Yellow Ledbetter

Album: Lost Dogs (1992)
Charted: 15
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • There are two prominent theories regarding the title of this song:

    1) The name "Yellow Ledbetter" derives from an old tongue twister in which you try to say "yellow better, red better" as fast as you can. Just a few times repeated, the words become jumbled and you get "yellow ledbetter." They used it as the name of the song because the lyrics are indistinguishable, just like the tongue twister.

    2) It's a tribute to Huddy Ledbetter (known as Leadbelly), who was one of the founding fathers of the blues in the 1930s and recorded much of his music while in jail for assault. Leadbelly wrote and recorded many classic tunes that were covered generations later have been covered by many bands, like "Midnight Special" and "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?."

    The real meaning, however, as stated in Five Against One: The Pearl Jam Story by Kim Neely, is that the title was a joke in honor of a Chicago friend of Eddie Vedder's named Tim Ledbetter. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Martin - Rostock, Germany
  • Eddie Vedder admits that he changes the lyrics and meaning of the song when he performs it, but he wrote "Yellow Ledbetter" with a specific story in mind, which he told at a concert in Newark, New Jersey on August 7, 2008. He asked if anyone had any questions, and a fellow asked what the lyrics to "Yellow Ledbetter" were. Instead of going word for word, Eddie simply told the story of the song.

    It was written during the first Gulf War (1991), when "Papa Bush" was president, as Eddie calls George H. W. Bush. The story is about a young Grunger kid, all dressed up in his flannels with the long greasy hair. His brother goes off to fight in the war and gets killed. He gets a letter that comes in one of those yellow army envelopes and learns of his brother's death. So, all upset, he decides to go out and walk it off. On his walk he passes by a neat, middle-aged or elderly couple sitting on their front porch having some tea, and he sees that they have an American flag out. He gives a wave because he feels like he relates: "The flag, my brother, you know..." But they don't know, of course. They don't know what's underneath the grunge and the long hair. All they see are the outward appearances, and they don't wave back.

    The song has changed its meaning over time and Eddie changes the words to suit whatever is on his mind, sometimes resulting in, as he puts it, "total nonsense." >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Graham - Morrisville, PA
  • "Yellow Ledbetter" became one of Pearl Jam's most popular songs despite never being issued on a studio album or as an A-side single. It was released in 1992 as the B-side of the "Jeremy" single, and played live only once that year. There was no promotion for it, but the song slowly built a following among the Pearl Jam faithful, who would hold up signs asking the band to play it as concerts. By 1995, many radio stations were playing it, and that year it made various Billboard charts.

    Seeing how fans responded to the song, the band started playing it more often live, typically as the last song of the night with the house lights on and the audience singing along. Pearl Jam change up their setlists, so getting sent home with "Yellow Ledbetter" is something special.
  • Pearl Jam is the one of the few bands that could issue a B-side with no promotion and have it become one of their most popular songs. This owes to their tight-knit fanbase and their reluctance to issue singles or make music videos. Led Zeppelin had a B-side called "Hey, Hey What Can I Do" build a legend and earn lots of radio play years later, but they never played it live.
  • Pearl Jam never released official lyrics for "Yellow Ledbetter" and don't list them on their official site.
  • The writing credits on this one go to Eddie Vedder, bass player Jeff Ament, and guitarist Mike McCready. The band recorded it during sessions for their debut album, Ten, released in 1991. Mike McCready explained in the book Twenty: "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."

    The song didn't make the album and was released only because they needed a B-side for the "Jeremy" single months later.

    "We should have worked on that song a little bit more," Ament added in Twenty. "It probably should have been on the first record."
  • In 1993, a live version was included on the "Daughter" single.
  • Mike McCready's guitar riff was influenced by Jimi Hendrix. It's similar to what Hendrix played on "Little Wing."
  • The song finally appeared on an album when Pearl Jam issued Lost Dogs in 2003, a compilation of outtakes and rarities.
  • A brief snippet of "Yellow Ledbetter" plays in the series finale of the television series Friends when Jennifer Aniston's character Rachel is about to board a plane to Paris. This was the first time Pearl Jam licensed one of their tunes for a TV show.

