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Re: The E.H. Ruddock Memorial Rank the Lead Singles Thread

Fri July 12, 2013 2:38 pm

Interesting exercise-.... let's see-

1. Given to Fly - That song immediately spoke to me. I remember thinking that the intro drum set was the perfect evolution of what Who You Are could have been. Has always been one of my favorites.

2. Go - Rocked my little 14 year old ass off. It was this single that made me realize that I didn't just like Alive and Even Flow and the rest of Ten, but I had a new band to love, and they were going to continue making shit that I wanted to hear.

3. Mind Your Manners - I think this kicks ass and will sound great live. It's a new staple, in my opinion.

4. Nothing as it Seems - Huge contrast from Yield. Made you think that the band was going in a pretty dark direction - which I thought was very intriguing. I dug it at first. Then Binaural as a whole, didn't quite do it for me. Production was muted, it was poorly tracked. They made bad song choices (some of those B-side should have been there - Sad is better than every song on that album). This song has fallen down the list over time.

5. Spin the Black Circle - Thought this was a poor man's Go at first. Still seems stunted, and the vinyl theme was a little too narrow for me to love it. This is my favorite album today, though, and STBC fits in its place on the record. I liked it more in the context of the album. Today, it still seems fresh, and I like it better now than initially by far.

6. Who You Are - First thought was - Holy Shit - Jack Irons changed this band. Of course, he didn't, but he sure helped them go in a great direction. The song itself was good in many ways, just the not the ways I was looking for coming off of Vitalogy (my fav album)

7. Worldwide Suicide - The intro just didn't feel right to me for the band. The production was sub-par. And it Got old fast. The lyrics grew on me over time, and I'd say I like it more now, but still not one of my favorites at all

8. I Am Mine - Dull song until the outro solo, which was way too short. It was this song that made me start to think that the old Pearl Jam was gone forever, and I hoped I would like the "new" Pearl Jam. Looking back, the "new" Pearl Jam has aged well over the last ten years, and this song fits well in the right circumstances now

9. The Fixer - This is so far in last, it's not even close. I can't stand this song. It's like I was listening to some cruel joke that was bound to break my PJ fandom. I will never get in the mood of that song. It just ain't me. The lyrics suck, the tone sucks, the guitars are bland, the rythm's no good, everything... To this day, I just try to pretend it doesn't exist. I skip it almost every time I hear it. It's probably the least played album cut for me since Stupid Mop. I gave it a chance after the album came out, but that just made it worse.

Re: The E.H. Ruddock Memorial Rank the Lead Singles Thread

Fri July 12, 2013 2:41 pm

EJ wrote:Its hard to rank first impressions of these since I'd heard a few live versions before they were released as singles: NAIS, I Am Mine.

Also, I don't remember when lead singles were released for Vs or Vitalogy. I bought both the day they came out and had actually heard other songs from each album before the singles came out.


I remember STBC coming out ahead, and my initial reaction.

Go was really more about it being the first track. My initial reaction to Go is really the same as my initial reaction to Vs. as a whole. I don't remember it being released early, or when at all.

Re: The E.H. Ruddock Memorial Rank the Lead Singles Thread

Fri July 12, 2013 4:11 pm

My favorite based on initial reaction:

Given To Fly - hands down the best single, soaring

I am Mine - loved the outro, lyrics, etc.

Who You Are - oh man, after hearing this I was so excited about a new direction

Go - Rip roaring good time

World Wide Suicide - was super excited about this one, but it didn't age well

Spin the Black Circle - Kinda wow, that's loud at first, but not too shabby

Mind Your Manners - 3/5 stars - solid effort - has me optimistic for rest of album

Nothing As it Seems - yeesh...I know I should like this, but it never seems to build up to anything and it's no Pink Floyd.

The Fixer - too many yeah, yeah, yeahs

Re: The E.H. Ruddock Memorial Rank the Lead Singles Thread

Fri July 12, 2013 4:33 pm

hlniv wrote:9. The Fixer - This is so far in last, it's not even close. I can't stand this song. It's like I was listening to some cruel joke that was bound to break my PJ fandom. I will never get in the mood of that song. It just ain't me. The lyrics suck, the tone sucks, the guitars are bland, the rythm's no good, everything... To this day, I just try to pretend it doesn't exist. I skip it almost every time I hear it. It's probably the least played album cut for me since Stupid Mop. I gave it a chance after the album came out, but that just made it worse.


:lol:

It's to Pearl Jam as Jar Jar Binks is to Star Wars.

Re: The E.H. Ruddock Memorial Rank the Lead Singles Thread

Fri July 12, 2013 4:44 pm

I think I heard Daughter on the radio before Go. It was a long time ago.

Re: The E.H. Ruddock Memorial Rank the Lead Singles Thread

Fri July 12, 2013 5:05 pm

darth_vedder wrote:
hlniv wrote:9. The Fixer - This is so far in last, it's not even close. I can't stand this song. It's like I was listening to some cruel joke that was bound to break my PJ fandom. I will never get in the mood of that song. It just ain't me. The lyrics suck, the tone sucks, the guitars are bland, the rythm's no good, everything... To this day, I just try to pretend it doesn't exist. I skip it almost every time I hear it. It's probably the least played album cut for me since Stupid Mop. I gave it a chance after the album came out, but that just made it worse.


:lol:

It's to Pearl Jam as Jar Jar Binks is to Star Wars.


