Yellow Ledbetter
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| “Yellow Ledbetter” | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Song by Pearl Jam | |||||
| Album | "Jeremy" (Single) | ||||
| Released | 1992 | ||||
| Recorded | March 27, 1991–April 26, 1991 at London Bridge Studios, Seattle, Washington | ||||
| Genre | Alternative rock | ||||
| Length | 5:03 | ||||
| Label | Epic | ||||
| Writer | Jeff Ament, Mike McCready, Eddie Vedder | ||||
| Producer | Rick Parashar | ||||
| "Jeremy" (Single) track listing | |||||
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"Yellow Ledbetter" is a song by the grunge band Pearl Jam. It was selected by the band to be the second B-side to the single for the song "Jeremy",[1] which was where it first appeared. "Yellow Ledbetter" eventually found its way onto radio, peaking at number 21 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The song was included on the B-sides and rarities album Lost Dogs and on the band's greatest hits album, rearviewmirror: Greatest Hits 1991–2003.
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[edit] Origin and recording
The song was a Ten outtake and one of the first songs Pearl Jam wrote as a group.[2] The song's lyrics were written by band frontman Eddie Vedder, and its music was co-written by bassist Jeff Ament and lead guitarist Mike McCready.[3] Mike McCready's guitar play on "Yellow Ledbetter" bears strong similarities to the guitar style of Jimi Hendrix with the mimicking of Hendrix's "Little Wing" and "May This Be Love". The version that was eventually released was the second take of the song.[4] Mike McCready on the song:
That was written around the time of the first record [1991's Ten]. I think that was the second thing Ed and I wrote together. It came out of a jam in the studio and Ed didn't really have any lyrics. He came up with some ideas right there on the spot, and that's what we recorded. For some reason, it didn't make it on Ten. I was kind of bummed at the time. I really wanted it to be on our first record. But at the time, I was really young and just happy to be around this situation, so I did whatever.[5]
[edit] Composition
The song is based on a I-V-IV chord progression in the key of E major. Mike McCready plays his Stratocaster on the track in the style of Jimi Hendrix, incorporating hammerons and pulloffs into the subtle chord work. He makes expressive use of the guitar's whammy bar during the solo, bending notes to create a vacuum-like sound.
[edit] Reception
Without being released as a single, the song peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number 26 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in 1994. The song has managed to become a staple among fans of the band. Although the song has never been released on one of the band's studio albums, it remains to this day one of the band's most popular songs.
Steve Huey of Allmusic said that McCready's "airy Hendrix imitations provide the essential meat of the song." He added, "Eddie Vedder's vocal is alternately intense and achingly wistful, with the latter particularly suiting the song's mood." He proclaimed "Yellow Ledbetter" as "the sound of a band overflowing with prime material."[6] In 2007, McCready's guitar solo from "Yellow Ledbetter" was featured on Guitar World's "100 Greatest Guitar Solos" list.[7]
A snippet of the song was used in the final episode of the television series Friends. This marked the first time that Pearl Jam licensed a song for usage in a television show.[8]
[edit] Lyrical meaning
The song's name is derived from the actual name of an old friend of lead singer Eddie Vedder from Chicago, named Tim Ledbetter.[2] The lyrics of "Yellow Ledbetter" have proven undecipherable when heard live and even on the early recorded version, as Eddie Vedder mumbles through much of the song with only certain parts being heard prominently, such as the famous line at the end of each verse "I said, I don’t know whether I was the boxer or the bag", with these parts of the song heard on almost every live rendition of the song. There are many unofficial lyrics on various websites.
Although many fans have made their own interpretations of the song, a common theory is that the song is about someone receiving a letter and finding his or her brother had died overseas in war,[9] cited from the lyrics in the Live at the Garden version "I don't know whether my brother will be coming home in a box or a bag"). On the official bootleg release of 7/11/03 - Mansfield, Massachusetts, Vedder sings in the first verse "I think of him when I go to bed, and he's coming home in a box or a bag". On the official bootleg release of 5/3/03 - State College, Pennsylvania, Vedder sings "And my brother...they sent him off to fight for the flag, I just, I don't hope he comes home in a box or a bag".
Regarding the song, Vedder said that it was written around the time of the Gulf War, and added that "it's an anti-patriotic song, actually."[10]. On the official bootleg release of 5/3/03 - State College, Pennsylvania, Vedder sings "On the wayside I'd like to wish this war away - and I tried but it just, it just don't happen that way". This emphasizes the bands strong anti-war message, a message which is often reiterated during concerts when Vedder speaks to the crowd. Note in Immagine In Cornice before the band launches into "Life Wasted", Vedder speaks in Italian to the crowd, saying, "In a period of war, we will sing songs that speak about the importance of peace."
[edit] Live performances
The first full live performance of the song occurred at the band's November 6, 1993 concert in Mesa, Arizona.[11] "Yellow Ledbetter" is frequently performed at Pearl Jam concerts, generally as the last song of the concert. The freeform nature of the song allows Pearl Jam to improvise and change the song around when performing it live. During performances, McCready often lengthens the outro, sometimes incorporating various songs which have influenced his playing style, such as "Little Wing". Similarly, Vedder almost always changes the lyrics around, sticking with the same rhythm as the original recording.
Live performances of "Yellow Ledbetter" can be found on the "Daughter" single and the live albums Live at Benaroya Hall and Live at the Gorge 05/06. Performances of the song are also included on the DVDs Live at the Showbox and Live at the Garden. A performance of the song is also included on the DVD Immagine In Cornice as one of the Special Features.
[edit] Chart positions
Information taken from various sources.[12][13]
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | US Mainstream Rock Tracks | 21 |
| US Modern Rock Tracks | 26 |
[edit] References
- ^ Haney, Shawn. "Jeremy" (US) Review. Allmusic.
- ^ a b Neely, Kim. Five Against One. Diane Publishing Company. 1999. ISBN 0-7567-7409-8
- ^ Huey, Steve. "Yellow Ledbetter" Review. Allmusic.
- ^ Weisbard, Eric, et al. "Ten Past Ten". Spin. August 2001.
- ^ Cohen, Jonathan. "The Pearl Jam Q & A: Lost Dogs". Billboard.com. 2003.
- ^ Huey, Steve. "Yellow Ledbetter > Review". Allmusic.com. Retrieved on May 16, 2008.
- ^ "100 Greatest Guitar Solos". Guitar World. 2007.
- ^ Cohen, Jonathan. "Pearl Jam helps bid adieu to ‘Friends’". MSNBC.com. May 11, 2004.
- ^ Letkemann, Jessica, John Reynolds, and Kathy Davis. "In Search of "Yellow Ledbetter"". TwoFeetThick.com. March 12, 2005.
- ^ Vedder, Eddie. "Pearl Jam's First Online Chat at Lycos". Lycos.com. May 15, 2000.
- ^ "Pearl Jam Songs: "Yellow Ledbetter"". pearljam.com.
- ^ Pearl Jam Artist Chart History. Billboard. Retrieved on 2007-04-28.
- ^ Pearl Jam – Billboard Singles. All Music Guide. Retrieved on 2007-06-11.