    The song later appeared in the movies 50/50 (2011) and Break Point (2014).

Comments: 82

  • Sarahsofly from Topeka KsCousinfrog: That's hella sad! Where did u hear that?? I keep reading different meanings and I have no clue which is true. Would love to know wut the band says about it. I guess I'll keep searching, thanx.
  • RickSorry. I consider myself a lover if a wide range of music genres...but just couldn't ever get into Pearl Jam. Probably because the singer doesn't really sing.
  • Nils Weber from Munich, GermanyLooks like we will never know the actual lyrics.
  • Joey G from Houston TxIsnt this song a rip off of Kenny Wayne Shepard's "While We Cry" on the album Ledbetter Heights or inspired by it?
  • Billag from CanadaMany things blow me away about this song but the two biggest things are 1 its ascendency from an obscure B side to a concert closer and 2 the sheer love and energy at a show when they play this song. My thoughts have always been PJ fans own this song for reason number one. In the wider world people knows PJ songs but this one is communal like a secret handshake.
  • Jenny Deering from TasmaniaI always thought the song was about a family losing a son and brother in a war and didn't know if he was coming home in a box or a bag. As they had no idea how he died. Those words you can definitely understand. Well I could anyway. But like alot of Pearl Jam songs Eddie adds words, verses and changes words to fit his mood, thinking at that time. Betterman is a good example. But sometimes with Betterman I don't understand the words to the different endings. But they all sound good to me.
  • Slc from UsaIt's the strangest thing--Vedder's slurred lyrics here are largely unintelligible, yet I can't get this song out of my head and babble along with it every time it comes up. If anyone hears me they'll think I've had a stroke or something.
  • Belletower from PlacesI see it as a tribute to our “nam” vets as they were belittled for a war America didn’t want and the soldiers were ridiculed upon return home. It’s not a definite fact but from what I know of military personnel and the times it’s the closest for me and the most impactful….
  • Cat from AlabamaStelio from 84648: I agree with you.
    Jon from Southgate, Ky: hi! I also agree with you!
    Berto from Northport, Fl: I think you, also, hit the nail on the head about this song.
  • Cousinfrog from South Daytona, HellYeah I’m pretty sure it’s about a guy and his grandma. He misses her because she’s dead now and he can’t remember where she is buried so he walks around all night waving people down for directions but no body sees him, because it’s him that is dead not his grandma. Huge twist, so sad, makes me think of my grandma. oh and she had a yellow car, a Mitsubishi Ledbetter that’s why the name is Yellow Ledbetter.
  • Stelio from 84648Oh I forgot, this is the ultimate, the pinnacle of perfect drunken karaoke songs. Hahaha!
  • Stelio from 84648I've loved this song since I first heard it in 94. I never tire of it. I'm glad I checked it out and learned the meaning behind it. I always wondered about "once I saw him on a beach of weathered sand" and in the live version I have "I know I'm never gonna write him again"... But I broke a common sense rule and assumed it was about a woman, so yeah. Anyway I've loved and listened to Pearl Jam damn near daily for the past 28 years and I've loved all they do. They know to make truly beautiful music. I stay away from following Vedder's personal life and political views to preserve my love of his solo and Pearl Jam music. There's a reason they say don't meet your heroes. I'd rather be completely ignorant of the personal views of the musicians I love. It seems once you learn these things and if you disagree it ends up detracting from your love of the music. That's my personal philosophy, if anyone disagrees they're 100% entitled to their own opinion. But I digress, point is Pearl Jam is one the greatest bands in the history of bands. \m/
  • Brian from AustraliaI’ve always felt this song’s deliberately obscured lyrics were meant to push the listener to look past first impressions and relate to it on a deeper, less superficial, level. Just like the story of the grunge kid whose brother died at war, and in his grieving attempt to connect is shunned by those people who can’t look past his exterior to relate or see his pain. For me at least, The vocals carry the song’s meaning past straight past my, lyric loving, brain straight to the feels. The lyrics become inconsequential and yet the message is still received loud and clear. I always assumed this was intended.
  • Bobbylupo from ChicagoClearly homage to Little Wing. As for the lyrics, there is a theory that Vedder ran away from a fight in grammar school. His friends called him "yellow" and his buddie's last name was Ledbetter. Vedder claimed his name was Yellow Ledbetter when renting movies at Blockbuster video. A different theory is that Vedder was inspired by Charles Martel's performance at the Battle of Tours. Martel fought back invading Muslims (nothing new) even though his army did not have firearms ("hot lead") because they were not yet invented. Martel had huge balls beating the Muslims and his soldiers say he had "Ledebetter Ballues" which means "Big Balls."
  • Ray Yugoslava from Perm, RussiaThe best impression of Jimi Hendrix, good stuff.
  • Tl from MoAlso I should add that there aren't really any lyrics. For instance, if you see lyrics to the original version, it's all bulls--t because Vedder doesn't even know what he sang. He was drunk at the time, as was the rest of the band, and he made the lyrics up on the spot.
  • Tl from MoJesus Christ y'all. It's a combination of a friend's last name interchanged with the word letter. It was a yellow letter, and it was changed to Yellow Ledbetter. Vedder and the other members frequently played word games substituting similar words into common phrases, so this wasn't unusual at all.

