Pearl Jam

"She lies and says she is in love with him"

Stayed in a bad relationship for 4 years because I was scared to be alone. Heard this song on a random playlist driving to work and thought: he wrote this about me. Left three weeks later. Not dramatic, just... done. This song gave me permission.

Kate — Nashville

Senior year of high school everything fell apart. Parents divorcing, best friend moved away. I wore the same corduroy jacket every day like armor. This song understood that. The jacket as identity. The refusal to let go of who you are when everything is trying to change you.

Jake — Portland, ME

"Don not call me daughter"

My mom was an alcoholic. This song was the only thing that made me feel like someone understood what it was like to love someone who hurts you. I was 15. I am sober now myself. Full circle I guess.

Liz — Philadelphia

First Pearl Jam song I ever heard. 1992, my older brother room, through the wall. The guitar hit and something in my brain reorganized. I have been to 31 shows since. My brother has been to 40+. We do not talk about feelings. We talk about setlists. Same thing.

Mike R — Boston

"He could have walked away but he flew"

I immigrated alone at 22. No family here, no friends yet. This song played in a coffee shop my first week and I sat there crying into my latte like an idiot. The barista asked if I was okay. I said yes. I was.

Priya — San Francisco

"I am mine"

Got this tattooed on my wrist after getting out of rehab. Three words. I am mine. Not my addiction is. Not my past is. I am mine. That is the whole thing.

Ben — Raleigh

I was the quiet kid in school. Not like Jeremy. But close enough that this song felt like a warning and a validation at the same time. I am a teacher now. I watch for the quiet ones. This song made me pay attention.

David — Minneapolis

"Did I say that I need you?"

Played this in the delivery room when my daughter was born. The nurse asked what it was. I could not answer because I was crying. My daughter is 8 now and sometimes I play it at bedtime and she does not know why I get quiet.

Ana — Miami

"Stay with me, let us just breathe"

My wife and I danced to this at our wedding. Not our first dance — the last one, when everyone else had gone home and the DJ was packing up. He played it one more time for us. Best four minutes of the whole day.

Chris — Brooklyn

"Oh it is a fragile thing, this life we lead"

My husband is a firefighter. Every time he leaves for a shift I think about this song. Eddie wrote it about the fear of losing the person you love and that is just... that is my Tuesday.

Maria — Detroit