Personally, I find WWS to be much more cringe-worthy than The Fixer. At least The Fixer embraces it's stupidity.

Re: The E.H. Ruddock Memorial Rank the Lead Singles Thread

Fri July 12, 2013 9:24 pm

1. I Am Mine
2. Mind Your Manners
3. Nothing As It Seems
4. Given to Fly
5. Who You Are
6. The Fixer
7. World Wide Suicide
8. Spin the Black Circle

I don't recall hearing a single from Vs before I heard the whole album. And I don't remember which single from Ten came first. I just remember, by the time I cared to listen to Pearl Jam Alive, Even Flow and Jeremy were all being played regularly.

Re: The E.H. Ruddock Memorial Rank the Lead Singles Thread

Fri July 12, 2013 9:31 pm

Became a fan around '97ish

1. Nothing As It Seems (Three years later, I was obsessed and just needed a new song like a crackhead needs crack)
2. Given To Fly (Wasn't quite obsessed yet. Liked it. But was still learning Ten through No Code at this point)
3. Mind Your Manners (After disliking Backspacer, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this)
4. World Wide Suicide (Loved it when it was first released. Listened to it at least 100 times that day)
5. I Am Mine (Good tune, but it's not like I was doing cartwheels)
6. The Fixer (Don't even want to talk about it)

Re: The E.H. Ruddock Memorial Rank the Lead Singles Thread

Fri July 12, 2013 9:34 pm

Honestly Who You Are was the only one that really made a big impression on me. Usually, a new single comes out, I listen to it a few times, and await the album. I'm not sure any of the initial singles are top tier songs for me, so at this point I don't feel too heavily invested in them.

Re: The E.H. Ruddock Memorial Rank the Lead Singles Thread

Fri July 12, 2013 10:00 pm

I discover Pearl Jam by listening Alive on the car stereo of my mom. But it was around 1992. Does it count?

1. Alive (everything)

2. Nothing As It Seems (the solo is awesome, the vibe on it relaxes me)
3. Spin The Black Circle (I like fast tempo)
4. Go and Mind Your Manners (both songs were growing on me every time I listen to them)
5. Who You Are (I like Jack Irons' drumming)
6. Given To Fly (mmm it didn't amaze me the first time, sorry; but it's a great song)

7. I Am Mine, World Wide Suicide and The Fixer ("mmm okay, let's wait the rest of the album")

Re: The E.H. Ruddock Memorial Rank the Lead Singles Thread

Sat July 13, 2013 12:41 am

From those I can accurately remember:

Mind Your Manners (by a considerable margin)
The Fixer
WWS

Re: The E.H. Ruddock Memorial Rank the Lead Singles Thread

Sat July 13, 2013 12:43 am

Damn. I suppose I'm the only one that listens to WWS somewhat regularly .

Re: The E.H. Ruddock Memorial Rank the Lead Singles Thread

Sat July 13, 2013 12:44 am

NAIS
I Am Mate
Mind Your Manners
Worldwide Suicide
The Fixer.

Re: The E.H. Ruddock Memorial Rank the Lead Singles Thread

Sat July 13, 2013 12:47 am

@SkitchP wrote:I Am Mate

:lol:

Re: The E.H. Ruddock Memorial Rank the Lead Singles Thread

Sat July 13, 2013 12:50 am

Birds in Hell wrote:
@SkitchP wrote:I Am Mate

:lol:


That's probably my favorite jorge joke ever.

Re: The E.H. Ruddock Memorial Rank the Lead Singles Thread

Sat July 13, 2013 12:54 am

Thejambi wrote:Damn. I suppose I'm the only one that listens to WWS somewhat regularly .



a top 10, possibly top 4 song for me. an all time favorite.

Re: The E.H. Ruddock Memorial Rank the Lead Singles Thread

Sat July 13, 2013 12:56 am

stip wrote:
Thejambi wrote:Damn. I suppose I'm the only one that listens to WWS somewhat regularly .



a top 10, possibly top 4 song for me. an all time favorite.

:luv:

Re: The E.H. Ruddock Memorial Rank the Lead Singles Thread

Sat July 13, 2013 11:43 am

1. Given to fly.
The anticipation for this record was met and excelled for me with this one.
2. The Fixer
Threw me for a loop cos it sounded so different than anything that came before.
3. Spin the black circle
The height of my fandom and again, it met the expectations and holes I had for the record.
4. Who you are
And millions of pearl jam bandwagoners scratched their heads, complained and jumped off and I loved it for that alone.
5. Nothing as it seems
I had trouble with this as a first single, especially after seeing grievance on letterman but I grew to love it.
6.I am mine
This hinted at dark times in PJ land and we were all intrigued. I liked it but didn't love it.


Huge huge huge fall off

7. Worldwide suicide
I thought it was shit then and that opinion hasn't changed much at all.

Re: The E.H. Ruddock Memorial Rank the Lead Singles Thread

Sat July 13, 2013 11:47 am

NAIS
I Am Mine
Worldwide Suicide
Mind Your Manners
The Fixer

Re: The E.H. Ruddock Memorial Rank the Lead Singles Thread

Sat July 13, 2013 12:10 pm

WtOB? wrote:NAIS
I Am Mine
Worldwide Suicide
Mind Your Manners
The Fixer


I'll just quote this. Fits my experience perfectly. NAIS is miles ahead of the others.
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