Had a long drive today, gave me a chance to revisit Ten and Yield in their entirety. Got me thinking -- with so much vitriol for the last 2 or 3 albums, maybe the classic stuff shows some early signs of decline with hindsight? Sort of like a response to the "Songs You Didn't Like..." thread.

I'll start with In Hiding. I used to absolutely love this song. But now, while I still find the performances and production to be inspiring, the lyrics are a real drag. One of Ed's themes of which I have really grown tired are the "escape" songs -- songs in which the beleagured rock star escapes to find his spiritual center. While some of these songs still hold up -- MFC is a short and sweet number with a more "urban" approach to this theme, while In My Tree creates a sense of spiritual rejuvenation in the respite of nature and weed -- In Hiding now comes across as a very privileged and lazy point of view; it's like Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop web site in song form. The lyrics don't live up to the expansiveness of the music, and it now creates a five-minute *thud* at a point where Yield could use one last burst of energy before winding down.

What old favorites have turned into modern-day turds for you?

You Are comes to mind. I still like it, but don't love it anymore.
I find the chorus super cheesy and some of the backing vocals don't work at all.
Still like the bridge and love the Binaural-like guitar solo at 3:30 or so.

Present tense is maybe at the top of my list

Black maybe. I like it, but it used to be one of my faves.

Yea, I debated writing about that one instead. Used to feel so profound, now the sentiment seems obvious, and the music a little underwhelming.

Guys, you're doing this all wrong -- those songs are still amazing.

you reap what you sow, trybigbananza.

Unthought Known. I quite liked this when Backspacer came out, now it's incredibly skipworthy (especially on a bootleg).

Yup. It's the song that jumped out and grabbed me the most when BS came out. I think the last time I listened to it was a year ago, I remember thinking how this song just isn't doing it for me, at all, anymore. That ship has sailed.

In Hiding is top 5 for me.
It's often considered "overrated" here tho, so more people will probably agree with you.

Wanted to add that in this case specifically, I think this has more to do with where I was in '96 rather than PJ's execution of the song.

I've listened to You Are a few times since posting that. I really appreciate what they tried to do and I think it works in many, many ways. But that chorus just ruins it for me. It tries to be deep and meaningful, but just comes across as hokey.

Man, "You Are" is fucking great.

My absolute favorite from Riot Act onward.

I think I agree.

As I've said many many times before, who gives a shit about the lyrics when the music is so awesome? I don't listen to music for the lyrics, especially Pearl Jam. It seems awfully shallow and unmusical to dislike a song because the lyrics aren't convincing enough. If lyrics were supposed to be successfully deep and meaningful, everybody would listen to Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen and nothing else.

If they are really really bad, they can be hard to ignore. I like You Are though. Its killer live.

Good for you.

Wow! What an over reaction...

Leatherman. I loved the holy fuck out of that song ever since it was released as a b-side. Last year, when they played it in Denver I got so excited when they first started playing it, but by the time the song was over, I was over the song.