The lyrics of "Yellow Ledbetter" have proven indecipherable when heard live and even on the recorded version, as 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 many various websites.
If you try to match the lyrics to the following video, you'll fail. The song is more about the passion as it's story unfolds rather than the lyrics, so just enjoy this version of the song.
Yellow Ledbetter
Unsealed on a porch a letter sat.
Then you said, "I wanna leave it again."
Once I saw her on a beach of weathered sand.
And on the sand I wanna leave it again. Yeah.
On a weekend I wanna wish it all away, yeah.
And they called and I said that "and I want what I said" and then I call out again.
And the reason oughta' leave her calm, I know.
"I said, I don’t know whether I was the boxer or the bag,"
Ah yeah, can you see them out on the porch? Yeah, but they don't wave.
I see them round the front way. Yeah.
And I know, and I know I don't want to stay.
Make me cry...
I see... Oh I don't know why there's something else.
I wanna drum it all away...
Oh, I said, "I don't, I don't know whether I was the boxer or the bag."
Ah yeah, can you see them out on the porch? Yeah, but they don't wave.
But I see them round the front way. Yeah.
And I know, and I know I don't wanna stay at all.
I don't wanna stay.
I don't wanna stay.
I don't........
- "Yellow Ledbetter" was a Ten outtake and one of the first songs Pearl Jam wrote as a group. The song features lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music co-written by bassist Jeff Ament and guitarist Mike McCready. The version of "Yellow Ledbetter" that was eventually released was the second take of the song.
- Guitarist Mike McReady says of "Yellow Ledbetter": "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."
- The song title "Yellow Ledbetter" is derived from the actual name of an old friend of Vedder from Chicago, named Tim Ledbetter.
- Eddie Vedder admits that he changes the lyrics and meaning of the song when he performs it, but he wrote the song with one story in mind.
- Quoting Eddie Vedder, from a concert on August 7, 2008 in Newark, New Jersey (at first, Vedder joked, saying, "Wait...you mean there's lyrics?"): "The song was written during the first gulf war, when 'Papa Bush' was President." Vedder went on to talk about how the song took as its subject a friend of his from Seattle whose brother served in the first Gulf War. His friend received a "yellow letter" in the mail informing him that his brother had died in the war. Vedder and his friend then went for a walk. On this walk, the friend, whom Vedder described as "alternative-looking," happened by a house with an American flag flying, and people on the porch. He stopped and gestured to the flag, as if to salute it, however the people on the porch glared at him disapprovingly due to his grunger appearance.
- Regarding the song, Vedder said in an online chat that it was written around the time of the Gulf War, and added that "it's an anti-patriotic song, actually."
- The guitar part is a tribute to Jimi Hendrix, as it is much the same intro riff as his "Little Wing." Sometimes the band will also segue into "The Star Spangeled Banner" in live performances.
- Pearl Jam often uses this to close their concerts. The houselights come on and the audience sings along.
- Though it was released in 1992, and without being released as a single, "Yellow Ledbetter" 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. It is on their greatest hits compilation.
- Will Hermes of Spin said, "The Hendrix-indebted power ballad "Yellow Ledbetter" is some of the best Pearl Jam music ever recorded."
- In 2007, McCready's guitar solo from "Yellow Ledbetter" was featured on Guitar World's "100 Greatest Guitar Solos" list.
- A snippet of the song was used in the final episode of the television series Friends in 2004. This marked the first time that Pearl Jam licensed a song for usage in a television show.
- The freeform nature of "Yellow Ledbetter" allows Pearl Jam to improvise and change the song around when performing it live. During performances, McCready often plays the main riff quite differently than on the record, and uses overdrive as opposed to the previous clean channel. He also 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, however.
- Live performances of "Yellow Ledbetter" can be found on the "Daughter" single, the Tibetan Freedom Concert compilation box set, various official bootlegs, the live album Live at Benaroya Hall, and the Live at the Gorge 05/06 box set. Performances of the song are also included on the DVDs Live at the Showbox and Live at the Garden.
- Yellow Ledbetter is a song that officially has no official lyrics. The song has evolved over the years to the point that Vedder could essentially use anything for lyrics, and often does.
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Previous In This Series:
- Misheard Lyrics: One Week by The Barenaked Ladies
- Misheard Lyrics: Someone Saved My Life Tonight by Elton John
- Misheard Lyrics: The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite by R.E.M.
- Misheard Lyrics: I Am The Walrus by The Beatles
- Misheard Lyrics: #9 Dream by John Lennon
- Misheard Lyrics: Show Me The Way by Peter Frampton
- Misheard Lyrics: All Those Years Ago by George Harrison
- Misheard Lyrics: One Night In Bangkok by Murray Head
- Misheard Lyrics: Ball Of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today) by The Temptations
- Misheard Lyrics: Killer Queen by Queen
- Misheard Lyrics: Hide In Your Shell by Supertramp
- Misheard Lyrics: Stayin' Alive by The Bee Gees
- Misheard Lyrics: Miracles by Jefferson Starship
- Misheard Lyrics: It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) by R.E.M.
- Misheard Lyrics: Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress by The Hollies
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