Ranking all 11 songs from Pearl Jam's brilliant debut 'Ten' album
By Joel Wagler
Ranking all 11 songs on the Pearl Jam Ten album (9-7)
No. 9 - "Deep"
This is another song that reveals some of the bands influences. You definitely hear some hints of the Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix in this track. "Deep" is a song that can grow on you the more you hear it.
Its rocking melody masks incredibly depressing lyrics, but it is another song in which you almost have to be reading the lyrics to decipher what Vedder is singing. While this isn't any kind of commercial song, it's a great fit for this album in general.
No. 8 - "Once"
The lead-off track on Ten comes in at eight, but could easily be the top song on albums for other bands. It has an upbeat hook, and quick, choppy, forceful verses. As the introduction to the album and the band, it is a fitting first impression, and it tells listeners right away that Pearl Jam is a long, long way from being a hair band.
Anger pours from the verses, and the chorus gives the illusion of someone still trying to hang on, but in the end, he's probably not going to succeed. The whole song is a raw nerve, but it works well, and a terrific rock song emerges.
No. 7 - "Why Go"
This is another raw rock song that reflects on the band's view of society. It's about a young girl who is committed to a mental institution, but she probably doesn't belong there. Or it could be interpreted that she was diagnosed with a behavioral problem and her medication is her prison. Either way, she gives in to their expectations because she knows there is nothing for her in her life.
Again, this is a theme that the previous generation of rock and roll avoided. The heavy metal bands of the eighties seldom delved into societal issues, (though there were exceptions), Peal Jam doesn't shy away from much in this song, or on the album in general.
Musically, this song also reflects some homage to past rock and roll bands. you can hear some Zeppelin and the Doors in "Why Go," and why not?