SONG: "Once"
ARTIST: Pearl Jam
ALBUM: "Mansfield, MA - 7-3-03" (Bootleg)
YEAR: 2003
PLACE OF ORIGIN: Seattle, Washington
YEARS ACTIVE: 1990 - present
WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:
“Once” is a song by Pearl Jam that explores themes of trauma, violence, and the psychological impact of childhood abuse. It is the second part of a trilogy known as the “Mamasan” trilogy, which includes the songs “Alive,” “Once,” and “Footsteps.” The narrative follows a character who experiences severe emotional turmoil stemming from his past, leading him to become a serial killer. I chose the live version of "Once" for my Song Of The Week. You can hear the studio version on Pearl Jam's debut album "Ten".
PEARL JAM DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):
1991 - Ten (Epic Records)
* Peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200
* Certified Diamond
1993 - VS (Epic Records)
* Peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200
* Certified 7X Platinum
1994 - Vitalogy (Epic Records)
* Peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200
* Certified 5X Platinum
1996 - No Code (Epic Records)
* Peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200
* Certified Platinum
1998 - Yield (Epic Records)
* Peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200
* Certified Platinum
1998 - Live On Two Legs (Epic Records)
* Peaked at #15 on the Billboard 200
* Certified Platinum
2000 - Binaural (Epic Records)
* Peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200
* Certified Gold
2002 - Riot Act (Epic Records)
* Peaked at #5 on the Billboard 200
* Certified Gold
2003 - Lost Dogs (Epic Records)
* Peaked at #15 on the Billboard 200
* Certified Gold
2004 - Live At Benaroya Hall (BMG Records)
* Peaked at #18 on the Billboard 200
2006 - Pearl Jam (J Records)
* Peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200
* Certified Gold
2006 - Live At Easy Street (J Records)
* Did not chart on the Billboard 200
2009 - Backspacer (Monkeywrench/Universal Music Group)
* Peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200
* Certified Gold
2011 - Live On Ten Legs (Universal Music)
* Peaked at #21 on the Billboard 200
2011 - Pearl Jam Twenty (Columbia Records)
* Peaked at #10 on the Billboard 200
2013 - Lightning Bolt (Monkeywrench Records)
* Peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200
2017 - Let's Play Two (Republic Records)
* Peaked at #31 on the Billboard 200
2019 - MTV Unplugged (Legacy Records)
* Peaked at #47 on the Billboard 200
2020 - Gigaton (Monkeywrench Records)
* Peaked at #5 on the Billboard 200
2023 - Give Way (Epic/Legacy Records)
* Peaked at #26 on the Billboard 200
2024 - Dark Matter (Monkeywrench Records)
* Peaked at #5 on the Billboard 200
* Pearl Jam also has a bunch of live "vault" releases as well as releasing bootlegs of their live shows through their website*
MY THOUGHTS ON PEARL JAM:
Pearl Jam got their start back in 1990, hailing from Seattle, Washington. Their story is quite long so I'll try to keep it simple! When the lead singer of Mother Love Bone, Andrew Wood, died of a drug overdose, MLB members Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament were not quite sure where they were going to go from there. Gossard began jamming with childhood friend Mike McCready. McCready suggests Stone call Jeff Ament. Demo's are being created. Chris Cornell of Soundgarden asks Stone, Jeff and Mike to help him on some songs as a tribute to Andrew Wood. Add Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron to the mix. Temple Of The Dog is formed! Former Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Jack Irons tells Stone that a buddy from San Diego is a good vocalist. Stone gives Jack a instrumental tape. Jack gives Eddie Vedder the tape. Eddie goes surfing. Puts lyrics and vocals to the songs "Alive", "Once" and "Footsteps". The "Mamasan" trilogy is born. Vedder lays first official vocals on Temple Of The Dogs' "Hunger Strike". Stone Gossard on guitar, Mike McCready on guitar, Jeff Ament on bass, Dave Krusen on drums and Eddie Vedder on vocals form a band called Mookie Blaylock. Band goes on tour opening for Alice In Chains. NBA player, Mookie Blaylock doesn't want band using his name. Pearl Jam is formed! Let me break it down by decade. The 90's! The "grunge" rollercoaster is about to begin! Nirvana's "Nevermind" changes the whole musical landscape and flips it on it's head! Seattle is the spot! Nirvana. Alice In Chains. Soundgarden and Pearl Jam. This is where it's at! Pearl Jam's first 3 albums are historic! 1991's "Ten", 1993's "VS" and 1994's "Vitalogy" catapult Pearl Jam to the top of the mountain. But success and fame are hard to deal with. Since "VS", Pearl Jam has been pulling back from the spotlight. No more music videos. Less interviews. A lawsuit against TicketMaster! When the band released 1996's "No Code", they were clearly trying to reinvent themselves a little bit, as shown by their decision to release "Who You Are" as their lead single. Awesome song but very un-Pearl Jam like for that time! They would close the decade out with 1998's "Yield". Could be my favorite album by the band but that could change day to day! 2000 to 2010. These were some tough years for the band. 2000's "Binaural" and 2002's "Riot Act" were not the band's most sought after records. On top of that was the tragedy that happened at the band's performance at the Roskilde Festival in 2000 where 9 fans were crushed to death during PJ's set. Never shy in their politics, the Bush Administration with their warmongering ways led the band to produce probably their most political album, 2006's "Pearl Jam". A very urgent album and also one of my favorites by the band! The band would finish that decade off with 2009's "Backspacer", maybe the band's most positive album and one that keeps growing on me year after year! 2011 to present. By this point, the albums are more spread out. The band members have growing families and other projects so it takes a little longer to get together and record new material. 2013's "Lightning Bolt" is a somewhat disappointing album. 7 years later the band dropped "Gigaton" in 2020. A much better effort from their previous album. "Who Ever Said" is currently my favorite song. Once again, that can change in a minute! In 2024, the band released their most recent album, "Dark Matter". Produced by Andrew Watt, he got the band to come to the studio and hammer out the songs as a band like they did back in the day and the guys loved the approach and the album shows that it's such a cohesive effort. I think "Dark Matter" will be considered one of the band's best albums in time. Oh. I forgot to mention the drummers.. Dave Krusen on "Ten", Matt Chamberlain ('91 tour), Dave Abbruzzese on "VS" and "Vitalogy", Jack Irons on "No Code" and "Yield" and Matt Cameron ever since! What can I say? Pearl Jam is my favorite band and has been since I heard the opening chords of "Once" on their debut album "Ten". I really believe that the early 90's grunge explosion was the last great era of music. I appreciate the greatness of bands like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Nirvana and Alice In Chains more and more each time I listen to their music. They are still so relevant and I'm always waiting for a new band to come out and have the kind of impact that those bands had. It will happen. Someday, it will happen.
SIMILAR ARTISTS:
Soundgarden
Temple Of The Dog
Stone Temple Pilots
Mad Season
Alice In Chains
TEN PEARL JAM SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:
Ok.. I love this band too much to just throw 10 songs out here. I'll list what song is my go to song at this moment on all their albums. And I'll throw in a non album track and a live cover to boot!
Ten - Release
VS - Indifference
Vitalogy - Last Exit
No Code - Present Tense
Yield - Faithful
Binaural - Light Years
Riot Act - Love Boat Captain
Pearl Jam - Life Wasted
Backspacer - Got Some
Lightning Bolt - Infallible
Gigaton - Who Ever Said
Dark Matter - Won't Tell
non-album track - State Of Love And Trust
Live Cover - The Kids Are Alright (The Who)
