Eddie Vedder - No Ceiling (album: into the wild 2007)

This next song is from the soundtrack “into the wild”. It is Eddie Vedder’s first solo album. The movie is based on the true story of Christopher McCandless a 23 years old American man who decided to leave everything behind and go on a journey into the Alaskan wilderness and live by his own just him and Mother Nature in a search of a meaning to his life.  Since he hasn’t taken any essential survival equipment nor had any experience this adventure cost him his life. On his last moments he has come to the conclusion that the thing he misses the most is civilization, basically everything that he was trying to avoid during his journey. A very profound conclusion but unfortunately it was too late for Chris as he passed away straight after. All the songs in this movie are sung by Eddie Vedder. Throughout the entire movie each song describes the situation Chris is facing during his adventure. I was very moved by this movie. It reminded me how much it is important to be surrounded by people who love you and to love them back as much as you can – this is the true meaning of life.

This is my favourite song from this album.

Link to the song: No Ceiling Eddie Vedder

Lyrics: No Ceiling Lyrics

About “into the wild” soundtrack:

Vedder's songs help narrate the story of American wanderer Christopher McCandless. After graduating as a top student from Emory University, and after a foray into the Western United States and Mexico, McCandless decided to give up all of his savings and money and hitchhike to Alaska to live in the wilderness with little food and equipment, hoping to live a period of solitude. Nearly five months later, he died of starvation near Denali National Park and Preserve. Vedder said that he "realized the songs could now become another tool in the storytelling."^[On writing the songs about McCandless, Vedder stated, "It was startling how easy it was for me to get into his head. I found it to be uncomfortable how easy it was, because I thought I'd grown up." (Wikipedia - Into the wild)

Info about Christopher McCandless : Wikipedia - Christopher McCandless

Info about Eddie Vedder: Wikipedia - Eddie Vedder

Pearl Jam – Even Flow (album: Ten 1991)

This next song is by Pearl Jam. As part of my obsession for Grunge bands during the 90’s I did a lot of research on Pearl Jam. I even made a shrine for Eddie Vedder and thought he was the god’s gift to all humanity, especially women!!! I love his voice so much!!! In other words, I have a lot of respect for this band. 4 years ago we went to see their concert in Sydney, I was very disappointed,  it was a very bad show. The following day Pearl Jam released an apology and explanation to the press , they have also promised to give a better show on their next gig ,I've heard they kept their promise and gave a wonderful show the night after.

Anyway check out this old and wonderful song...

Link to the song: Even Flow Pearl Jam

Lyrics: Even Flow Lyrics

And now for the misheard lyrics version of another song (Yellow Ledbetter), so funny:

What’s this song about?

The stark lyrics by Vedder for "Even Flow" describe the experience of being a homeless man.The subject sleeps "on a pillow made of concrete" and pan handles passersby for spare change. In addition to being illiterate, he may also be mentally ill, as he "looks insane" when he smiles and struggles to keep coherent thoughts ("Even flow, thoughts arrive like butterflies/Oh, he don't know, so he chases them away").
At Pearl Jam's March 28, 1994 concert in Miami, Florida at the Bayfront Amphitheater, Vedder introduced the song by saying, "I thought I'd throw in a bit of street education while you still have an open mind...Right across the street there's a little homeless community that lives under the bridge. You should just know that those people ain't all crazy and sometimes it's not their fault. This song is called 'Even Flow'." (Wikipedia – Even Flow)

Info about the band: Wikipedia - Pearl Jam

Radiohead – Street Spirit (album: The Bends 1995)

This song is by Radiohead. It is a very sentimental song for me since at the beginning of my relationship with my husband he came over to my house for a visit, on his way back in his car he accidently dialed my mobile number. I said “Hello” a few times but my hubby couldn’t hear me since he was too busy singing along this song that was playing very loud on the background. From that moment on I knew that he was the one for me...

Link to the song: Street Spirit Radiohead

Video clip:

Lyrics: Street Spirit Lyrics

And now for “The Darkness” Cover version:

What’s this song about?

