Love the lyrics and the delivery in this song. One of his better approaches to metaphysical jigsaw puzzling, and his melodic upticks serves a nice counterpoint to the ominous churn of the music, like a drowning man trying to rise up from the undertow. He’s still making wave metaphors but now they’re not so literal.

I love it

Oh, talking to his mirror, what's he say? What's it say back?
A tragedy of errors, who'll be the last to have a laugh?
His best days gone, hard to admit
Throwing angry punches with nothing to hit

I love these lyrics. I love the depiction of Trump and his obsession with Twitter. Also its interesting how Ed shows some sympathy too talking about him and his days.

Also, those guitars...

There is a live version from 2023 on Spotify ( Josh Pick´s were they put a song every friday from the last tour) and the guitars are so fucking good.

Oddly for me I'd say that the verses in this track are the nadir when it comes to Ed's lyrics and delivery. The words and syllables are bursting out of every bar.

I'm not sure which is worse:

And summer spoke to winter relaying all encouraging words

Or

Moved on from my despondency and left it in the bed

Utter stinkers. Glad you like it tho. God knows I like some PJ tracks that others loathe.

i really like that first lyric. It captures the sentiment that folks find too obvious in other verses in a more clever and metaphorical way. The seasonal imagery makes it both cyclical and timeless in a way that captures the experience of the song.

And there is a plucky ‘throw open the curtains and let the light in’ feel to the verses that make the second work in the context of the song.

I had this exact thought when the album came out.

I have similar feelings (for different reasons) about some of the songs on Backspacer, so I can relate to this. No disrespect intended by criticizing the lyrics.

its also a nice lyric - simple, directive, delivered well, appropriate for the moment, just a dash of metaphor

eddie has been writing with intent and incredibly effectiveness for 30 years. he knows what sounds good and, more importantly, he know how to write for his voice - what he can give authority and depth based on his delivery- which is an essential of writing lyrics, where the delivery cannot be seperated from the words. His facility with melody has also grown tremendously over the years.

Not everything is a triumph, or will land with each listener, and there are times i wish he would give something a second pass, but it is rarely, if ever amateurish

I don't know guys, I think Ed has had some great lyrical moments over his career but I never really went to Pearl Jam for the most intricate or inventive lyrics in the business, and I rarely go to rock music for poetry (I'm not saying never); even the best rock music plays with cliché and archetypal image in a way that pushes the boat slightly out while being at least a little comfortingly familiar to the listener (and each rock subgenre has its motifs and ideas that it repeats over and over again)

I think "Seven O'Clock" is an example of a song where every component is working pretty hard to shine; I find the juxtaposition of quick-fire, sometimes a little out of breath lyricism (of the kind Alanis Morissette or Adam Duritz excelled at) with an ambient, warm-evening-sun background really interesting to my ear; yes, it jars at times, and no, it's not always a smooth listen, but I wouldn't want those rough edges smoothed out; they agree with the paradoxical message of the song -- hope and resilience, "much to be done", in the face of seemingly hopeless societal collapse

it's a song where Pearl Jam is firing on all cylinders, on an album full of them... a gift so late in their career

Well said.

Every time my wife hears this song, she sings "Moved on from my despondency and left it in the PIT," in the voice of Andy Dwyer from "Parks and Recreation."

I might be late to this one but im loving this

Much to be done

Even though the song was stopped 2/3rds of the way through when I saw them live, this was one of the best parts of the set. They slayed this song. It's always been a good-not-great song for me but seeing them play it live was a real highlight. And I think it keeps going up in my estimation.

Ceiling: 6 stars.

You know what... I just changed my vote in the poll from 3 stars to 4.

correct