pearl jam :: covering 'em selves

now some of you might think it a cop out to post a massive amount of songs in lieu of writing some kind of thoughtful commentary on a particular issue, around a particular theme. and you'd be right. but that doesn't change the fact that a.g. has got lots to do at the moment. so i'm afraid you'll have to settle for option a. hopefully you won't hold this against me.

modeled loosely on oliver soul sides's "who flipped it better?" series, here are a selection of pearl jam covers and the original songs upon which the covers were based. (i've kept some in reserve in case this goes over well and we need to do a pt. 2.) i'd love to hear which you all think work or don't, so if you're of the mind to share drop a note into the comments.

the who - baba o'riley
pearl jam - baba o'riley (live)

"baba" has become something of a staple in pj's live shows, along with "ritfw," though it may be one of the few covers they do for which i prefer the original.

johnny cash - 25 minutes to go (live)
pearl jam - 25 minutes to go (live)

cash's version is from his seminal folsom prison show. the cover comes from pj's excellent & mostly acoustic set at benaroya hall in seattle a few months after the man in black's death.

the la's - timeless melody (live)
pearl jam - timeless melody (live)

the la's performed this song on the bbc just a few months before breaking up. pj's take on "timeless melody" comes from the west palm beach show in august of 2000, same as the "baba o'riley" above.

dead boys - sonic reducer
pearl jam - sonic reducer (live)

a punk classic by the dead boys and perfectly tailored, i think, for ed's growling. the penultimate song of the 1994 atlanta concert, broadcast over the radio nationally, and including, as lead in to a phenomenal version of "porch," ed's declaration that the audience had won, but that he'd enjoyed the fight.

english beat - save it for later
pearl jam - save it for later
pearl jam - betterman/save it for later

if you can stand the poor sound quality this rendition of "betterman" from madison sq garden back in 1998 features an integrated "save it for later" tag that used to stand up the hairs on my neck.

dead moon - it's ok
pearl jam - it's ok

heather over at i am fuel has written about the dead moon song "it's ok" appearing in some of pj's live sets in 2000 following the roskilde tragedy.

the byrds - so you want to be a rock and roll star (live)
pearl jam - so you want to be a rock and roll star (live)