Lead singer Thom Yorke said,
'Street Spirit' is our purest song, but I didn't write it. It wrote itself. We were just its messengers; its biological catalysts. Its core is a complete mystery to me, and, you know, I wouldn't ever try to write something that hopeless. All of our saddest songs have somewhere in them at least a glimmer of resolve. 'Street Spirit' has no resolve. It is the dark tunnel without the light at the end. It represents all tragic emotion that is so hurtful that the sound of that melody is its only definition. We all have a way of dealing with that song. It's called detachment. Especially me; I detach my emotional radar from that song, or I couldn't play it. I'd crack. I'd break down on stage. That's why its lyrics are just a bunch of mini-stories or visual images as opposed to a cohesive explanation of its meaning. I used images set to the music that I thought would convey the emotional entirety of the lyric and music working together. That's what's meant by 'all these things you'll one day swallow whole'. I meant the emotional entirety, because I didn't have it in me to articulate the emotion. I'd crack...(Wikipedia – Street Spirit)

Band’s Official Website: Radiohead

Info about the band: Wikipedia - Radiohead

 

Midnight Oil – Beds are burning (album: Diesel and Dust 1987)

This song is by midnight oil. It is an awesome song but that’s not the only reason I’m putting it on my blog! Peter Garrett’s dancing is just unbelievably funny and I believe everyone should be exposed to it ;)

Link to the song: Beds are Burning Midnight Oil

Hilarious video clip:

Lyrics: Beds are Burning Lyrics

Collection of Peter’s dancing:

What’s this song about?

"Beds Are Burning" is a political song about giving native Australian lands back to the Pintupi, who were among the very last people to come in from the desert. These 'last contact' people began moving from the Gibson Desert to settlements and missions in the 1930s. More were forcibly moved during the 1950s and 1960s to the Papunya settlement. In 1981 they left to return to their own country and established the Kintore community which is nestled in the picturesque Kintore Ranges, surrounded by Mulga and Spinifex country. It is now a thriving little community with a population of about 400. (Kintore and the town of Yuendumu are mentioned by name in the lyrics.)
Midnight Oil performed the song in front of a world audience of billions at the closing ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympics. The whole bandwere dressed in black, with the word "Sorry" printed conspicuously on their clothes. (Wikipedia – beds are burning)

Band’s Official Website: Midnight Oil

Info about the band: Wikipedia - Midnight Oil

Stereophonics – Mr Writer (album: Just Enough Education to Perform 2001)

This song is by Stereophonics, such a great band and the lead singer Kelly Jones has a unique voice. We started listening to this band more seriously right after my hubby and I went to purchase our first TV a few years back. They were showing the video clip of “Dakota” in the shop and after that we both did some research on the band.  This song is my Hubby’s favourite.


Link to the song: Mr Writer Stereophonics

Video clip:

Lyrics: Mr Writer Lyrics

Live video:

What’s this song about?

It was written in response to a journalist who had toured with the band and had later given them negative reviews. The song has been attributed as one of the factors that have caused the group's uneasy relationship with the media. (Wikipedia – Mr. Writer)

Band’s Official Website: Stereophonics

Info about the band: Wikipedia - Stereophonics

The Verve – Sonnet (album: Urban Hymns 1997)

This next song is by The Verve. It’s a magical song. The entire album is great!!! Other than that – Richard Ashcroft is quite an attention seeker!!!

Link to the song: Sonnet The Verve

Video clip:

Lyrics: Sonnet Lyrics

What’s this song about?

Here are some speculations from songfact:Sonnet Songfacts 

Band’s Official Website: The Verve

Info about the band: Wikipedia - The Verve

U2 – I will follow (album: Boy 1980)

This next song is by U2. I was a big fan of the band until they came out with this horrible album Achtung baby in 1991 and everything that came after that. It was a great disappointment for me. I still love all their old stuff, this song is awesome and the video clip is hilarious!!!  

Check out Bono’s dance moves...