    But yes, it's about the war. Guy's brother dies, gets a yellow letter, out on a walk thinking about it, stares at a flag on a porch and gestures toward it, kind of waves toward the couple on the porch, but they're bible thumping dumb f--ks who just scowl at him because of his clothes.
  • Laura from El Paso, TxI don't really know why I like this song because I usually do not care for songs if they are sung in such a way that the lyrics are hard to make out. Not only that, but if you read the lyrics they do not make much sense either. I guess it just all comes down to the music. It is very mournful and Eddie Vedder sings it with such angst that you cannot help but love it!
  • Jryan from Quezon City, PhilippinesPearl Jam - best ever
  • Claire from Miller's, MdI like this Pearl Jam song. My favorite is Even Flow.
  • Gus from Fort Smith, ArHeard a couple of guys down on Beale Street do an acoustic cover of this song. Should have recorded it.
  • Joey from Westville, Nybeautiful song... thanks
  • Jon from Southgate, KyI've always thought of this song as a college student who loses his "high school sweetheart" by way of a letter. [unsealed, on the porch the letter sits, I left it sit, I'm gonna leave it again.] then he sees them together and the reality of it all sinks in and he feels defeated [boxer or the bag] then it seems the everywhere he goes he sees them. [On the porch, 'round the front way] now he feels he has nothing to live for [I don't wanna stay at all]
    Obviously this song has many meanings. What I love about it is you can tell that Eddie definitely feels whatever it means to him.
  • Berto from Northport, Flregardless of who you are or your past experiences this is an awesome asong. the meaning, as Vedder has stated, changes to suit his mood or world events. everyone can relate to some part of this song, and that's what makes great art.
  • Krista from Carbondale, PaThe guitar tabs on this song are awesome. Great for an guitar player!
  • Nicole from Chicago, IlA very beautiful song-especially the opening guitar! Awesome!
  • Bam Masongsong from Makati, PhilippinesMaybe the song is about Obama's pursuit to help lily, the woman who fought against pay discrimination. Maybe it's a warsong. Maybe it's about change. Maybe a tribute to jimi hendrix. Maybe it's about love and death. maybe it's Pearl jam's encore. I DONT CARE. Yellow ledbetter moves me. I listen to yellow ledbetter everytime i feel like six pack world kinda fallin' apart----like Hiroshima---- Nagaski and my pursuit to die is comin' back to my senses.Known this song since i was in college. I now Im a bank officer. Still the inspiration that song gives me, is makes a significance.Ive been through a rough ride in my life. and there are times that all ive got is this song in mind. it made made me survive physical and emotional pain. thank you pearl jam.
  • Christine from Clare, Irelandbrilliant song!!!! definitely my favourite....
  • Mirna from Portoviejo, EcuadorEvery time i listen it, i cry....
    amo a eddie vedder
  • Tina from Shreveport, LaRegarding the KWS song "While We Cry" and it's similarities..."Ledbetter Heights" the name of the album, refers to an historic, low income neighborhood in Shreveport, named for Huddie Ledbetter. Kings Highway (another KWS song) also refers to a place in Shreveport. KWS grew up in Shreveport where his father "Shotgun" Ken Shepherd was a well known DJ who took young Kenny Wayne to many concerts including Stevie Ray Vaughn where he first got his guitar "bug" while sitting on amps backstage. The song "While We Cry" was recorded long before the album "Ledbetter Heights". It was recorded at the Red River Revel Arts Festival. While I cannot remember the actual date, I believe KWS was 16 at the time. It is pretty safe to assume both songs were inspired by Hendrix.
  • Pete from Syracuse, NyI am a big fan of yellow ledbetter and i think that what the song is about is a dream that eddie has, like he can see himself as a child with someone and he wants to leave the dream because he has few good memories about childhood and he wants to "cry it all away" as he says and i think he has this dream often and maybee it is a little differnt everytime that might be why he sings it differnt everytime.
  • Nathan from Sherwood, OrI met eddie vedder's cousin, and he said that the whole time eddie was writing this song, he constantly watched barney with his kids.
  • Selena from Griffin, GaOne of, if not the best Pearl Jam tune of all! I just LOVE to hear his voice.
  • Frank from Brampton, Ontario, CanadaThis is the ONLY Pearl Jam tune I like alot! I'm not a Pearl Jam fan in general, just like this song. But I never knew that it was about war and someone's brother getting killed in it.

