# 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:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**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, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/21 "2010-09-25T17:42:45Z")
MTCicero, you need to branch out more. 10 is a great album, but Yield, (Avocado) and Backspacer are much much better, but never got the attention they deserved. ---
**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, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/22 "2010-09-25T20:45:18Z")
> [@fusoya](#): > > 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!!! I had to pick songs based on a rough prediction of what people would want to vote for, so Last Kiss really had to be on there, since it was popular. I agree the popularity was inexplicable, but there it is. Personally, I really enjoy, for instance, “Tremor Christ,” but felt there was no chance at all of it getting significant support, so I left it off. 35 songs is enough. My votes, incidentally, were for Daughter, Corduroy, and Hail Hail. I am surprised “Given to Fly” isn’t higher, and that “Yellow Ledbetter” is doing as well as it is, but we’ll see how it goes. ---
**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, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/23 "2010-09-25T20:55:08Z")
> [@Shadez](#): > > I like _Just Breathe_, which was not listed it seems. Great song. Really like it, but I still think “Black” wins. ---
**Author:** ![unwashed\_brain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a9adbd/32.png) [@unwashed\_brain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unwashed_brain)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/24 "2010-09-25T21:28:44Z")
You idiot! You forgot **Porch** , **Indifference** and **Release**! ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/25 "2010-09-25T21:31:32Z")
I’ll cast another write-in for “Porch”. ---
**Author:** ![Yodalicious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yodalicious/32/8195_2.png) [@Yodalicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yodalicious)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/26 "2010-09-26T02:12:23Z")
Rearviewmirror ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/27 "2010-09-26T09:25:33Z")
> [@Daddypants](#): > > Rearviewmirror Seconded, or sixthed according to the poll. Class song. Bought a PJ greatest hits cd on a road trip a while back and I was surprised how good it sounded - consistently solid throughout, with a few real outstanding tracks. Vedder has a great rock voice, really strong. It gets a bit samey though - They just lack that bit of inspiration (IMHO) that the best bands have. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/28 "2010-09-26T10:46:59Z")
Of the ones listed, Elderly Woman, Black, Rearviewmirror, and Off He Goes. Another write-in vote for Release though! I don’t hate Last Kiss as much as everyone else seems to, but it’s not on my favourites. ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/29 "2010-09-26T11:35:04Z")
I like a bit of power/guitar pop so I picked Rearviewmirror, would’ve also chosen Mankind. ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/30 "2010-09-26T12:32:12Z")
> [@fusoya](#): > > MTCicero, you need to branch out more. 10 is a great album, but Yield, (Avocado) and Backspacer are much much better, but never got the attention they deserved. Oh, I’ve heard other stuff by the band; I’ve just not been all that moved by it, in any direction. Like I said, I’m not the biggest Pearl Jam fan (though I certainly don’t hate them, and respect them and their collective band philosophy more than actually enjoying their product). ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/31 "2010-09-26T13:31:57Z")
I voted for _Do The Evolution_, although I like many of the songs listed quite a bit. _Do The Evolution_ also has a great animated video, if you’ve not seen it, here it is: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C9CH3q9PLI](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C9CH3q9PLI) Another song of theirs that isn’t listed that I really like is _You Are_, which also has a mind-bending (unofficial) video, as seen here: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzv7OtPL8S4](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzv7OtPL8S4) ---
**Author:** ![Snifit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5fc32e/32.png) [@Snifit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snifit)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/32 "2010-09-26T16:24:29Z")
Wow, I’m the only one to vote for Given to Fly so far. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/33 "2010-09-26T18:05:05Z")
How Porch got left off that list, I’ll never know. I can excuse leaving WMA and Mankind and I Got Id and Release off, but not Porch. I voted for a bunch. I can’t limit myself on Pearl Jam–my favorite song of theirs changes constantly. In the rotation are always the above-mentioned tunes, along with Black, Alive, Hail Hail, Rearviewmirror, Yellow Ledbetter, Elderly Woman, Corduroy, and Breath. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/34 "2010-09-26T22:06:55Z")
Hey, it’s a lot of songs, I was going to miss one. It’s evident that “Black” is going to win, which I admit shocks the hell out of me, as I assumed “Daughter” would take the crown and it’s not even a serious contender. How about that. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/35 "2010-09-27T04:19:20Z")
“Black” would be my #1, followed by “Porch” then “Footsteps” then “State of Love & Trust” then “Elderly Woman” then “Rearviewmirror” then “I got ID” (Mirrorball single). But I’ll pretty much listen to any PJ song, they are one of my favorite bands. The songs above all elicit a physical reaction from me. Especially live recordings/seeing them live. ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/36 "2010-09-27T05:20:50Z")
This truly is strange. In the madness tournament I ran 2 years ago, the final four were Black, Jeremy, L&T and Given to Fly (each bracket was for one band member’s songs). Black lost to Given to Fly in the finals. Oh hey, where’s MFC & Green Disease? Love those songs too. I’ve seen PJ live 3 times, and 2 of those were the definite #1 and #2 best concerts I’ve ever been to. It’s impossible to describe just how amazing their live show is. Even videos and bootlegs don’t come close to giving you the feeling of being there in person (my first PJ show was released on the DVD _Live At The Garden_ and it just wasn’t the same watching in my living room). ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2010, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/37 "2010-09-28T00:09:17Z")
> [@Shadez](#): > > I like _Just Breathe_, which was not listed it seems. Yeah, kind of odd – and random – to not include a song that’s currently getting airplay. It’d be like me saying: “OK, what’s the best song by **The Roots** BUT NOT _ **“How I Got Over”** _, or anything from that album!” ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2010, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946/38 "2010-09-28T21:29:38Z")
Evenflow, because an instrumental ripoff of it used to be Chris Jericho’s theme in WCW. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pearl-jam-song/554946.md?page=1)