Link to the song: I will Follow U2

Video clip:

Lyrics: I will Follow Lyrics

Recent live video:

What’s this song about?

I Will Follow" was written three weeks before U2 began recording Boy.U2 singer Bono has said that he wrote the song from his mother's perspective and that it was about the unconditional love a mother has for her child. His mother died following her own father's funeral when Bono was fourteen, which the singer says plunged him into emotional turmoil for the next few years. The song features the lyrics "his mother takes him by his hand" and "If you walk away, I will follow". (Wikipedia – I will follow)

Band’s official website: U2

Info about the band: Wikipedia - U2

Staind – Outside (album: break the cycle 2001)

This song is by Staind. They are currently my favourite group. Aaron Lewis is a pure talent and in my opinion he is the best vocalist in the music industry, he even tops the legendry Eddie Vedder .
My dear hubby discovered them listening to the radio when they just released their two hit singles “It’s been awhile” and “outside” back in 2001.

Link to the song: outside staind

Video clip:



Lyrics: outside lyrics

1999 Family Values Tour:

Band official website: Staind

What’s the story behind the song?

"Outside" was originally performed live during the 1999 Family Values Tour in Biloxi, Mississippi, with Aaron Lewis (vocals/guitar) on the stage by himself and Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst providing backing vocals. Lewis was asked to perform a song solo and he decided at the last moment to play a song he had been working on since the early days of Staind. He finished the lyrics to "Outside" on the spot while singing the song live.
"It's really an accidental phenomenon," Lewis explains. "I've been playing it for quite some time. In the early days of the band, any money we made went back into the band, so two or three times a week I played acoustically to make money to live off. 'Outside' was one of the songs I played, but it wasn't really finished, so I made up different words every time. We almost put it on Dysfunction. Then, one night on the Family Values Tour, ten minutes before going onstage, we decided to do it. There was never any thought of releasing it this way."(Wikipedia-outside)

Info about the band: Wikipedia - Staind 

Live – Lightning Crashes (album: Throwing Copper 1994)

This song is by Live. When I first heard this band on the radio I had to get the CD immediately. I couldn’t stop listening to it. Unfortunately I couldn’t share my love for Live with anyone since none of the people I know heard about them or were interested to listen. When I first started going out with my hubby I found a CD of Live in his apartment. It was a very exciting discovery for both of us!!!

Link to the song: Lightning Crashes Live

Video clip:

Lyrics: Lightning Crashes Lyrics

Band’s official website: Live 

What’s this song about?

This song was written by Live Lead singer Ed Kowalczyk and this is his comment about the song:

"While the clip is shot in a home environment, I envisioned it taking place in a hospital, where all these simultaneous deaths and births are going on, one family mourning the loss of a woman while a screaming baby emerges from a young mother in another room. Nobody's dying in the act of childbirth, as some viewers think. What you're seeing is actually a happy ending based on a kind of transference of life. The dedication to Barbara Lewis (a classmate who was killed by a drunk driver in 1993 who was fleeing from the police after a robbery in York, Pennsylvania; Barbara had many of her organs donated including a liver to a 10 month old baby) came after the song was written. But it was something that we hoped would honor the memory of a girl we grew up with and help her family cope with sorrow – which it seems to have accomplished – in a fashion in keeping with the theme of the song." (Wikipedia – Lightning Crashes)

Info about the band: Wikipedia - Live

Nine Inch Nails – Closer (album: The Downward Spiral 1994)

This song is by Nine Inch Nails. I love the music of this song so much!!! I’m completely addicted to this song. The lyrics are pretty wicked. A very sexy song... My sister got the CD in 1996 and when I heard it for the first time it blew my mind!!!

Link to the song: Closer Nine Inch Nails

The censored video clip:

Lyrics: Closer Lyrics

Maroon 5 live cover:

And now for the star trek version, quite funny:

Here are some theories from songfacts about the meaning of this song:

Closer Songfacts

Band’s official website: Nine Inch Nails

Info about the band: Wikipedia - Nine Inch Nails