    But.... ANYWAYS.... excellent tune nonetheless.
  • Michelle from Santa Barbara, Cathere is a beach called Ledbetter, and eddie has surfed it before. its in Santa Barbara, by the
    Mesa.
  • Jason from Portland, OrKenny Wayne Shepherd is an idiot. For him to claim that he wrote "While We Cry" when he obviously ripped off the riff for Yellow Ledbetter is bull. Although it was done very well, I must admit.
  • Veddie Edder from Seattle (coincidence)"A riff loosely based on...something I had during the ten sessions. I thought it was pretty. Eddie started making up words on the spot and we kept them. I still don't know what it's about and I don't want to to! I love it! Fans like it too!" -Mike McCready as quoted from the booklet from the 'Lost Dogs' album.
  • Michelle from Mandeville, LaIt's a war song. "Yellow" has always been the color that signifies waiting for someone to return from war. (Tie a yellow ribbon...)
  • Joe Shoemaker from Fort Wayne, InI kind of figured out the lyrics on my own before I found this post, but I always thought that it had been written from a dieing soldiers point of view. He is wounded on a beach somewhere and is dieing and sees his life "flashing before his eyes". First he sees his family getting the news ,then his wife or girlfriend.Hence "once I saw her on a beach of weatherd sand" also the lyric "I see them round the front way on the porch but they don't wave" Because it's an out of body experience or spiritual thing. and last the words "I dont know weather it's the box or the bag" he knows he dieing and he finally comes to grips with it.any one else view it this way?
  • Joe Shoemaker from Fort Wayne, InI kind of figured out the lyrics on my own before I found this on the net, but I always thought that it was written from a dieing soldiers point of view. His "life flasing before his eys" sort of thing. He is killed on the beach some where. Sees his family getting the news,sees his wife or girlfriend and sees them all on the porth but they don't wave. Then hence "I dont know weather its the box or the bag" like the song says. any body else think that?
  • Kirsten from Pacific Grpve, CaI LOVE THIS SONG. the lead singer does mumble his words, when i read the lyrics, it sounded different than what he was actually singing. but this song is very laid-back.
  • Scott from Ptown, InAnother possible inspiration for the title of the song is Ledbetter state park on the coast of Washington. I find it ironic that something called ledbetter is located so close to where Pearl Jam started in Seattle.
  • Gary from Sheffield, EnglandI cannot believe the cheek of Kenny Wayne Sheppard. I heard While We Cry at a friends house and my first question was 'where did you get the instrumental version of Yellow Ledbetter?' But then he played it again and KWS introduces it as 'here's a song I wrote.' What a fraud. And to call the albim Ledbetter Heights as well? Give me a break!!!
  • Ray from Richardson, TxOh give me a break with the Kenny Wayne Sheppard references! That KWS song's nothing but a ripoff of the Hendrix "Stone Free" riff. Or maybe Hendrix/SRV hybrid. Nothing at all like "Yellow Ledbetter".
  • Joseph from Newport News, VaTim, How can a song that was released in '91-'92 be ripped off of a song that was released in '95? Get your facts straight.
  • Vero from Cowtown, Canadaperhaps the narrator is the postman who is delivering the yellow letter, hence no one waving and he wanting to leave it all
  • Tim from Chicago, IlThis songs riff is mostly based on a song by Kenny Wayne Sheppard called While We Cry...which is off the album Ledbetter Heights which makes sence for this song because its called Yellow Ledbetter.
  • Sharpy!!! from Pittsworth, AustraliaThis song is really uplifting! And Eddie(He is my hero) vocals sound so crazy and wild. I lve this song so much! The guitar solo fits this song perfectly! Too bad this song wasn't put on their TEN album cause its and awesome song! PEARL JAM R MY FAVE BAD 4EVA!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Mark from Haarlem, NetherlandsThis song is a pure E-major pentatonic song (even the solo), quite often used for learning this style of guitar playing.

