Black (Pearl Jam song): Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox Song |
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'''"Black"''' is one of the songs from ''[[Ten (Pearl Jam album)|Ten]]'', [[Pearl Jam]]'s first album. Next to "[[Alive (song)|Alive]]" and "[[Jeremy (song)|Jeremy]]", this is another fan favorite, and was covered by [[Aaron Lewis]] of "[[Staind]]" in 2001 for the band's "Break The Cycle" tour. Despite its obvious popularity with fans, as well as pressure from the record company, Pearl Jam refused to make it into a single, feeling that it was too personal and the feeling of it would be lost by a video or a single release{{fact}}. Even though it was not released as a single, the song charted at #3 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart. |
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| Name = Black |
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| Cover = |
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| Artist = [[Pearl Jam]] |
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| Album = [[Ten (Pearl Jam album)|Ten]] |
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| Background = lightsteelblue |
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| Released = August 27, 1991 |
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| track_no = Track 5 |
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| Recorded = March 27 – April 26, 1991 at [[London Bridge Studio]]s, [[Seattle]], [[Washington]] |
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| Genre = [[Alternative rock]] |
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| Length = 5:43 |
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| Label = [[Epic Records|Epic]] |
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| Producer = [[Rick Parashar]], Pearl Jam |
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| Writer = [[Eddie Vedder]], [[Stone Gossard]] |
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| prev = "Why Go" |
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| prev_no = Track 4 |
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| next = "[[Jeremy (song)|Jeremy]]" |
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| next_no = Track 6 |
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}} |
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"'''Black'''" is a song by the American [[rock music|rock]] band [[Pearl Jam]]. The song is the fifth track on the band's debut album, ''[[Ten (Pearl Jam album)|Ten]]'' (1991). Featuring lyrics written by vocalist [[Eddie Vedder]] and music written by guitarist [[Stone Gossard]], "Black" is a [[Monologue|soliloquy]] by a broken-hearted man, who is remembering his absent lover. |
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After ''Ten'' became a commercial success in 1992, Pearl Jam's record label [[Epic Records]] urged the group to release the song as a single. The band refused, citing the song's personal nature. Despite the lack of a commercial single release, the song managed to reach number three on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks|Mainstream Rock Tracks]] chart. Remixed versions of the song were included on Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album, ''[[rearviewmirror (Greatest Hits 1991–2003)]]'', and the 2009 ''Ten'' reissue. |
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==Origin and recording== |
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The song originated as an instrumental demo under the name "E Ballad" that was written by guitarist [[Stone Gossard]] in 1990. It was one of five songs compiled onto a tape called ''Stone Gossard Demos '91'' that was circulated in the hopes of finding a singer and drummer for Pearl Jam.<ref name="blackdays">Pearlman, Nina. "Black Days". ''[[Guitar World]]''. December 2002.</ref> The tape made its way into the hands of vocalist [[Eddie Vedder]], who was working as a [[San Diego]] [[Filling station|gas station]] attendant at the time. Vedder recorded vocals for three of the songs on the demo tape ("Alive", "Once", and "Footsteps"), and mailed the tape back to Seattle. Upon hearing the tape, the band invited Vedder to come to Seattle. On his way to Seattle, Vedder wrote lyrics for "E Ballad", which he called "Black".<ref name="blackdays"/> |
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Guitarist [[Mike McCready]] on the song's lead guitar work: |
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<blockquote>That's more of a [[Stevie Ray Vaughan|Stevie]] rip-off, with me playing little flowing things. I was way into that trip—I still am, actually, but it was probably more obvious back then. I really thought the song was beautiful. Stone wrote it and he just let me do what I wanted.<ref>Gilbert, Jeff. [http://www.fivehorizons.com/archive/articles/gs0595.shtml "Prime Cuts: Mike McCready - The Best of Pearl Jam!"]. ''Guitar School''. May 1995.</ref></blockquote> |
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==Reception== |
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"Black" became one of Pearl Jam's best known songs and is a central emotional piece on the album ''Ten''. Despite pressure from Epic Records, the band refused to make it into a single, feeling that it was too personal and the feeling of it would be lost by a video or a single release. Vedder stated that "fragile songs get crushed by the business. I don't want to be a part of it. I don't think the band wants to be part of it."<ref>{{cite web | last = Crowe | first = Cameron | url = http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/10560431/five_against_the_world | title = Five Against the World | work = [[Rolling Stone]] | date = 1993-10-28 | accessdate = 2007-06-23 }}</ref> Vedder personally called radio station managers to make sure Epic had not released the song as a single against his wishes.<ref>Snow, Mat. "You, My Son, Are Weird". ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]''. November 1993.</ref> In spite of this, the song charted at number three on the ''Billboard'' [[Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks|Mainstream Rock Tracks]] chart and number 20 on the ''Billboard'' [[Alternative Songs|Modern Rock Tracks]] chart in 1993. |
