Given to Fly

Infobox Single
Name = Given to Fly


Artist = Pearl Jam
from Album = Yield
B-side = "Pilate" / "Leatherman"
Released = January 6, 1998
Format = CD single, Cassette, Vinyl
Recorded = February 1997 – September 1997
Genre = Alternative rock
Length = 4:01
Label = Epic
Producer = Brendan O'Brien, Pearl Jam
Writer = Mike McCready, Eddie Vedder
Chart position =
Last single = "Off He Goes" (1996)
This single = "Given to Fly" (1998)
Next single = "Wishlist" (1998)Extra tracklisting
Album = Yield
Type = studio
prev_track = "No Way"
prev_no = Track 3
this_track = "Given to Fly"
track_no = Track 4
next_track = "Wishlist"
next_no = Track 5Audiosample
Upper caption = Audio sample
Audio file = Given_to_Fly.ogg"Given to Fly" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam, released on January 6, 1998 as the first single from the band's fifth studio album, "Yield" (1998). "Given to Fly" proved to be the album's most popular single. "Given to Fly" topped the "Billboard" Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and eventually peaked at number 21 on the "Billboard" Hot 100. The song spent a total of six weeks at number one on the Mainstream Rock chart. The song was included on Pearl Jam's greatest hits album, "".

Origin and recording

The song features lyrics written by frontman Eddie Vedder and music written by guitarist Mike McCready. McCready said he came up with the guitar riff after being stuck in his condo on a snowy day in Seattle.

Composition

In many ways, "Given to Fly" is one of the group's most significant singles - both its classic-rock composition and its warm, crisp sound recall "Ten", which suggests that Pearl Jam were at least somewhat shaken by its fanbase's cool reception to the artsy, frayed "No Code". Regarding the song, McCready said, "I just kind of imagined ["Given to Fly"] as sort of a wave in an ocean: It starts out slow and then it gets a little larger and a little larger and then it breaks and then it comes down again. And that's metaphorically how I think of that song."Schulps, Dave. [http://www.giventowail.com/new/mike/articles/doingthe.php "Doing the Evolution"] . RockDaily.com. 1998.]

Lyrics

Vedder about "Given to Fly":

[I imagined the song as] a 20-page cardboard (children's) book with a line on each page and a picture to go with it. It's a fable, that's all. The music almost gives you this feeling of flight, and I really love singing the part at the end, which is all about rising above anybody's comments about what you do and still giving your love away. You know? Not becoming bitter and reclusive, not condemning the whole world because of the actions of a few. [Moon, Tom. [http://pearljamhistory.no.sapo.pt/PJArticles_Interviews_02-08-98_-_philadelphia_inquirer.htm "Calling Off the Crusades"] . "The Philadelphia Inquirer". February 8, 1998.]

Release and reception

The single was released with a B-side titled "Leatherman". "Given to Fly" became the most successful song from "Yield" on the American rock charts. The song peaked at number 21 on the "Billboard" Hot 100, number one on the "Billboard" Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and number three on the "Billboard" Modern Rock Tracks chart.

Outside of the United States, the single was released in Australia, Austria, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, and South Africa. In Canada, the song reached the top 30 on the Canadian Singles Chart. "Given to Fly" reached the UK Top 20 and peaked at number 13 on the Australian Singles Chart. "Given to Fly" reached number 67 in Germany, the top 40 in the Netherlands and Switzerland, the top 30 in Sweden, and was a top ten success in Finland and Norway. It was a moderate top 20 success in Ireland and New Zealand.

In Allmusic's review of the "Given to Fly" single, it was stated that "Given to Fly" is "a soaring epic that goes a long way in conveying "Yield"'s majestic splendor. Frontman Eddie Vedder narrates the tale of a misunderstood, near-Messianic youth in front of hushed verses that explode into stratospheric choruses."cite web
url=http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:wzfwxq8jldde
title=Given to Fly [US]
author=Cohen, Jonathan
publisher=Allmusic
accessdate=2007-04-28] The guitar part and main vocal melody in the song have been noted for their similarities to Led Zeppelin's "Going to California". [Sinclair, Tom. [http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,281804,00.html "Last Band Standing"] . "Entertainment Weekly". February 6, 1998.] When asked about the similarities, guitarist Mike McCready stated, "It's probably some sort of rip off of it I'm sure...Whether it's conscious or unconscious but that was definitely one of the songs I was listening to for sure. Zeppelin was definitely an influence on that." [Engleheart, Murray. [http://www.fivehorizons.com/archive/articles/massive98.shtml "Interview with Mike McCready"] . "Massive! Magazine". February/March 1998.] At a 2005 benefit concert in Chicago for Hurricane Katrina relief, Pearl Jam performed the song in concert with Robert Plant in attendance. The band then segued "Given to Fly" into "Going to California", with Plant joining in. [Peel. Derek. [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001261699 "Pearl Jam, Plant Get The Led Out In Chicago"] . "Billboard". October 6, 2005.]

Live performances

The song was premiered live at the band's November 12, 1997 concert in Santa Cruz, California. [ [http://pearljam.com/songs/song.php?song=GivenToFly "Pearl Jam Songs: "Given to Fly""] . pearljam.com.] Live performances of "Given to Fly" can be found on the live albums "Live on Two Legs" and "Live at the Gorge 05/06". Performances of the song are also included on the DVDs "Single Video Theory" and "Touring Band 2000".

Track listing

;Compact Disc Single (US, Australia, Austria, Japan, Korea, and Mexico), 7" Vinyl Single (US and The Netherlands), and Cassette Single (US, Australia, and The Netherlands)
#"Given to Fly" (Mike McCready, Eddie Vedder) – 4:01
#"Pilate" (Jeff Ament) – 2:58
#"Leatherman" (Vedder) – 2:31
#*Previously Unreleased

;Compact Disc Single (Austria and South Africa)
#"Given to Fly" (McCready, Vedder) – 4:01
#"Leatherman" (Vedder) – 2:31
#*Previously Unreleased

Chart positions

References

External links

* [http://www.pearljam.com/songs/song.php?song=GivenToFly Lyrics]