    Jimi Hendrix was famous of combining major scales (soft, open sound, listen to the little wing intro) and minor scales (bluesy, harder kind of sound, listen to red house). Stevie Ray Vaughn is another who had the similiar style. Listen to "Lenny", he combines both scales in this song.

    Perhaps Pearl Jam was inspired by both.
  • Chris from Scranton, PaEddie Vedder's brother is a soldier. He wrote this song, which is famous for its anti-war message, due to the fact that he fears the possible reality of getting a letter sent to his house telling him that his brother has been killed.
  • Joel from Portland, Or...easier version....Yellow Ledbetter is about Eddie's(and everyone else's) fascination with death....it's Pearl Jam's updated version of the "Death Letter Blues"...and old blues tune by Son House....done and redone....even Jerry Garcia did it... but probaly most notibly performed by Hubbie Ledbetter(Leadbelly).
  • Joel from Portland, Or...boxer or a/the bag....a boxing referrence...Doesn't know if he's the one throwing the punches, or the one getting punched.
  • Joel from Portland, OrP.J.'s "Yellow Ledbetter"...maybe Hubbie's muse from his song "Yellow Gal" died unexpectedly/young, as a Vedder friend or gal may have...Hubbie Ledbetter(The famous Leadbelly) didn't write the "Death Letter Blues", but he sure sang 'em/it...the lyrics from a late version of Death Letter Blues(sung by Jerry Garcia at a Dead concert in the late 60's) have many similarities to the Pearl Jam lyrics...even the original Son House lyrics for Death Letter Blues have much in common...I'm not saying it was ripped-off...on the contrary...I'm saying maybe there are many reasons for the song's odd title...but I would have to venture a guess that Vedder heard Garcia's rare version of "Death Letter Blues" and attributed it to Leadbelly's version of "Death Letter Blues" and went from there...I understand the ideas that it may be a tribute to Jimi...or SRV...but SRV was himself a tribute to Jimi...and a grand Texas tribute he was(I remember getting the bad news about SRV when on vacation from Austin,TX in Port.,Or.)...and since Jimi died, every heavy-metal song with a guitar solo has been a tribute to him...or has tried to be, on some level or another.... Best guess..."Yellow Ledbetter" is Hubbie Ledbetter's version of "Death Letter Blues" as seen thru the ears of Eddie Vedder listening to Jerry Garcia's version of the same...and maybe the "Yellow" part of the title is the clue, referring to Leadbelly's "Yellow Gal"....just a guess....after all...music isn't meant to be understood as much as it's meant to be experienced/felt(ooo...another Jimi referrence?)..it's complex simplicity at it's best... & Yes, Jimi....I have been experienced.
  • Brian from Lagrange, GaIndeed, "Little Wing" by Jimmy Hendrix - You'll hear the similar riffs...
  • Brian from Lagrange, GaIt's very hard to say exactly what this song is about or whom it is for. I believe that the person(s) it was indeed written for will understand that and be able to interpret the meaning. I believe what makes this song a good one to listen to is the fact that you can never understand what the hell is going on and the guitar is amazing!
  • Mark from Waco, TxI have heard many times that Yellow Ledbetter is a tribute to the late / great Stevie Ray Vaughn.
  • J100957468 from St. Petersburg, Flwhen he says "i don't know whether i was the boxer or the bag" its an analogy. he is questioning blame or guilt.

