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 beleaguered 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.

Is it just me that's never let my knowledge of Ed the person affect my interpretation of Pearl Jam's songs? With In Hiding and Off He Goes, I've never seen them as a Vedder-POV, but small tales of characters I recognise very well.

The narrator ends In Hiding still in hiding, despite being "enlightened", so it feels to me like the ramblings of an addict escaping the world, feeling enlightened, and failing to act in any meaningful way. The soaring high note of "hiding" takes on an aftertaste of paranoia and inaction in what I think is a great juxtaposition.

Also, I love "I swallowed my face just to keep from biting"

Brain of J will win. It will be a slaughter.

In Hiding is now and has always been the better song to my ears. So it gets my vote. Even if I'm the only one.

Won't be mad when it loses though. Brain of J is a fantastic song and deserves to advance.

In Hiding is really close to being my all time favorite Pearl Jam song. It's definetely the better song to me, but if it has to lose, I'm glad that it's against Brain of J.

What lines do you have a problem with, exactly? Mostly the third verse, right? And maybe the "I surfaced when all of my being was enlightened" thing from the pre-chorus?

Basically the whole thing. I don't like the position of his sentiment. If he's so bummed out on the world, why not spend his millions of dollars to make it better? Of course Ed has gone on to do this repeatedly, so in a sense even he has outgrown the lyrics.

Choo Choo.

J Train at platform 1!

Wtf?

"In Hiding" is a good example of below average lyrics getting a pass because they don't demand any attention -- it's easy enough to turn off the meaning of Eddie's words and just sort of roll along with the music of them, which complements the guitar chords very nicely. But I don't think they're good lyrics -- not pretentious necessarily, just kind of vapid and badly written. "I shut and locked the front door, no way in or out" -- just because you lock your door doesn't mean there's "no way out" of your house, Ed. It's essentially a five minute "story" about him doing nothing -- not especially gripping stuff. I love the song, but I understand the criticisms of the lyrics.

Vote for "Brain of J."

My issue with these lyrics (and much of the lyrical writing post vitalogy) is that I don't think Eddie sees these as minor lyrics. I think there is wisdom he is proud of and wants to share. They demand attention, and don't offer anything particularly poetic or insightful for your time. It's not like go or got some, songs with weak lyrics that are just there because Eddie needs to be singing something, and do can be ignored. Eddie writes better when he asks questions, not when he has answers