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Stephen M. Deusner of [[Pitchfork Media]] said, "On songs like..."Black", with strangely dramatic vocalizations, there's a hardscrabble dynamic that the band would be unable to capture on subsequent releases."<ref>Deusner, Stephen M. [http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/12873-ten-deluxe-edition/ "Pearl Jam: ''Ten''"]. [[Pitchfork Media]]. April 3, 2009.</ref> |
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In March 2009, "Black" was made available as downloadable content for the ''[[Rock Band]]'' series as a master track as part of the album ''Ten''.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/56366 | title = Rock Band Getting Full Pearl Jam Album | publisher = [[Shacknews]] | first = Chris | last = Faylor | date = 2008-12-14 | accessdate = 2008-12-14}}</ref> The song was featured in the ''[[Cold Case]]'' episode "Into the Blue" in 2009. |
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==Live performances== |
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"Black" was first performed live at the band's October 22, 1990 concert in [[Seattle]], [[Washington]] at the Off Ramp Café.<ref name="pearljam.com">[https://www.pearljam.com/song/black "Pearl Jam Songs: "Black""]. [[Pearl Jam|pearljam.com]].</ref> Pearl Jam performed the song for its appearance on ''[[MTV Unplugged]]'' in 1992. Live performances of "Black" can be found on the "[[Dissident (song)|Dissident]]"/''Live in Atlanta'' box set, the live album ''[[Live on Two Legs]]'', various [[Pearl Jam Official Bootlegs|official bootlegs]], the live album ''[[Live at Benaroya Hall]]'', the ''[[Live at the Gorge 05/06]]'' box set, and the [[Ten (Pearl Jam album)#Drop in the Park LP|''Drop in the Park'' LP]] included in the Super Deluxe edition of the ''Ten'' reissue. Performances of the song are also included on the DVD ''[[Live at the Garden]]'' and the [[Ten (Pearl Jam album)#MTV Unplugged DVD|''MTV Unplugged'' DVD]] included in the ''Ten'' reissue. |
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==Cover versions== |
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A live performance of "Black" by [[Aaron Lewis]] of [[Staind]] appears on the 2001 live album, ''[[The Family Values 2001 Tour]]''. [[The Knife]] uses musical segments which sound very similar to "Black" on "Behind the Bushes" from the 2003 album, ''[[Deep Cuts (The Knife album)|Deep Cuts]]''. Baseball pitcher [[Bronson Arroyo]] recorded the song for the 2005 album, ''[[Covering the Bases]]''. |
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==Chart positions== |
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{| class="wikitable" border="1" |
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! Chart (1993) |
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! Position |
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|- |
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| US [[Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks|Mainstream Rock Tracks]]<ref name="www.billboard.com">{{cite web |
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| url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.vnuArtistId=5392&model.vnuAlbumId=772120 |
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| title=Pearl Jam Artist Chart History |
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| publisher=''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' |
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| accessdate=2007-04-28}}</ref> |
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|align="center"|3 |
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|- |
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| US [[Alternative Songs|Modern Rock Tracks]]<ref name="www.billboard.com"/> |
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|align="center"|20 |
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|} |
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==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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==External links== |
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*[http://pearljam.com/song/black Lyrics at pearljam.com] |
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{{1990s-rock-song-stub}} |
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{{Pearl Jam}} |
{{Pearl Jam}} |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:1991 songs]] |
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[[Category:Pearl Jam songs]] |
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[[es:Black (canción de Pearl Jam)]] |
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[[it:Black (Pearl Jam)]] |
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Revision as of 20:14, 22 September 2009
| "Black" | |
|---|---|
| Song |
"Black" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. The song is the fifth track on the band's debut album, Ten (1991). Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music written by guitarist Stone Gossard, "Black" is a soliloquy by a broken-hearted man, who is remembering his absent lover.
