# What is the best Pearl Jam song? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 25, 2010, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946 "2010-09-25T00:11:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/1 "2010-09-25T00:11:36Z")
I’m not gonna make it easy for you, you animals. Here’s 35 Pearl Jam tunes, all from before “Backspacer.” What’s the best? Pick a few songs if you want. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/2 "2010-09-25T00:16:59Z")
Better Man. ---
**Author:** ![cgg419](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cgg419/32/2847_2.png) [@cgg419](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cgg419)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/3 "2010-09-25T00:29:24Z")
Had to go with Yellow Ledbetter. Honourable mention to most of the list 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/4 "2010-09-25T00:32:19Z")
_Black_. 2nd best is _Daughter_. ---
**Author:** ![Fugazi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/5 "2010-09-25T00:49:51Z")
Another vote for _Black_. It’s near the top of my list of favorite songs from anyone. ---
**Author:** ![Shadez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Shadez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shadez)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/6 "2010-09-25T00:59:06Z")
I like _Just Breathe_, which was not listed it seems. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/7 "2010-09-25T01:04:56Z")
Crazy Mary. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/8 "2010-09-25T01:05:40Z")
I voted _Jeremy_, but it was a really tough choice between that and several others. ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/9 "2010-09-25T01:20:24Z")
Pearl Jam is a one-hit wonder: Evenflo, only song worth listening to. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/10 "2010-09-25T01:44:22Z")
Yellow Ledbetter, even though I still don’t know what it is about. ---
**Author:** ![cgg419](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cgg419/32/2847_2.png) [@cgg419](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cgg419)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/11 "2010-09-25T01:45:33Z")
> [@5\_time\_champ](#): > > Pearl Jam is a one-hit wonder: Evenflo, only song worth listening to. You’re kidding right? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/12 "2010-09-25T02:39:17Z")
Black, for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/13 "2010-09-25T03:06:38Z")
Pearl Jam is like the U2 of the 90s (and the Stones of the 60s) – a radio-prolific band whose songs I generally don’t like, but had so many of them that there are certain songs I do like, but not enough to purchase. In addition to the aforementioned Crazy Mary, I wouldn’t want to change the channel if I heard Black. Alive is questionable, it’s one of the few songs that are I like to play on Rock Band but not actually listen to. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/14 "2010-09-25T03:42:20Z")
Once ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/15 "2010-09-25T04:00:45Z")
_ **Black** _, easily. First runner-up _ **Jeremy** _. Second runner-up _ **Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town** _. ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/16 "2010-09-25T04:08:58Z")
My favourite is _Big wave_. Love that song. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/17 "2010-09-25T04:12:49Z")
Tough choice. I picked a few, but my #1 would be “Black.” “Corduroy” is second, with “Yellow Ledbetter” (whoops, forgot to vote for that one), “Daughter”, “State of Love and Trust” and “Elderly Woman…” following close behind. > [@](#): > > Pearl Jam is a one-hit wonder: Evenflo, only song worth listening to. This is a bizarre statement. I’m actually not really a fan of Pearl Jam, but they wrote a number of solid middle-of-the-road rock anthems. Even Flow (not “Evenflo”) is one of the better ones, but it’s not even in the top three off Ten, in my opinion. And they had far bigger hits than that one. Even Flow didn’t even hit the Top 40 charts. Their biggest hit is actually “Last Kiss” (peaking at #2–a song I despise.) “Jeremy,” “Daughter,” “Tremor Christ,” “Betterman,” (and probably a few others) all fared better than “Even Flow” on the charts. Regardless, they are hardly a one-hit wonder, and definitely not based on the success of “Even Flow.” ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/18 "2010-09-25T04:53:06Z")
I already did this one a couple years ago, and Given to Fly was crowned. Given the choices there, I picked In Hiding…but that’s because you idiot, you forgot Marker in the Sand! And even more idiotic, you DIDN’T forget Last Kiss!!! ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/19 "2010-09-25T07:24:14Z")
Glad this was a multiple option poll. The only option not available that I might have clicked on was Wishlist… ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/20 "2010-09-25T10:46:47Z")
Not being exactly the biggest Pearl Jam fan in the world, I went with the usual suspects (“Betterman”, “Black”, “Yellow Ledbetter”, “Alive”, “Even Flow”… but not “Jeremy”, since that’s the song of theirs I’m most sick of hearing), and the only songs that I feel are missing are the aforementioned “Once”, and “Porch”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946.md?page=2)