    when he says "i cried and i said that i want what i said" its a clever way of saying he wants to take back what he said before.
  • Marcelo from Buenos Aires, ArgentinaEddie´s singing and the riff are so good it makes me cry every time i listen to it .
  • James Wells from Queens, Nyhi im jimmy.......yellow ledbetter is a great song to listen to at 5 in the morning when walking down by the water in new york
  • Ben from London, CanadaJust a random thought here reading all of these comments. Those easily identifiable telegrams in WWII I believe were Yellow. Pherhaps the song is more general, talking about the loss of someone to war, but the title is personal. Maybe this friend came and told Eddie about someone in the gulf war, making him a "yellow letter", or as a play on words Yellow Ledbetter. I have no evidence this is true, but an interesting thought anyway.....
  • Arman from College Station, TxThe Yellow Ledbetter on Lost Dogs/Jeremy Single/rvm greatest hits is NOT the original version. The original version was recorded during the week of October 23, 1990 during Pearl Jam's first week rehearsals. Ed tape recorded it, and only a few copies were released. Fortunately, the MP3s of the First Week Rehearsals can be found at http://www.f4kin-up.net/fullmp3.asp?P=4 (starting on #204)

    The lyrics are A LOT harder to make out then the Lost Dogs/Jeremy single/rvm version, but a lot of them are the same. For example, the mumblings "see, touch, I don't wanna stay, I see them out on the porch but they don't wave" are all present, as they are in pretty much every live version of the song.

    I don't think there is any one meaning to this song, I am sure it means something to Ed, and he doesn't expect all the fans to figure out what he thinks. It can be applied to pretty much any sad situation, but judging from the letter on the porch, and the live mumblings (example from Madison square garden "I'll never see my brother alive again") it could be a song about losing a family member in a war.
  • Deanna from Los Angeles, CaThere is a Kenny Wayne Shepherd CD "Ledbetter Heights". Song no. 12 is Ledbetter Heights, an instrumental, with Shepherd as the writer, (1994 Only Hit Music). It's very much the same song but I miss some of the magic McCready puts to it. I never knew the lyrics until I came to this website, but because of the passion Pearl Jam instills in this particular piece, it's always been one of my favorite songs.
  • Danton from Saskatoon, CanadaSometimes I'm sure that when Eddie sings the "box or a bag" part he says something like: "I don't know if he's coming home in a box or a bag," which would lend itself to the idea that someone close to him died in a war that Eddie was not overly supportive of.

