend/girlfriend, citizen/government) that you are unfettered by being who you are regardless of what others want you to be.
I think it is a great song of defiance and courage in the face of adversity and no one being there to help lend a hand or believe in you.
As for the music, I love the urgency of it, but that really comes from Eddie's singing over it. Best of all...Stone's backing vocals.
And one last scattered thought. I know some think this song isn't anything special, and I agree it's neither a new classic in the vein of Springsteen nor is it Pearl Jam's best. But the song is quite powerful, and I think the lyrics are really good actually. Not to mention if the lyrics don't help then it's a hard rocking song to just let loose to and forget for three minutes.
A four star song though sometimes I feel like I like it way too much to only give it four stars. Though, it's not a classic, so five stars would be too much.
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 5:13 am Posts: 215 Location: Oslo, Norway
Thank you for that post!
I agree. Its not pearl jam at its best, but to me this is classic pearl jam. Its one of my favourite live songs to listen to from the early days. Love Dave's work on it, and how Eddie would do those eh's in the beginning before completely loosing it with the driving guitar in the background! Its a song full of energy, and that is why I love it!
I am happy this song is back on the setlist. Hopefully it will turn up in Barcelona or Lisbon.
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:02 am Posts: 44183 Location: New York Gender: Male
Nice post kelly
A most excellent song, and one that I think is criminally underrated. It fits really nicely with the general mood/theme of ten, namely the betryal of people and instituions we are supposed to be able to trust. The mother and the doctors in this song probably mean well, and that is what gives the song its power. The girl isn't getting locked up due to sinister motives. The people entrusted with looking out for her think this will help, when what it really reflects is a categorical failure for those with power to understand the needs and motivations of those without, theones they are charged with protecting. They just don't get it, and as a result we're isolated and alone. Why Go, read in the context of the entire record, is an indictment of an entire generation and its failure to help their young make sense of the world they are inheriting. The question why go home is obviously rhetorical. There is no meaningful home to return to.
I was thrilled to see this make its live return in 06. Always a highlight for me.
4 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: Sun Oct 17, 2004 1:14 am Posts: 37778 Location: OmaGOD!!! Gender: Male
For a long time, this was my least favorite song on Ten. Still not near the top, but I love the old performances of it. None of the ones in the past couple of years have touched it. I particularly like the Den Haag show where Ed stops to yell at stagedivers and moshers mid-song.
About the time I started acquiring my first PJ boots, I was seeing this girl who had been a real trouble teen, lots of sex and drugs and attitude. Her parents eventually put her in an institution for a while to get "straightened out", and I always think about her when I hear this song. I could never understand how she could have even a cordial relationship with her parents after doing that to her, when really she was just a very free spirit. A little too free for me it turned out.
She's been diagnosed by some stupid fuck, and mommy agrees.
_________________ Unfortunately, at the Dawning of the Age of Aquarius, the Flower Children jerked off and went back to sleep.
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 5:24 am Posts: 37009 Location: In Missouri, they would (will) not let me be Gender: Female
Niko wrote:
Thank you for that post!
I agree. Its not pearl jam at its best, but to me this is classic pearl jam. Its one of my favourite live songs to listen to from the early days. Love Dave's work on it, and how Eddie would do those eh's in the beginning before completely loosing it with the driving guitar in the background! Its a song full of energy, and that is why I love it!
I am happy this song is back on the setlist. Hopefully it will turn up in Barcelona or Lisbon.
No problem.
It's definitely classic Pearl Jam, and I love it for the same reasons you do. And I love that it's back in the setlist. I hope when I finally see Pearl Jam live this song is still being played in concert. And the new version sounds really great to my ears.
_________________ Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose Nothin' ain't worth nothin', but it's free
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 10:53 pm Posts: 20537 Location: The City Of Trees
Why Go is one of four songs that got me into PJ in the first place.
I think it will always be in my top 10-15 list. I'm SO happy that Matt took the time to learn this song--now I think he drums it better than Dave did! Keep it in the regular rotation.
Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2005 2:40 am Posts: 12509 Location: Pittsburgh Gender: Male
The first thing I always think of when someone talks about Why Go is how much it is overshadowed by the songs that surround it.
I mean look at this list:
Once
Even Flow
Alive
Why Go
Black
Jeremy
and they appear in that order on the album. 4 of the 6 songs on that list (excluding Once and Why Go) are known by most people who listen to the radio these days and back in the 90s. What makes this song for me is the driving guitar and intense vocals that somehow remain new and fresh after the first three bombshells that open Ten. This song truly is great but we all know they can't be compared to the hits that are the other songs that I listed. Kudos to Pearl Jam for keeping me wanting to listen to this song every time I pull out Ten and not skipping to the "hits." But then again...I never skip songs on a PJ album.
_________________ "i'm the crescent, the sickle, so sharp the blade i'm the flick of the shank that opened your veins i'm the dusk, i'm the frightening calm i'm a hole in the pipeline, i'm a road side bomb..."
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 10:53 pm Posts: 8066 Location: Las Vegas via Rockford (Roscoe), IL Gender: Female
Nice choice and your write up was great, Kelly.
I've always liked this song, but it wasn't until they started playing it again this year that I began to love it. Matt makes this song sound so much deeper and fuller and there's more oomph! to it. The funky and earthy bassline has always been one of my favorites and I love how it sounds during the layered (mmm layered) intro. The ending of this song is great with the repeated and urgency filled "why go home."
I am really digging the version from that special Letterman performance. I give Why Go 4 stars.
_________________ 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 Apr 25, 2006 1:43 am Posts: 744 Location: Adelaide, Austraila Gender: Male
I've always really liked it but now that it's been played more live I've got into it a lot more, I love the energy live. Something about Why Go hooks you.
the live version on the dissident single is the best.
the song is really easly to forget it seems being on ten. i'm wondering what it may have sounded like if it were on the mtv unplugged setlist? either way just a great singalong also.
_________________ GO LEAFS GO GO LEAFS GO GO LEAFS GO
GO LEAFS GO GO LEAFS GO GO LEAFS GO
GO LEAFS GO GO LEAFS GO GO LEAFS GO
GO LEAFS GO GO LEAFS GO GO LEAFS GO
GO LEAFS GO GO LEAFS GO GO LEAFS GO
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 9:09 pm Posts: 48 Location: south jersey
Niko wrote:
Thank you for that post!
I agree. Its not pearl jam at its best, but to me this is classic pearl jam. Its one of my favourite live songs to listen to from the early days. Love Dave's work on it, and how Eddie would do those eh's in the beginning before completely loosing it with the driving guitar in the background! Its a song full of energy, and that is why I love it!
I am happy this song is back on the setlist. Hopefully it will turn up in Barcelona or Lisbon.
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 9:50 am Posts: 1838 Location: Perth, Australia Gender: Male
i really like this song. it's actually my ringtone.
McCready's solo on the studio version is one of my favs.
_________________ a young man on acid realized that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration that we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively there's no such thing as death life is only a dream and we are the imagination of ourselves
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Frank
Perfect post! I give Why Go 4 stars. Great song.