After Ten became a commercial success in 1992, Pearl Jam's record label Epic Records urged the group to release the song as a single. The band refused, citing the song's personal nature. Despite the lack of a commercial single release, the song managed to reach number three on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. Remixed versions of the song were included on Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album, rearviewmirror (Greatest Hits 1991–2003), and the 2009 Ten reissue.
Origin and recording
The song originated as an instrumental demo under the name "E Ballad" that was written by guitarist Stone Gossard in 1990. It was one of five songs compiled onto a tape called Stone Gossard Demos '91 that was circulated in the hopes of finding a singer and drummer for Pearl Jam.[1] The tape made its way into the hands of vocalist Eddie Vedder, who was working as a San Diego gas station attendant at the time. Vedder recorded vocals for three of the songs on the demo tape ("Alive", "Once", and "Footsteps"), and mailed the tape back to Seattle. Upon hearing the tape, the band invited Vedder to come to Seattle. On his way to Seattle, Vedder wrote lyrics for "E Ballad", which he called "Black".[1]
Guitarist Mike McCready on the song's lead guitar work:
That's more of a Stevie rip-off, with me playing little flowing things. I was way into that trip—I still am, actually, but it was probably more obvious back then. I really thought the song was beautiful. Stone wrote it and he just let me do what I wanted.[2]
Reception
"Black" became one of Pearl Jam's best known songs and is a central emotional piece on the album Ten. Despite pressure from Epic Records, the band refused to make it into a single, feeling that it was too personal and the feeling of it would be lost by a video or a single release. Vedder stated that "fragile songs get crushed by the business. I don't want to be a part of it. I don't think the band wants to be part of it."[3] Vedder personally called radio station managers to make sure Epic had not released the song as a single against his wishes.[4] In spite of this, the song charted at number three on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number 20 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in 1993.
Stephen M. Deusner of Pitchfork Media said, "On songs like..."Black", with strangely dramatic vocalizations, there's a hardscrabble dynamic that the band would be unable to capture on subsequent releases."[5]
In March 2009, "Black" was made available as downloadable content for the Rock Band series as a master track as part of the album Ten.[6] The song was featured in the Cold Case episode "Into the Blue" in 2009.
Live performances
"Black" was first performed live at the band's October 22, 1990 concert in Seattle, Washington at the Off Ramp Café.[7] Pearl Jam performed the song for its appearance on MTV Unplugged in 1992. Live performances of "Black" can be found on the "Dissident"/Live in Atlanta box set, the live album Live on Two Legs, various official bootlegs, the live album Live at Benaroya Hall, the Live at the Gorge 05/06 box set, and the Drop in the Park LP included in the Super Deluxe edition of the Ten reissue. Performances of the song are also included on the DVD Live at the Garden and the MTV Unplugged DVD included in the Ten reissue.
Cover versions
A live performance of "Black" by Aaron Lewis of Staind appears on the 2001 live album, The Family Values 2001 Tour. The Knife uses musical segments which sound very similar to "Black" on "Behind the Bushes" from the 2003 album, Deep Cuts. Baseball pitcher Bronson Arroyo recorded the song for the 2005 album, Covering the Bases.
Chart positions
| Chart (1993) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Mainstream Rock Tracks[8] | 3 |
| US Modern Rock Tracks[8] | 20 |
References
- ^ a b Pearlman, Nina. "Black Days". Guitar World. December 2002.
- ^ Gilbert, Jeff. "Prime Cuts: Mike McCready - The Best of Pearl Jam!". Guitar School. May 1995.
- ^ Crowe, Cameron (1993-10-28). "Five Against the World". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2007-06-23.
- ^ Snow, Mat. "You, My Son, Are Weird". Q. November 1993.
- ^ Deusner, Stephen M. "Pearl Jam: Ten". Pitchfork Media. April 3, 2009.
- ^ Faylor, Chris (2008-12-14). "Rock Band Getting Full Pearl Jam Album". Shacknews. Retrieved 2008-12-14.
- ^ "Pearl Jam Songs: "Black"". pearljam.com.
- ^ a b "Pearl Jam Artist Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2007-04-28.
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