    As a side note, I have a live CD of a concert PJ played in Seattle in 2000. The solo that McCready plays for Yellow Ledbetter is the best solo I have ever heard by any guitarist in any song ever.
  • Mike from Seattle, WaAlways believed that the box or bag line had something to do with body bags or caskets that the bodies were coming home in after the war. And the folks on the porch don't want to wave because of the reminder that it is of their dead son.
  • Chris from Andover, MnThis song was finally released on a Pearl Jam album, their 2003 album "Lost Dogs: B-Sides & Rarities.
  • Chris from Wellington, New ZealandYellow ledbetter is another war song. Its about a man who just learns that his brother died at war and he wishes his brother never went to war and he was dead instead. During most live shows he mentions his brother being gone or left.
  • Andy from Leeds, United Statesa bit more on the song the line in the song is "I dont know the winner between the boxer or the bag" to me it's asking who wins the guy who throws the punches and receives nothing back at him or the bag that receives the punches but feels no pain. I dont think it's about a previous girlfriend, eddies been with his wife now for many, many years. I think maybe the gulf war thing alittle, Like Mike said it was written very quickly at a Ten session chances are Eddie just sticks random lines together with no real thought or meaning and they kinda stuck...
  • G from New York, Nyseveral members of the band have commented on the meaning of the song's lyrics. while they have not been particularly forthcoming as to details, they have said the song is about a friend or aquaintance who died in the first gulf war. while eddie sings different variations on the lyrics at different times there are some things that don't change: the opening, "an unsealed letter on a porch"; the rhetorical question, "i don't know if i was the boxer or the bag", and the repeated cry of "i don't want to stay". it's a song about grief upon learning a loved one is gone.
  • Jake from Perry, IaPat, I kinda liked how they played this on the final episode of Friends. I think it really went with the mood of that part of the show.
  • David from Lafayette, InI also believe that this song was done as a tribute to Jimi Hendrix because I have a live version that the guitarist plays a bit of Hendrix' world famous version of the Star Spangled Banner.
  • Pat from Wellington, New ZealandHow do you all feel about the fact that a snippet of this song was used on the Friends final?? I thought it was very uncharacteristic of Pearl Jam - they used to be so anti-commercialism, now they've sold this song to a silly sitcom! I am sad about this...
  • Andrew from Toronto, CanadaFeatured in the final episode of Friends.
  • Jason from Worcester, MaIn the lycos chat that pearl jam had, Ed said the song was written about the desert storm war in 90-91
  • Jon from Redlands, CaActually, Yellow Ledbetter first appeared on the Jeremy single, which came out in 1992 (http://www.pearljam.com/singles.html). In the liner notes of Lost Dogs, Mike McCready has this to say, "A riff loosely based on...something I had huring the Ten sessions. I thought it was pretty. Eddie started making up words on the spot and we kept them. I still don't know what it's about and I don't want to. I love it. Fans like it too."
    The something that the riff is loosely based on is Hendrix's "Little Wing," as previously mentioned. An in-depth exploration of the live performance of the song (which is what debuted on the 6th of November in 1993) can be found at http://www.fivehorizons.com/songs/apr99/index.shtml
  • Fiona from Philadelphia, PaI heard it was the dead soldier thing too.
  • Chris from Altoona, PaI've heard many interpretations of this song, and the only one that I have heard that makes the most sense is that there was a beach called Ledbetter Point in which Eddie used to surf the waves. He returned to that beach and it was all polluted and such..."On a ceiling, on a porch of glitter, I said, bad to say it, I wanna leave it again. Once I saw Hell on a beach all weathered I said, gone to say, I want to leave it again...make sense, anyone?
  • Pizza from Kuna, IdHmm, I like the Leadbelly idea - wasn't vinyl printed on yellow records back then... Also if the last idea is true, maybe the box or bag refers to a coffin or body bag? And maybe there are two and thats why they don't wave because they're dead in a hurst or something comming "round the front way"

    peace bros
  • Brian from Paoli, InI would imagine those lyrics, are what was intended to be sang. But eventually Eddie just mumbled them out, if you listen to the song and read the lyrics some of the words don't sound right at all.
  • Sam from Inianapolis, InHeres the lyrics on the Jeremy single:
    Unsealed
    On a porch a letter sat
    Then you said i wanna leave it again

    Once i saw him
    On a beach of weathered sand
    And on the sand i wanna leave it again

    On a weekend wanna wish it all way
    And they called an i said an i want what
    i said an i call out again

    And the reason oughta leave her calm i know
    I said i know what i wear that a box or the bag

    Oh yeah can you see them?
    Out on the porch
    Ah, but they don't wave
    I see them
    Round the front way, yeah
    And i know and i know
    I don't wanna stay

    make me cry

    I see
    I don't know there's something else
    I wanna drum it all away
    An i said
    I said i i don't know where there's a box or the bag

    Oh yeah can you see them?
    Out on the porch
    Ah, but they don't wave
    I see them
    Round the front way, yeah
    And i know and i know
    I don't wanna stay
    I don't wanna stay
    I don't wanna stay
  • Brian from Paoli, InThe guitar is Mike Mcready's interpretation of "Little Wing" by Hendrix, obviously it isn't a cover though.
  • Allen from Ruston, Lathe way i see the meaning of this song is about love lost. i think he is talking about losing a girlfriend.the sadness of his voice and the lyrics to me mean he is upset about a former girlfriend.
  • Live Freak from Beirut, OtherYL was debuted on 11/6/93 (although riffs appeared during various 92 shows), the day after the infamous Indio show (the 'shoes for my friends show'), in Mesa, Arizona, the first of two benefit shows for Mt. Graham. Mt. Graham is a sacred mountain to the Apache indians, and the University of Arizona was going to build an observatory at the top of it. This is an oddly intense show; it was a political protest, and we know how Ed (lead singer) gets when he's fired up politically, especially back then.
    We've got no documentation how or why the band decided to play this song live for the first time, but this was the beginning of a trend that was to continue up until this very day.
    For the most part the lyrics in this song are irrelevant. The song was written by Mike McCready and Eddie just made up the words as he went along. Eddie's voice is supposed to be more of an instrument by using improvised words, the words are never the same in concert. Ledbetter refers to Eddie's friend from Chicago named Tim Ledbetter. If there is any meaning to the lyrics I think the letter in the beginning of the song refers to the telegrams that we sent to the families of soldiers KIA in WWII. The telegrams were so distinct that many families didn't have to open them to know what they said. In the song I see a family sitting on a porch when a man comes to deliver a telegram and the family is so devestated about their loss that they cannot even bear to open it.
    . the man is sad and wants to leave because he cannot deal with the pain of losing his brother. this is the true meaning of the song, as for the name it is just a joke between eddie and his friend with the last name ledbetter



see more comments

Editor's Picks

Classic Metal

Classic MetalFact or Fiction

Ozzy, Guns N' Roses, Judas Priest and even Michael Bolton show up in this Classic Metal quiz.

Ben Kowalewicz of Billy Talent

Ben Kowalewicz of Billy TalentSongwriter Interviews

The frontman for one of Canada's most well-known punk rock bands talks about his Eddie Vedder encounter, Billy Talent's new album, and the importance of rock and roll.

Rush: Album by Album - A Conversation With Martin Popoff

Rush: Album by Album - A Conversation With Martin PopoffSong Writing

A talk with Martin Popoff about his latest book on Rush and how he assessed the thousands of albums he reviewed.

N.W.A vs. the World

N.W.A vs. the WorldSong Writing

How the American gangsta rappers made history by getting banned in the UK.

Jim McCarty of The Yardbirds

Jim McCarty of The YardbirdsSongwriter Interviews

The Yardbirds drummer explains how they created their sound and talks about working with their famous guitarists.

Actors With Hit Songs

Actors With Hit SongsMusic Quiz

Many actors have attempted music, but only a few have managed a hit. Do you know which of these thespians charted?